Fed up of sleeping with a foghorn? We tested anti-snore pillows to see if they can help
If you’re tired of snoring (or very tired of a partner keeping you awake with theirs) we may have a solution to your sleep deprivation. Whether you (or they) are a full-blown foghorn or are frequently criticised for your “heavy breathing”, how noisy you are at night can have a huge impact on sleep for both you and your partner.
From leaving you both tired and drained to affecting your mood and even your relationship, it's not a problem you should sleep on.
With around 15 million snorers in the UK, it's a very common issue. And sadly, rolling the guilty suspect over isn’t often the quick fix it promises to be.
There are lots of products available that claim to help, whether that’s nasal sprays to hydrate the nose and stop vibrations, or simply ear plugs to block out the noise. But we're here to talk about the newest invention to hit the market: anti-snore pillows, which claim work wonders. The theory goes that by aligning your head and neck, your airways open properly, helping you breathe more freely, and thus reducing your nocturnal cacophony.
While we’re not medical experts, here at the Good Housekeeping Institute, we do know a lot about rigorously testing products against their lofty claims. So, with the help of a panel of snoring sleepers, we got snoozing to see if anti-snore pillows are really worth your money.
Need one now? These are our top-rated pillows in a handy list but keep reading for our snorers' full reviews. However, we do recommend seeking professional advice if snoring is affecting your sleep and therefore quality of life and nothing seems to be working.
What causes snoring?
“Snoring occurs when airflow is partially obstructed during sleep,” explains Dr Ana Brito, a sleep physiologist with over 10 years' experience working in NHS sleep departments. “When the airway narrows, airflow becomes turbulent, leading to the characteristic sound of snoring.”
Of course, not everyone snores and those who do, don't necessarily snore all the time. Dr Brito explains that common causes typically include nasal congestion, relaxed throat muscles, obesity and alcohol consumption. Even the position you lie in plays a part. “Sleeping on your back makes you more prone to snoring due to the effects of gravity and relaxation of muscles around your neck,” she says.
As well as its immediate impact on sleep, according to Dr Brito, snoring can also result in daytime fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and an increased risk of health issues such as high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes, so it’s important to address it. A medical professional should be able to help you identify your own triggers, and ways to remedy them.
Do anti-snore pillows work? A doctor's verdict
Each case is different – some people snore lightly, while others sound like a freight train. Often mild and moderate snoring is easier to reduce or stop; however, even that can vary, which is why a GP is always the best first port of call.
But, it’s likely that your choice of pillow can make a difference, according to Dr Brito. “Anti-snore pillows are designed to help reduce snoring by promoting better sleep posture,” she explains.
“An elevated position can help drain nasal passages and reduce congestion. It can also reduce pressure on the throat and chest, promoting better airflow and minimising the turbulence that leads to snoring sounds.”
So, what does this mean when you’re shopping for a pillow? “If you tend to sleep on your back, it’s important that your pillow supports the natural curve of your neck,” she advises. “It shouldn’t be too low or too high, to ensure the neck and spine are supported, and your airway remains nicely open during sleep.”
Side sleepers will need something slightly different. Dr Brito advises looking for a pillow that’s not too high as this ensures it won't cover your face or put your neck in a position that affects access to your airways.
“By addressing sleep posture and airway alignment, anti-snore pillows can be a simple yet effective tool for reducing snoring and improving sleep quality,” says Dr Brito.
What to consider when shopping for an anti-snore pillow
As with standard pillows, anti-snore designs come in all shapes and fabrics. Here’s what to bear in mind.
Material
Decide whether you want a pillow filled with down, microfibre, memory foam, or wool. While it comes down to personal preference, a material like foam or latex that's firmer may offer more stability and extra contouring for your head and neck. If you often suffer with allergies though, we recommend a fibre pillow as these are hypoallergenic.
The anti-snore options in this list are made from either fibre, wool, or foam.
Pillow style
Opting for a pillow that’s too high or low, can put your head in a position that reduces airflow, making you snore more. There are two main types of anti-snore pillow on our list below.
Wedge pillows: These gently lift the torso and head to maintain a neutral spine position.
S-shaped pillows: These have a contoured design or a hidden S-shaped core to keep the neck in place and minimise pressure on airways.
When it comes to elevation, any pillow that supports the natural alignment of your neck and head is likely to help reduce snoring. Research has shown that tilting the upper body by 7.5 degrees can reduce sleep apnoea (a condition where the throat muscles relax and block the airway). Sleeping on an incline is also meant to help those who suffer with acid reflux.
Special features
You don't have to pick just one sleep issue to solve. If you get hot at night, look for a pillow with cooling properties like TEMPUR’s Original SmartCool Pillow, which has a cover that’s designed to be cool to the touch.
Or, if you’re not sure what style pillow is right for you, consider one with an adjustable filling like Putnam’s Organic British Wool Contour Pillow. As well as finding the right comfort level, this should help with your snoring too, as you can play around with the height to find the right alignment.
Trial period
Pillows aren’t always cheap, so looking for one with a trial period should give you added peace of mind. We’ve noted which brands offer a trial in the product specs below.
How we test anti-snore pillows
Here at the Good Housekeeping Institute, we’re passionate about helping you get the best night’s sleep possible, so when we came across anti-snore pillows, we knew we had to try them for ourselves. So, we recruited a panel of self-confessed snorers for help. Each tester was tasked with trialling their pillow for several weeks, before sharing comprehensive feedback with us on their experience. They took all of these elements into account in their review.
Comfort
We started with the basics. Testers rated their pillow’s general comfort, firmness levels, and breathability, noting whether the pillow left their heads hot or cool at night. They also told us whether they felt it suited their sleep style, and if it supported their head and neck adequately.
Impact on snoring
Each panel member also shared their verdict on how the pillow performed as an anti-snoring solution. They told us if they woke themselves up less, if their partner was woken up less, and whether they felt more refreshed in the morning. We weighted this feedback highly in our overall scoring, but note that this feedback is anecdotal, and what worked for some of our sleepers may not work for others. Hence our trial period advice above.
In the GHI lab
Back in the lab, our experts conducted wash tests to assess the durability and quality of the pillows. After washing, they checked each one's stitching, filling, and appearance and awarded marks for those that looked as good as new. They then analysed these results along with our panel feedback before awarding a final score.
It’s worth reiterating that we always recommend seeking medical advice if snoring is seriously affecting your sleep quality and energy levels.
But, if you want to give an anti-snore pillow a try, read on for our findings (and thanks to our comfort and wash tests, even if they don't solve all your snoring woes, we don't think you'll be disappointed.)
Bed Wedge - Acid Reflux
Score: 91/100
Need to know
With its wedge shape, this pillow is designed to gently and comfortably elevate your torso, opening up your airways and reducing snoring.
As it contains a foam core, some of our testers said it wasn’t particularly cooling to sleep on, so it may not suit hot sleepers. But the washable cover makes it easy to freshen up – and testers reported zero shrinkage or changes to the stitching after washing.
Impact on snoring
Most of our panellists found this pillow effectively reduced their snoring, reporting plenty of restful nights, which left them energised and refreshed in the morning. In fact, everyone agreed that they woke up less due to their snoring when sleeping with the bed wedge, and so did their partners. Result.
Original SmartCool Pillow
Score: 85/100
Need to know
This pillow’s ergonomic curved shape is designed to help promote the natural alignment of the spine, so it’s no surprise that all our testers found it supportive, no matter their sleeping position.
It took some getting used to though, and one tester didn’t like how unusual the pillow looked once covered with a standard pillowcase. Testers rated Tempur’s SmartCool fabric though, which kept them at a comfortable temperature all night long.
Impact on snoring
Most testers told us that it didn’t reduce the number of times their snoring woke themselves up. However, half reported that their partners were woken less, which will at least earn you brownie points.
British Wool Contour Pillow
Score: 82/100
Need to know
Using traceable British wool in its filling, this pillow is a great pick if you’re looking for a design filled with natural materials. It's adjustable, so you can remove and add filling to find the perfect height for your sleeping position, something our panel loved.
The wool smelled strongly for some at first though, so we recommend airing it before hitting the hay.
Impact on snoring
Again, there were mixed opinions on this one’s effectiveness when it came to combatting snoring. Most said the pillow reduced their snoring, but some still reported that the noise woke their partners up in the night.
Anti-Snore Pillow
Score: 80/100
Need to know
This pillow has an S-shaped core surrounded by hollowfibre filling, offering plenty of firmness and stability during sleep. The supportiveness was a hit with our panellists, and one even said it helped eased some aches and pains: “I don’t wake up with a sore neck, it’s fabulous.” they told us.
It hand-washed well too – there was no shrinkage, and the filling remained even. We did notice a little discolouration on the inner cover though.
Impact on snoring
This pillow was effective at reducing noise from the majority of our snoring panellists. However, despite most feeling more refreshed after a better night’s sleep, it wasn’t always the same for our panellists’ partners who were still occasionally woken up by their snoozing.
Anti-Snore Pillow
Score: 78/100
Need to know
Our panellists called this a Goldilocks pillow – not too hard and not too soft – making it easy for them to settle into a comfortable position and drift off to sleep.
Don’t let the budget price tag fool you either, it felt well-made, and held its quality even after a few hand washes, with no clumping of the filling or loose stitching.
Impact on snoring
When it came to snoring, most said it wasn’t overly effective and they experienced little difference in their sleep. One panellist disagreed though, calling it “perfect” and highly recommending the product to others. It just goes to show, no two sleepers are the same.
Anti Snore Pillow
Score: 78/100
Need to know
This Slumberdown option has an S-shaped foam core to support and align your head and neck. Most of our panel said it was comfortable to sleep on, praising the firm feel and relishing the breathable cotton cover on warmer nights.
Impact on snoring
The snoring results were less commendable, with most reporting little difference; their snoring still woke them and their partners.
The verdict on anti-snore pillows
At the end of the day, what works for some sleepers may not work for others, so we can't guarantee any of these designs will cure your snoring woes.
But based on our anecdotal panel feedback, there was one standout design: the Putnams Bed Wedge. It helped reduce snoring for all our panellists and while it’s relatively expensive, it should support better alignment.
We also loved TEMPUR’s Original SmartCool Pillow, which features a cooling cover and supportive foam design.
And if you want a more affordable option to trial, we recommend Kally Sleep’s Anti Snore Pillow which worked well for our panellists and offers good value for money.
Why should trust the Good Housekeeping Institute?
Each year we test hundreds of sleep products here at the Good Housekeeping Institute, assessing comfort, quality and effectiveness to help you get a better night's sleep. Our homes testing team applied the same principles to our anti-snore pillow testing, working with a panel of snorers to find the best buys.
Our homes writer, Megan Geall then transforms these findings into clear, informative reviews. She looks after lots of our sleep buying guides – from the best duvets to sunrise alarm clocks – and is passionate about finding products that will help you get those all-important Zs. She researches everything you need to know before you buy, speaking to experts and separating fact from fiction.
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