It has been quite a personal journey for me from the days of using old, worn out polyester filled pillows to the memory foam pillow that I currently use. Like many people reading this article, I had grown to accept the fact that a pillow would eventually degrade and would need to be replaced after a period of time. Spending $20-30 on a new pillow every couple of years was just something I got used to, sort of like buying light bulbs or replacing batteries. The difference is that light bulbs and batteries work great when new. You see, the issue with cheap pillows is that they lack the ability to provide proper support from the outset. For someone like me that suffers from chronic neck pain, a polyester filled pillow just doesn’t cut it, even when new. I needed a better alternative; something that would ease my aching neck and allow me to get a restful night of sleep. Fortunately, I found the foam pillow and have never looked back.

Also referred to as memory foam pillows, foam pillows are constructed from polyethylene and other chemicals that give the material its trademark dense feel. When I say dense, I’m referring to the ability of the material to slowly “give in” to the weight of your body, enveloping it naturally without creating pressure. In contrast, other materials tend to push back on your body, forming unwanted pressure that can later lead to stiff muscles and body aches. Memory foam is also graded based on its density, so it’s safe to assume that foam with a higher density is of higher quality and will likely offer superior support. Of course, there is a tradeoff at some point, and experts agree that anything with a density greater than 5 pounds per cubic foot is likely too dense. The ideal density to look for is between 3 and 4 pounds per cubic foot, which will provide sufficient support while remaining comfortable.

There isn’t just one type of foam pillow that will be right for everyone. In fact, my wife has decided that a standard pillow is best for her, while I’ve opted for the memory foam neck pillow due to an existing medical condition. My pillow has provided such relief from nagging neck pain that I will never go anywhere without it. I take it with me on vacations and it even goes with me on business trips. For travel purposes, I’ve resorted to using a memory foam travel pillow, which works wonders on long flights and car rides.

The price for foam pillows fluctuates wildly depending on the size, shape and even the brand you choose. I decided long ago to purchase a Tempur-Pedic brand pillow not because I think the other brands are bad, but because I know I can get a product that is highly dense and positively reviewed. I purchased my queen sized pillow about 5 years ago for close to $100 and it still functions and appears like it did the day I bought it.

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