Waking Up With Neck Pain? It's Probably Your Pillow.

You stretch. You change your chair. Yet you still wake up stiff. Your pillow’s shape deserves a closer look.

One pillow feels too low. Two feel too high. Sound familiar?

5:55 a.m.

Before you even open your eyes, you feel it.

Your shoulder is tight. That familiar dull ache sits at the base of your skull.

You turn your head slowly, careful of the sore spot.

“I must have slept funny.” Again.

Maybe it’s your desk. Maybe it’s stress. Maybe you have no idea why your neck keeps hurting.

You stretch. Try to sit straighter. Maybe you’ve had a massage, seen a chiropractor, or even bought a better mattress.

If your neck feels better by bedtime, why are you waking up stiff again?

Your pillow is worth a closer look.

The Back-and-Side Sleeper Trap

Have you ever rolled up your pillow while lying on your side?

You’re trying to fill the gap under your head.

On your side, your shoulder holds your head above the mattress. Your pillow needs to fill that space.

Too low, and your head tips down. Too high, and it tips up.

Then you roll onto your back. The pillow that filled the gap on your side can now be too high, pushing your chin toward your chest.

A review of pillow research found evidence for higher sides for side sleepers and a lower middle for back sleepers.²

So why keep trying to make one height work for both?

The Pillow For Back AND Side Sleepers

This is why the Original Groove® Pillow has raised sides and a lower middle.

On your side: the higher section supports your head. The curved edge leaves space for your shoulder.

On your back: your head rests in the lower middle. The groove supports the natural curve behind your neck.

See the Original Groove® Pillow

Higher sides. A lower middle. The support you were trying to create by folding your pillow, built into its shape.

Does Pillow Shape Really Matter?

A 2021 review found that pillow shape and height may affect neck alignment.¹

This review studied pillow designs, not the Original Groove Pillow specifically.

More than 1,000 chiropractors, physical therapists and other practitioners across the US and UK recommend Groove.

What Do Customers Notice When They Wake Up?

There are 13,301 verified reviews on our US store. 4.8 stars average.

Read more customer reviews on the product page.

But Will It Feel Right for You?

Try it at home for 100 nights from delivery. If it is not right for you, contact our support team to arrange a return. See the return terms.

1. Pang JCY, Tsang SMH, Fu ACL. The effects of pillow designs on neck pain, waking symptoms, neck disability, sleep quality and spinal alignment in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Biomechanics. 2021;85:105353. doi: 10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2021.105353.
2. Radwan A, Ashton N, Gates T, Kilmer A, VanFleet M. Effect of different pillow designs on promoting sleep comfort, quality, and spinal alignment: a systematic review. European Journal of Integrative Medicine. 2021;42:101269. doi: 10.1016/j.eujim.2020.101269.
3. Helewa A, Goldsmith CH, Smythe HA, Lee P, Obright K, Stitt L. Effect of therapeutic exercise and sleeping neck support on patients with chronic neck pain: a randomized clinical trial. The Journal of Rheumatology. 2007;34(1):151-158.
4. Cleveland Clinic. Best Sleeping Positions for Pain. Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials. May 26, 2023. Used for the general principle that lying posture and pillow height should support neutral head, neck and spine alignment.
5. Sleep Foundation. Side Sleeping: Which Side Should You Sleep On? Used for the principle that side sleepers should keep the head, neck, shoulders and hips aligned.