Pillow height — loft — is the one measurement that decides whether your neck spends the night straight or bent. It depends on three things: how you sleep, how broad your shoulders are, and how far your mattress lets your shoulder sink. Find your row below, then test your pillow against it.
Side sleepers
| Build | Mattress | Loft (inches) | Loft (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Narrow | Soft | 3–4″ | 7.6–10.2 |
| Narrow | Medium | 3.75–4.75″ | 9.5–12.1 |
| Narrow | Firm | 4.25–5.25″ | 10.8–13.3 |
| Average | Soft | 3.75–4.75″ | 9.5–12.1 |
| Average | Medium | 4.5–5.5″ | 11.4–14 |
| Average | Firm | 5–6″ | 12.7–15.2 |
| Broad | Soft | 4.5–5.5″ | 11.4–14 |
| Broad | Medium | 5.25–6.25″ | 13.3–15.9 |
| Broad | Firm | 5.75–6.75″ | 14.6–17.1 |
Back sleepers
| Build | Mattress | Loft (inches) | Loft (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Narrow | Soft | 2.25–3.25″ | 5.7–8.3 |
| Narrow | Medium | 2.75–3.75″ | 7–9.5 |
| Narrow | Firm | 3–4″ | 7.6–10.2 |
| Average | Soft | 2.75–3.75″ | 7–9.5 |
| Average | Medium | 3.25–4.25″ | 8.3–10.8 |
| Average | Firm | 3.5–4.5″ | 8.9–11.4 |
| Broad | Soft | 3.25–4.25″ | 8.3–10.8 |
| Broad | Medium | 3.75–4.75″ | 9.5–12.1 |
| Broad | Firm | 4–5″ | 10.2–12.7 |
Side and back (you switch during the night)
| Build | Mattress | Loft (inches) | Loft (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Narrow | Soft | 2.75–3.75″ | 7–9.5 |
| Narrow | Medium | 3.25–4.25″ | 8.3–10.8 |
| Narrow | Firm | 3.5–4.5″ | 8.9–11.4 |
| Average | Soft | 3.25–4.25″ | 8.3–10.8 |
| Average | Medium | 3.75–4.75″ | 9.5–12.1 |
| Average | Firm | 4.25–5.25″ | 10.8–13.3 |
| Broad | Soft | 4–5″ | 10.2–12.7 |
| Broad | Medium | 4.5–5.5″ | 11.4–14 |
| Broad | Firm | 4.75–5.75″ | 12.1–14.6 |
How to test the pillow you already own
- Lie down the way you actually sleep. Not on your back to check a side-sleeping pillow.
- Have someone look at you from the front. Nose, chin and breastbone should sit in one line, with your head neither tipped up toward the ceiling nor dropped toward the mattress.
- Give it eight minutes. Memory foam has not finished compressing before then, so a pillow that feels right immediately can be too low by the time you actually fall asleep.
- Judge it in the morning, not at night. Comfort at bedtime tells you very little. Stiffness on waking is the signal that matters.
If it is wrong, the next question is which way. The signs of a pillow that is too high or too low sets out what each observable sign points to.
Where these numbers come from
Supported loft = the gap between your ear and the mattress, minus how far your shoulder sinks into it.
Starting gaps are 5.0″ narrow, 5.75″ average and 6.5″ broad on your side, and 3.5″ / 4.0″ / 4.5″ on your back. From that we subtract shoulder sink: 1.5″ on a soft mattress, 0.75″ on medium, 0.25″ on firm — halved for back sleeping, because less shoulder is involved. Every row carries a ±0.5″ tolerance.
This is a practical model, not a clinical measurement. Treat every figure as a starting range to test against, not a prescription. Persistent or worsening neck pain is a conversation for a clinician, not a pillow.
Want the number for your exact setup?
The calculator works from your own measurements rather than the build categories above, so it narrows the range further.
Free to quote, cite or embed with attribution to Sleep Align. This page is general information about sleep comfort, not medical advice.
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