Trying Out Wedge Pillows for a Better Night’s Sleep, What Worked & What Didn’t

A week or so ago I mentioned I had purchased a wedge pillow to see if it would help with my ongoing sinus issues that seem to always plague me at night. The pillow I’ve been sleeping on is super low, which I like, but I was concerned that it was contributing to my sinus problem since my head is at such a flat level while I sleep.

I’ve been fighting sinus issues for years. I am beginning to suspect that part of my problem is due to a food intolerance…maybe wheat. I noticed recently when I ate a few water crackers late at night about 30 minutes before going to bed, my nose immediately blocked up afterward. I was fine before I ate the crackers and totally blocked up and unable to breathe through my nose afterward.

That reminded me that the best my sinuses have ever been was in my early 40s when I decided to cut out all bread-type foods from my diet in an effort to lose a few pounds. During the time I was doing that, my sinuses were the best they had ever been. I remember it was springtime and everyone around me at work was miserable with allergy issues due to the high pollen count at that time, and for the first time ever, I had no allergy issues at all. So I’m beginning to think my sinus issues may be triggered by a  food or additive intolerance. I searched online to see if that was a thing the other night and found a lot of info online backing that up. Apparently, certain foods can bigtime trigger sinus issues for some people. I probably need to cut wheat and dairy out of my diet for a while and see if that helps. They recommend eliminating only one food at a time so you can pinpoint more clearly if that’s the issue.

Anyway, back to the wedge pillows. This was the first wedge pillow that I ordered. Fortunately, returns were free and I did end up having to return it for two reasons. The first reason is that it was too narrow. I sleep on my back, always have my whole life or at least as far back as I can remember. When laying on my back, my arms kept falling off the sides. If you’re a back sleeper and decide to try a wedge pillow, I definitely recommend ordering an extra-large size because (as I found out) your typical wedge pillow isn’t wide enough to support your arms.

 

Also, this wedge pillow was too short. When laying on it, my head ended up pretty close to the top, so there was no room for a pillow. If I placed a pillow on it, the pillow kept falling off the back since it just isn’t long enough. The 3rd issue I had with this pillow was that it felt like I had no support under the small of my back. It felt like there was a gap right under the small of my back. With no place for my arms to rest, no room for a pillow, and no support under the small of my back, I returned it.

 

This was the next wedge pillow I tried–an extra-large wedge pillow with plenty of room for the arms. Note: If there will be another person sleeping beside you, you would definitely need a king-size bed to have space for this extra-large wedge pillow and another person beside you. As you can see, it took up a lot of space on my queen-size bed.

 

There were several things I liked about this wedge pillow. Because of how it’s curved/designed at the lower end, it offered good support for the small of my back. Also, it was wide enough that there was plenty of room to rest my arms on either side. But it had two issues that were a big problem, and one of those was bad enough that I ended up returning it after trying it for just one night.

 

The two problems I experienced with this wedge pillow was when laying in the center of it, it sort of sunk down in the center offering no support for the center of my back. It felt almost like there was a trough going vertically all the way down the center from the top to the bottom of the pillow. It just sunk down underneath my back which didn’t feel supportive at all.

Because it’s sunk downward in the middle, or at least that’s how it felt when I was laying on it, my arms rose upward on either side of my body which felt uncomfortable. It was a bit like sleeping in a hole. The lack of support was subtle but enough that it felt uncomfortable, and when I awoke in the morning, my back ached. If this wedge pillow had been nice and firm, I think it would have been perfect.

 

After two failed experiences with two different wedge pillows, I basically gave up on the wedge pillow idea. Somewhere out there, there may be a really nice, large, firm/supportive wedge pillow that offers great support for the back, as well as great support for the small of the back, but I just don’t have the energy to keep ordering wedge pillows to find out.

So next I decided to order this set of pillows since you can adjust the height depending on how many pillows you place inside the pillowcase. I was a bit reluctant to try this set because they are feather pillows. In the past, I have not enjoyed sleeping on a feather pillow because they have a tendency to rise upward on either side of your face when laying on them. I can’t stand that! But I decided to give these a try due to the good reviews.

 

I ended up finding the best arrangement for me was using two of the three pillows inside the pillowcase. They do somewhat rise up on either side of your face when you’re laying on them, but it was the best alternative of the choices I have tried. In the past, my favorite pillow was just a cheap, poly-filled, Dollar Store pillow. With those, I can usually push the polyfill around to support my neck and adjust the pillow the way I want it, but the issue with those is they only last about 6 months before they need to be replaced. The last time I went back to the two Dollar Stores in my area, all the pillows they had were tall and overstuffed. So they no longer had the nice flat pillows that I’ve purchased before. I should probably check back again since it’s been a while since I stopped in.

I’ve tried the pillows containing chipped-up foam pieces, but I haven’t had success with those either. The pieces always feel too big and I can never get them adjusted to my liking. I’ve tried two different types. So I’m trying to work with this set and I won’t be returning them either way. But I am going to continue to keep my eye out for something better. If you like the look of these and like the idea of being able to adjust the height, you can check out the reviews for these here: 3 Queen Size Pillows, Adjustable.

 

Just wanted to follow up with the update on the Wedge pillows, in case it was helpful. What style of pillow is your favorite? Would love to hear what works for you! Also, if you’ve had sinuses issues and you discovered they were food-related, please share what foods you found were the trigger. I’m determined to get to the bottom of my ongoing sinus problems since they def interfere with me getting a good night’s rest.

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Comments

  1. I never like wedge pillows. My perfect pillow is a Serta Perfect Sleeper. It is curved for comfort, fits shoulders, gel memory foam and cool. Got mine for $30.

  2. Diane King says

    I fell for the hype and bought a “My Pillow”. It looks lumpy, but it is the most comfortable pillow I have ever owned. My husband loves his, too, and he is very picky. They are very inexpensive so give them a try.

  3. I was glad to hear your wedge pillow experience. My husband has similar night time sinus issues. Starts the minute he lays down. Hope you can find answers and then share them.

  4. Have you tried raising the head of your bed? I have to do that for a medical issue. I either raised the top of the bed by 4”, then put about a 2” piece of wood under the center support of the bed. I think you can actually buy supports, but I just used two pieces of wood nailed together. Good luck!

  5. Did you know that any mattress can function on an adjustable frame? You can keep your favorite pillows but raise the head and feet to your favorite position. We have a split king adjustable TemperPedic, but the mattress store rep told me than any mattress can work on an adjustable frame!

  6. Nancy Lou Hauge says

    Try putting it betweeen the two mattresses on the side you sleep on…easy!

  7. lois munn says

    Seems pretty clear you have a gluten allergy. I’d start with eliminating wheat. Wouldn’t try to eliminate dairy yet. See how it goes, not easy but will surely be worth trying this first.

  8. You may be allergic to scents. Try going without perfume, scented lotion, soap or scented detergent on your bedding. I found later in life that some perfumes especially with a high floral scent can wreck havoc with my sinuses. Some cause a terrible migraine. It’s worth a try for a week or two. Go with unscented cremes/soap and unscented washing detergent and see. You may be pleasantly surprised. If not that, then you may want to look into a new mattress that has adjustable setting. Costly, but would be worth it in the long run.

  9. Maureen E. says

    Your sinus issues could be related to many things–the pollen count, which was extremely high this year, at least in our area (my nose was stuffy for days until we got a good rain); food, as you mentioned (perhaps you are sensitive to gluten); or maybe just something in your house. We had a leak from our roof recently (due to roofers not properly replacing the flashing around the chimney when we had our roof re-done), and it was right behind the bed in our master bedroom. We couldn’t hear any water, and we couldn’t see the damp wall because we had a large picture hung above the bed that was covering the water mark. Until we discovered the leak and got it fixed, water was getting in behind the wall and some mold was developing. My husband started having sinus issues and figured out what the problem probably was. So he got a small air purifier to keep near the area. He runs it during the day and then shuts it off at night so the noise doesn’t keep us awake. Even though the problem inside the wall has been fixed, he still benefits from the air purifier.

    About the pillow situation: Have you ever tried a pillow made from buckwheat hulls? My husband and son both use them and swear they keep them from having neck issues. You can adjust the total amount of hulls so the pillow is the height and fullness you want; and then when you’re lying on it you can further adjust it to your comfort. The pillows feel too hard to me, but many people love them. This is the company we’ve ordered from: https://comfycomfy.com/. You have to make sure you are getting a pillow from a company that uses sanitized hulls. Also, you may a pillow that’s smaller than a standard pillow if you ever try one b/c they are heavy.

  10. I’ve been looking for a wedge pillow also but not for the same reason as you. Around April I developed a terrible cough. It started as a dry cough then I developed congestion in my lungs. I would cough at times for a solid ten minutes without stopping. It was terrible. I had no fever. My doctor tried everything, z-pack, two levels of steroids, pneumonia blood test, and a scan of my lungs which showed all of the bronchial buds in my lungs were full of congestion. My doctor then made an appointment with a pulmonologist. The pulmonologist told me the congestion was being caused by acid reflux! I had a hard time believing that he knew what he was talking about. I have experienced acid reflux but very rarely. The doctor told me I was breathing the acid at night while I slept. He recommended I get a wedge to elevate my head while I slept. He also gave me a prescription for prilosec. Since I have been taking the prilosec (one a day) my lungs have cleared up completely. I’m so thankful to finally have a diagnosis for my issue. I hope you can find out what is causing your sinus issue and will get relief soon. Thanks for the reviews of the wedge pillows.

  11. Hi – I wanted to let you know my experiences with wedge pillows and all other things I’ve tried in order to elevate the head of the bed. I have acid reflux which can get bad during the night. It is vital to raise the head of the bed. I have tried (in order) all the following: 1. raising the head of the bed with a bed riser on the two legs at the head of bed. Didn’t really work. Slid down the mattress 2) wedge pillow like you have. I slid down it during the night. I don’t remember if I tried to use a pillow, don’t think so. 3) full length foam wedge single size (sized like a cot and had a zip off washable soft cover) This was great. I did not slide down. But when my bed was made the bed looked lopsided. Did not like that look! 4) finally broke down and bought an adjustable bed. Best money I ever spent!! You can sleep with your pillow, adjust to any height and lower it when ever you want with the push of the remote control button. All through out this I did have a memory foam mattress so all I had to buy was the adjustable bed frame. I bought one that the foot of the bed is also adjustable but rarely used that feature although it could be helpful to others. I bought a Leggett & Platt (L&P) frame from Costco online some years back. It was not the cheapest model nor the premium, it was somewhere in their middle price range. Now there a a lot of adjustable bed frame brands out there but L&P is one of if not the longest manufacturer of the adjustable bed frame. Oh, also important, it has a feature that they call “wall hugger technology” which allows the head of the bed to be raised yet it does not pull far away from the wall. You can still easily reach your night stand. One last thing, I do know that for acid reflux (not what you have described) they do not recommend using a lot of pillows as that does not properly raise the head, shoulders and torso to prevent acid from getting into the esophagus. One thing you could try is to put the wedge pillow between the mattress and box spring rather than on top of the mattress. I think that way you could still use a pillow. Best of luck. I enjoy your website.

  12. Nancy Carr says

    My solution for the nasal issues is a Temperpedic bed where you can raise the head plus other features.
    I also use My Pillows. These are washable. I send my clothes and bedding out to be done. I made the mistake to send both My Pillows at the same time to the laundry. I was miserable using other pillows in the interim. Now I send one at a time, so I am not without one of my favorite pillows.
    Blessings

  13. Nancy Brantley says

    Like you I’ve had sinus issues as long as I can remember. I was told not to sleep on my back and that helps. Also doctors say sleeping on back causes lung congestion/pneumonia??? I just bought a pillow from Rose’s Department Store and it is the best pillow I’ve ever bought. We will see how long the pillow will last since it was cheap.

  14. I finally gave up dairy in November and my sinus issues are much better. I thought I could never give up butter and cheese, but it has been easy, mostly because I really like the vegan cheeses and butters etc. I have not consumed milk for many years, but the rest had to go. I mostly only eat sprouted grain breads, but not a lot. Good luck with your searching.

  15. I finally just purchased an adjustable frame for my new mattress. Its the nest thing I ever did ! The head and the feet area can be adjusted up and down in any combo you wish – life changing ! And it wasn’t as expensive as I thought it would be.I bought mine here: https://www.originalmattress.com/adjustable-beds
    (I live in Ohio ) They are made in the USA !

  16. Elena MacDermant says

    And that is exactly why I got an adjustable bed. Have never had an issue. I have asthma and I need to sleep propped up to breath when I’m having an issue. The adjustable bed fits the bill perfectly. You might be able to keep your mattress( not the boxspring) and just get the adjustable bottom. That’s what my son did when his girlfriend moved in with him because his mattress was just a year old.

  17. I have an adjustable air mattress which helps my sinus issues. I’m also able to select the firmness which is good for my back.

  18. Desperately, I tried five different wedges this spring while recovering from rotator cuff surgery. All were horrible….too narrow, too hard, no support, too short, etc. finally took a spare poly filled comforter and folded over and over with more layers towards head of bed, letting extra hang down sides of mattress and made it about as wide as my pillow, then propped pillow up on it. Worked better than any wedge.
    My favorite bed pillow is the $4.00 room essentials plush from Target. Perfect support for me and not too thick. Lasts me a year or so.
    For nighttime congestion I have found inhaling a couple squirts of plain old saline spray and then applying a Breathe right strip (dollar tree has cheap knockoffs sometimes 🙂 works great when I have a cold or stuffiness.
    Hope you find a great solution for you!

  19. I found the dental community to be helpful with this issue. My dentist told me about acid reflux can be a cause. He also told me to Google techniques to clear a stuffy nose. I found one that was tapping. It was hard to get results and only lasted for a few seconds. A lot of time went by and I finally found a video of a doctor from another country. He said to hold your breath and walk 21 steps and it will clear up. Sometimes you might have to repeat it. He said it worked because carbon dioxide was a natural decongestant. He explained it all; I just can’t remember the details. It seems to work and longer lasting results. I have the link saved somewhere and will look for it if anyone is interested.

    • That’s fascinating, Sandy. I have never heard of such a thing. I’m going to try it. Thanks for posting about it and yes, if you do find the video, please post it!

  20. Mary Ann says

    I had the same issue with stuffiness when going to bed. I finally discovered it was the detergent I was using. Even one “unscented” brand caused the stuffiness. I tried several unscented brands and found one that didn’t cause stuffiness for me.

  21. Margaret says

    Wedge pillows did not work for me. Here is what did help – elevating the top of the bed with risers I got from Amazon and using Flonase and Azelastine nose sprays – both literally changed everything for the better.

    • Georgette Nichols says

      The risers are the solution we finally came to for my husband’s issues. Much cheaper than the Tempurpedic we bought!!! He also puts a pillow under the mattress on his side.

  22. I’m so sorry about your sinus issues. My husband has issues at night, too. Our son also does and uses an air purifier in their bedroom. He even has a small room for travel. He says it has really helped him. I steam our mattress and try to dust and vacuum well around the bed, but I think we will try an air purifier. I hope you find the culprit and get some relief.

  23. Erica McNeil says

    A YouTuber I follow, Hot and Flashy, uses one for wrinkles. She has a video on how to adjust to sleeping with one. You might like to watch it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m6JLSXUD1I – Not sure if it will link, but you can look it up on her channel.

  24. My whole family has My pillow and love them. My granddaughter took a nap one day and when she got up she asked, “What kind of pillow is that?”. Needless to say I ordered her one. Make sure you wash it as directed about every 2 months and they will be like new. Try it. You will love it!

  25. I am allergic to feather pillows and I also have a severe latex allergy. I have had sinus issues for years. I gave away all of my feather pillows in my home (including my sofa pillows) and bought good quality poly fill pillows. Latex wedges and memory foam pillows are full of chemicals. So they were bot an option. Yes, it was costly to replace every pillow in my home but it was well worth it. No more sinus issues. The doctor also told me that all feather pillows are chemically treated and chemically washed.

  26. The first thing I did was to eliminate scents in candles, perfumes, etc. Don’t use pillows with down feathers. Cotton sheets and blankets. Switch to scent -free dryer sheets. Clean the curtains in your bedroom regularly. Run a ceiling fan in the bedroom. Dust the blades often. Keep the temperature around 68 degrees. Change your A/C filter monthly. No food after 7 p.m.—only water to eliminate acid reflux.

  27. I had sinus issues among a lot of other symptoms before I found out that I have celiac disease. My daughter is gluten sensitive and has sinus issues when she eats gluten. It is certainly something to look into. I wish you luck!

  28. Thanks for the review. Ordered the first ones you mentioned and tried them for the first time last night. OK, not great…will give them a few more days. Did you have any problem returning them? Did you roll them back up ?

    • They were easy to return because when you click on the option to return it, it tells you you do not have to rebox it. I just put it in a large black trash bag and took it to UPS and gave them the code from the email that Amazon sent me and they take care of boxing it back up. It’s impossible to get it back into the box after it expands, so you don’t have to worry about doing that.

      • Thank you, Susan. Going to try putting them under the mattress and see if that works. We got two…and are hoping is stops the stuffiness for me and snoring for both of us! Thanks again….always get great information from you!

  29. Oh Susan, the search for the perfect pillow! I am right there with you. I literally gave up on pillows decades ago and learned to sleep without one, but there are times I wish I could use one. I tried the ones like you mentioned, where you get 3-5 thin pillows and use as many as you want (except mine weren’t down – allergy) but I found the casings were made from a crackly material and every time I moved my head, I’d hear loud noises that would wake me. So I gave up on those. Actually, the best thing I’ve found for me is that afghan I bought that I raved about. It’s so soft and I can just squish it up and it works better than any pillow I’ve found.

    As for your sinuses, I found (quite by accident) that drinking ginger tea made a YUGE difference for me. Basically, a miraculous difference. I would think you could use ginger in food if you didn’t want to drink it in tea. Or, I do believe there are ginger pills you can buy. I’ve heard turmeric has a similar effect, if you prefer that. If you like either of them, I would highly, highly suggest you give it a try. I noticed a difference in a couple of weeks.

  30. Linda Practical Parsimony says

    Go to a good allergist to find the problem for sure instead of guessing and eliminating things like gluten. I read an article about the best way to sleep to avoid dementia. Sleeping on the back is the worst. Sleeping on your side helps not to develop dementia.

  31. My sister has this problem due to allergies and also has severe acid reflux. She uses a wedge pillow but put it under the mattress which elevates the top of her bed and she still uses her favorite pillow. This has worked well for her . Perhaps you should give that a try.

  32. Deborah D says

    I sleep on my back or side with a queen size My Pillow. Love it. We got an adjustable bed about 2 years ago, king size, and love it. I’ve had sinus issues a long time. I take Chlora Tabs. Haven’t had sinusitis since I started taking it. Take 2 every morning. Hope this helps.

  33. Christina says

    Solved my sinus issues at night with a firm travel pillow (Tommy Bahama my favorite) and adjusting my TemperPedic bed at an incline; supports my neck and leaves the face “free. YES(!)… bread and dairy can create issues with sinus…felt so much better after eliminating bread! Hope this provides options:)

    • Thanks, Christina! Yeah, I think I def need to eliminate that from my diet. I’ve mostly eliminated dairy except for a small amount in my iced coffee. I’ve tried Oat Milk and Almond Milk in iced coffee and didn’t like either.

  34. Susanne C says

    Best thing we ever did was buy split-king adjustable beds. My husband has GERD and I have Sinus and Hiatus Hernia. We can adjust to any positions and even change during the night if needed. Also have RA so just a slight change at night can help sleep.

  35. Mary E. Lines says

    Sounds like you need a Sleep Number bed!!

  36. Susan I have the same sinus issues and you have given me thought to look at my diet. Never thought of that before. I have tried a wedge pillow— did not like it at all, my lower back ached. Then two flat pillows, two fluffier pillows, and then one of each. Still not successful! Haha. I have so many “reject” pillows in my linen closet. Ive tried My Pillow pillows and I did not like then either. I guess I am very picky when it comes to my sleep. My latest purchase is a Casper pillow. It is not very flat, but instead of two, I can use one of them. Fingers crossed that this pillow works!

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