Last updated: September 2026
No pillow stops snoring on its own, and any anti snoring pillow that claims to should be treated with suspicion. What the right pillow can do is make the two positions that reduce snoring, sleeping on your side and keeping the head slightly elevated with a neutral neck, comfortable enough to hold all night, and that is often the difference between a quiet night and a loud one.
Quick answer: The best pillow for snoring is one that keeps you comfortably on your side with your neck in a straight line, because on your back the tongue and soft palate fall towards the throat and narrow the airway, which the NHS lists side sleeping as the fix for. That means a memory foam pillow with enough height for your shoulder width, such as the REM-Fit Bamboo Charcoal Pillow in its 12 cm depth for side sleepers, or the Good Housekeeping Winner 2026 Cool Gel Pillow if you also sleep hot. If snoring comes with gasping, choking or daytime sleepiness, see a GP, because that is sleep apnoea and no pillow treats it.
Can a pillow really help with snoring?
Yes, within honest limits. Snoring is the sound of air vibrating soft tissue in a narrowed airway, and two things a pillow controls make the airway narrower or wider: which way you face, and the angle of your neck.
Sleeping on your back lets the tongue and soft palate fall backwards, which is why most people snore more in that position; sleeping on your side keeps the airway more open, and it is the first thing the NHS suggests trying. Neck angle matters in both positions, because a pillow that is too high bends the chin to the chest and a pillow that is too low lets the head tip back, and both can worsen the vibration.
What a pillow cannot do is fix the causes that have nothing to do with position: weight around the neck, alcohol relaxing the throat muscles, smoking, congestion, or obstructive sleep apnoea. Our guide to the best mattress for snoring and acid reflux covers the full list of what helps and when to see a GP.
What should you look for in a pillow for snoring?
Three things: enough height to fill the gap between your shoulder and your head when you lie on your side, enough support to hold that height all night rather than flattening by 3 am, and a surface that stays cool enough that you do not throw the pillow off and end up flat on your back.
Height is the one most people get wrong. A side sleeper with broad shoulders needs a deep pillow, usually 10 cm or more, to keep the neck level with the spine; a back sleeper needs a lower one so the head is not pushed forward. Memory foam holds its loft better than feather or hollowfibre, which compress within a couple of hours and let your head sink towards the mattress, undoing the alignment that was keeping the airway open.
Firmness follows the same logic: firm enough to support the head at a constant height, soft enough that the ear and jaw are not under pressure, which is the combination that lets you actually stay on your side. A second pillow tucked against your back is an old trick that works, because it stops you rolling over without waking you.
Which REM-Fit pillow is best for snoring?
The REM-Fit Bamboo Charcoal Pillow is the pick for most snorers, because it is the pillow in the range with a choice of depths: 12 cm for side sleepers, who need the loft to keep the neck straight, and 8 cm for back and front sleepers who need less. The bamboo charcoal infused memory foam holds its height through the night, regulates temperature and moisture, and is naturally hypoallergenic and dust mite resistant, which matters because congestion from allergies is itself a snoring trigger.
REM-Fit Bamboo Charcoal Pillow
Memory foam in a choice of 8 cm or 12 cm depths, so side sleepers get the loft that keeps the airway open and the neck straight.
Shop the Bamboo Charcoal Pillow✓ 100-night trial✓ 5-year guarantee✓ Free UK delivery✓ 0% finance
If you snore and sleep hot, the 500 Cool Gel Pillow, a Good Housekeeping Winner 2026, pairs a cooling gel layer with supportive memory foam, because overheating is one of the things that pushes people out of their side position and onto their backs. The Snow Pillow goes further on cooling again, and our guide to the best pillow for side sleepers covers loft and alignment in more depth.
Does the mattress matter too?
Yes, because the pillow can only keep you on your side if the mattress makes side sleeping bearable. A surface that is too firm at the shoulder makes side sleeping ache, and an aching shoulder rolls you onto your back within an hour, snoring and all.
A medium hybrid with pressure relief at the shoulder and hip is the usual answer, which is why the 3000 Supreme (medium, 6 out of 10, on 3000 tall pocket springs) is our recommended mattress for snorers, and every model in our hybrid mattress collection shares the open-cell memory foam that keeps the surface cool. The full reasoning is in the snoring and acid reflux mattress guide.
Best pillow for snoring FAQs
Last updated: September 2026
Do anti snoring pillows work?
They help when the snoring is positional, by making side sleeping and a neutral neck comfortable enough to hold all night; they do not treat snoring caused by weight, alcohol, congestion or sleep apnoea. No pillow stops snoring outright, so be wary of any that promises to.
What is the best sleeping position to stop snoring?
On your side. Sleeping on your back lets the tongue and soft palate fall towards the throat and narrow the airway, which is why the NHS advises side sleeping for snorers. A deep enough pillow under your head and a second pillow against your back help you stay there.
Should snorers use a high or low pillow?
It depends on position. Side sleepers need a higher pillow, around 10 to 12 cm, to keep the neck level with the spine; back sleepers need a lower one, around 8 cm, so the head is not pushed forward. Wrong height in either direction can make snoring worse.
Can a pillow help with sleep apnoea?
No. Obstructive sleep apnoea, where breathing stops and starts during sleep with gasping or choking, needs diagnosing and treating through a GP, not a pillow. See a GP if you have those signs or you feel sleepy during the day despite a full night in bed.
Is memory foam good for snoring?
Yes, because it holds its height through the night where feather and hollowfibre pillows flatten, keeping the neck at the same angle at 4 am as at midnight. Choose a depth to match your sleeping position and a foam that regulates heat so you stay comfortable on your side.
Sources: NHS, Snoring; British Snoring and Sleep Apnoea Association; REM-Fit product specifications, September 2026.
