The best pillows to make neck pain a thing of the past

• Type of pillow: Adjustable
• Filling: Memory Foam
• Size: W 70cm x L 40cm

Bed-in-a-box brand Emma is one of our favourites for mattresses, and its Original Pillow is great for those suffering with neck pain, offering ergonomic support and removable layers to allow you to create the perfect pillow for what you need. A Gel Memory Foam layer supports your head and hugs your neck while offering a sink in feeling, and the Visco Memory Foam layer distributes pressure and weight evenly across your head and shoulders.

You'll also find a layer of HRX Foam which is the company's softest layer, while the Emma Cover is washable and removable with a face-cushioning softness that feels wonderful. If you're a stomach sleeper, it is recommended you keep just one layer in, back sleepers should try two to three layers and side sleepers should keep in all three for maximum support and comfort for a good night’s sleep. £79 £55.30. At emma-sleep.co.uk

• Type of pillow: Adjustable
• Filling: Simba Nanocubes
• Size: W 70cm x L 45cm, W 60cm x L 60cm

Simba is a household name in the mattress world and so it's no surprise the company knows a good pillow too. The Hybrid Pillow takes notes from the Simba mattress offering with a combination of layers for the ultimate balance of comfort and support.

A 100 per cent breathable cotton cover with Simba's Stratos heat control makes sure this pillow feels cool against your body, while a cushioning outer sleeve of soft, Simba Renew Bio Fibres offer luxurious comfort. Inside is where the party is at though with an inner core of tiny Simba Nanocubes zipped up in a bag, so you can take some out to get the ultimate feeling for your personal preferences. £109. At simbasleep.com

• Type of pillow: Firm
• Filling: Synthetic
• Size: W 61cm x L 38cm

Dunelm is one of our favourite retailers for bedding, furniture and accessories so it's no surprise to us that it has a pillow in its portfolio that is great for those suffering from neck pain. The Comfortzone Contour Pillow offers a firm support overall, keeping your neck and neck aligned when you're sleeping soundly on your side.

Machine washable for convenience, and manufactured in the UK, the Comfortzone Contour Pillow has a hollowfibre filling wrapped in a 100 per cent cotton cover with a 230 thread count for a cosy and luxurious feeling. £22. At dunelm.com

• Type of pillow: Medium
• Filling: Microfibre
• Size: W 48cm x L 21 x H21 cm

Delivering the perfect blend of support and sink in softness, the Aeyla Dual Pillow is clump-resistant and will retain its shape night after night, whilst offering adaptive technology to mould to your position. A breathable cotton cover keeps things cool and comfortable, while a supportive pillow sits inside for alignment - hence the Dual name.

Osteopath-approved and adaptable to various sleep positions, the Aeyla Dual Pillow offers a microfibre fill, making it suitable for those that suffer with allergies too. It's also Oeko Tex certified which means it's free from harmful chemicals and it’s also machine washable to keep everything fresh. Best of all, there's a satisfaction guarantee too. £89 £69. At aeyla.co.uk

• Type of pillow: V-shaped
• Filling: 100% polyester
• Size: L82cm x W50cm x H32cm

A V-shaped pillow is self-explanatory, offering a niche in which one can rest one’s head in a position where it will neither hurt their back and neck nor slip out of position during sleep. This one, sold by John Lewis, is a very reasonably priced middle-of-the-road option, which comes with a two-year guarantee to ensure it’s the right pillow for you. It’s filled with polyester and boasts a solid 230-thread-count cover of combined polyester and cotton. You can machine wash it at up to 40 degrees, and over time, it ought to sort out whatever back or neck pain you have. A great choice all round. £35. At johnlewis.com

• Type of pillow: Medium
• Filling: Levitex foam
• Size: Varies; small, medium, large or XL available

Levitex doesn’t just sell pillows – that would be too old-fashioned – but also offers significant advice on how to sleep better all-round. Among their advice is to keep your old pillow and sleep with it between your knees, for balance, and to get used to sleeping on your side, if you don’t already.

Don’t get distracted, though: the pillow is still the main event here. It’s filled with 100% Levitex’s own proprietary memory foam, and comes in a cooling nylon cover. It’s also anti-microbial, having been given a resistant treatment called AM:PM, and comes in four different sizes, helpfully allowing you to choose which will be best for your neck and spine (there’s a helpful guide on their website which you can use to work out the right height of pillow). £75. At levitex.co.uk

• Type of pillow: Groove
• Filling: Memory foam
• Size: W 35cm x L 60cm x H 11cm

The Original Groove sounds like the name of a '70s throwback club night, but that association couldn’t be further from the reality, which will have you sleeping like a log no matter what partying might be going on elsewhere. Groove Pillows’ OG offering is a subtly shaped pillow with a shallow groove in the middle and an underhang on the bottom edge of the pillow on either side to keep your shoulders in place (if that doesn’t make sense, take a look at the pictures on their website).

The idea is to keep your spine in a neutral position while you sleep; to aid this, the pillow is filled with bamboo charcoal memory foam, and also boasts a thermogenic inner layer to regulate temperature during the night. If that doesn’t convince you, then have no fear – Original Groove will also offer you a 100-night trial period to make sure this is the pillow for you. £29.95. At groovepillows.co.uk

• Type of pillow: Unspecified
• Filling: Visco Elastic Polyurethane Foam with Gel Powders
• Size: W 64cm x L 40cm

REM-Fit doesn't just offer some of the best mattresses out there, it also has a great pillow for those suffering from neck pain in its 500 Cool Gel option. Supporting correct spinal alignment and delivering excellent pressure relief, the REM-Fit 500 Cool Gel Pillow is made from cool gel-infused memory foam technology for a natural cooling effect.

There is also a Re-Ax fibre cover made from light, stretchy and durable fabric, designed to absorb excess heat and its moisture-wicking properties swiftly remove sweat from your head and neck to regulate body temperature. Best of all, this pillow is designed for any sleeping position to support the head, neck and shoulders for a dreamy night's sleep. £99 £49.50. At rem-fit.co.uk

• Type of pillow: Adjustable
• Filling: 20% microfibre, 80% foam
• Size: W 74cm x L 48cm, W89cm x L 48cm

Kudd.ly has some of our favourite bedding and cost accessories, from weighted blankets to throws, and its Dream Pillow is up there with some of the best for those suffering from neck pain. Filled with shredded CertiPUR-US Certified memory foam and wrapped with a breathable 100 per cent cotton CLOUDsoft lined protective cover, it's designed to suit all sleeping positions.

Machine washable for easy cleaning, the kudd.ly Dream Pillow has adjustable height and firmness to suit all preferences, and there's hypoallergenic layer too for the allergy sufferers out there. Two sizes are available - standard and king size - and both come with a storage bag for any extra filling you choose to remove. £99 £49. At kudd.ly

• Type of pillow: Firm
• Filling: Hollowfibre with layer of memory foam
• Size: W 64cm x L 38cm

Combining several materials to deliver the ultimate support, whilst retaining comfort, the Slumberdown Memory Plus pillow begins with a soft knit cover that feels gentle against your cheek or neck, depending on your sleeping position.

A unique memory foam wrap sits below the cover, surrounding the hollowfibre filling and gently moulding to your head and neck to offer support and relieve pressure. There’s a firmer fill overall to support and align the head, neck and spine, and it’s non-allergenic too, though you can't pop it in the washing machine – sponge clean only for this one. From £18. At slumberdown.co.uk / amazon.co.uk

• Type of pillow: Medium, V-Shape
• Filling: 100% polyester
• Size: W 33cm x L 84cm x H 84cm

Perfect for reading in bed, or enjoying a lazy Sunday morning cuppa, the Marks & Spencer V-Shaped pillow offers the perfect balance between a luxurious comfortable feeling, and support for your head and neck.

Made in Great Britain, the Marks & Spencer Medium V-Shaped Pillow with Pillowcase is filled with a plump fibre and non-allergenic filing that will shape to your body for the ultimate comfort, while a cotton fabric cover delivers a super soft and cooling feel. It's machine-washable at 40 degrees too, and it features recycled polyester so it's kinder to the environment. £22.50. At marksandspencer.com

• Type of pillow: Medium
• Filling: Tempur Material micro-cushions
• Size: W 74cm x L 50cm

Tempur is renowned for its excellent mattresses and its pillows are up there with some of the best too, with the Comfort Pillow Original especially great for those suffering from neck pain. Offering a traditional shape with a medium level of support, the Comfort Pillow Original combines pressure-relieving comfort and support.

A soft fabric cover can be removed for easy washing, while inside is filled with the same Tempur Material found in the company's mattresses, with Viscoelastic cells that actively mould and adapt to your body and neck. Whatever your sleeping position, the Tempur micro-cushions are huggable, shapeable and you can fluff and puff them as you like. £109 £94. At uk.tempur.com