Sleeping with Vertigo: Best Vertigo Pillows 2024

8 January 2024

When you aren't sleeping right, you aren't feeling right. While vertigo is commonly associated with heights, feelings of dizziness can strike at any time, and this includes while you are supposed to be sleeping. Studies have shown that vertigo sufferers and people suffering from dizziness often sleep worse, so what solutions are out there?

Expert Tips for Sleeping Better with Vertigo

Since vertigo is commonly caused by a problem with the way balance works in the inner ear, this unfortunately is bad news for fidgety sleepers, or those who like to sleep on their side. This is because when we change the position of our head from side to side during our sleep, we risk triggering a vertigo attack, especially as we are waking up. Therefore, most experts recommend that the best sleeping position for vertigo sufferers is on your back at an incline, with your head elevated above your neck, which can be achieved with the help of special types of pillows and aids mentioned in this blog.

Learn how to sleep with vertigo with these useful sections:

Best Bed Wedge for Vertigo
Best Memory Foam Wedge for Vertigo
Best Orthopaedic Pillow for Vertigo
Best Travel Pillow for Vertigo
Best Mattress Tilter for Vertigo

Best Bed Wedge Pillow for Vertigo

Winner: Harley Bed Relaxer Bed Wedge Pillow

Why It's Great for Vertigo:

✔ Allows you to comfortably sleep on your back
✔ Raises the head to reduce dizziness and prevent an attack
✔ Quality materials won't develop lumps over time
✔ Firm density provides plenty of back support

Not the Best For:

✘ Use with extremely soft mattresses (See Our Solution)
✘ Use while travelling or on holiday (See Out Solution)

Editor's Verdict: We've seen plenty of bed wedges, but the Harley Bed Relaxer wins with its ability to provide support and comfort in conjunction with your mattress. Use it with a contoured pillow like the Harley Original Pillow as pictured here for even more support in preventing a vertigo attack.

Our customer David left us a 5* review and said: "Ordered and received the following day...since I have used the Harley Wedge Pillow I have a better night sleep and not had any problems with vertigo"

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Runner Up: Prop-Up Bed Wedge

Best Memory Foam Bed Wedge for Vertigo

Winner: Putnams Memory Foam Bed Wedge

Why It's Great for Vertigo:

✔ Even softer dense wedge for you to comfortably sleep on your back
✔ Raises the head to reduce dizziness and prevent an attack
✔ High quality memory foam contours to your body
✔ Retains its shape for lasting support and comfort

Not the Best For:

✘ People requiring a firmer mattress (See Our Solution)
✘ Large design is not well suited to portability (See Our Solution)

Editor's Verdict: If you like your mattresses and pillows extra-soft, you'll appreciate the moulding memory foam of the Putnams wedge, providing enough elevation to reduce dizziness and vertigo. Use it with a memory foam pillow like the Putnams Visco Memory Foam Pillow for even more support.

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Best Orthopaedic Pillow for Vertigo

Winner: Mediflow Water Base Orthopaedic Pillow

Why It's Great for Vertigo:

✔ Reduces neck pain and stiffness to help you stay sleeping on your back
✔ Water pouch inside the pillow allows it to contour to your neck
✔ Provides a deep level of relaxation for uninterrupted sleep
✔ DuPont polyester fibre layer ensures pillow will not lose fullness over time

Not the Best For:

✘ People that don't like sleeping on a water pillow (See Our Solution)
✘ Design not well suited to portability (See Our Solution)

Editor's Verdict: As the best sleeping position for vertigo sufferers is on the back, having the right pillow to reduce neck pain and stiffness, as well as improving neck posture is something that all vertigo sufferers need to look for. The Mediflow Water Base Orthopaedic Pillow has helped many in this manner, but if you're looking for more elevation to the head think about adding a mattress tilter for even more support.

Our customer Pamela left us a 5* review and said: "I am delighted, for the first time in years I am vertigo free...Thank you so very much"

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Runner Up: Therapeutica Spinal Alignment Orthopedic Pillow for Neck Pain

Best Vertigo Pillow for Travel

Winner: Sissel Buchi Soft Travel Pillow

Why It's Great for Vertigo:

✔ Keeps head elevated and prevents neck slumping while sitting up
✔ Prevents the need to sleep with your head tilted to the side which may trigger an attack
✔ Viscoelastic memory foam comfortably cradles the neck
✔ Soft velour cover provides a luxurious feel

Not the Best For:

✘ Cost-efficacy, as premium materials increase cost (See Our Solution)
✘ Permanent use at home (See Our Solution)

Editor's Verdict: Travelling in cars, on trains and in planes can sometimes worsen vertigo symptoms as you are often left with no choice but to sleep on your side which may trigger a vertigo attack as you wake up. Many find that travel pillows that prop up the head are the best solution, and the softest and most comfortable travel pillow, we've found is the Sissel Buchi.

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Runner Up: Neck-Eze Travel Pillow

Best Mattress Tilter for Vertigo

Winner: Mattress Genie Adjustable Mattress Tilter

Why It's Great for Vertigo:

✔ Raises the top of your mattress to provide a healthy sleeping angle
✔ Lets you choose how high or low to keep your body/head positioned to prevent a vertigo attack
✔ More convenient than having a separate bed wedge and mattress
✔ Inflates in seconds at the touch of a button

Not the Best For:

✘ Discreet use, as the inflation process can be noisy
✘ People that have not tried a bed wedge – we'd recommend trying that first

Editor's Verdict: The Mattress Genie is extremely popular with customers looking to avoid everything from vertigo to heartburn, and works with all mattresses with the exception of water mattresses. Many find it useful for watching TV and eating in bed, but its benefits truly lie within its ability to keep the head elevated as you sleep to improve certain health problems especially vertigo.

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What Are the Types of Vertigo?

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BBPV) is one of the most common types of vertigo, which can most easily be described as 'ear rocks'. These 'rocks' are actually small calcium particles that build up and float around in your ears, and as they move they will cause dizziness. Another common cause of vertigo worth mentioning is Meniere's disease, which is caused by fluid build-up in the ear. Vertigo will usually subside on its own, but sometimes there are extreme cases that require medical treatment.

Best Sleeping Position for Vertigo

Finding the sleeping position that will suit your needs can involve a lot of trial and error. However, most people suffering from vertigo agree that all their favourite sleeping positions seem to have one thing in common: sleeping at an incline on your back, and with your head elevated above your neck. This position helps with the feeling of dizziness when you move during the night, and is the best solution for reducing that dizzy feeling when you get out of bed.

Tips to Ease Vertigo

While sleeping at an elevation looms large as the top solution for preventing vertigo symptoms at night, here are some tips to help ease an attack if it does strike:

Move your head carefully and slowly if an attack does arise
Get out of bed slowly and sit on the edge of the bed for some time before standing up
If you're at risk of falling use a walking stick
Turn on the lights if you do get up at night
Relax: anxiety can make vertigo worse

Am I Using the Best Pillow for Vertigo?

Pillows that are too soft or flat can lead to vertigo and dizziness, especially when sleeping on your side, with your 'bad' ear down. To prevent this from happening elevated pillows that allow you to comfortably stay sleeping on your back in an elevated position are highly beneficial for vertigo sufferers.

How Can the Right Pillow Help with Vertigo?

The answer to this question depends largely on what kind of vertigo you're dealing with. Sleeping on a wedge pillow allows you to adjust your angle while providing support for both your head and your neck. If you're suffering from BPPV, sleeping at an incline prevents the "ear rocks" from falling into a position which could cause you problems. Conditions like ear infections and Meniere's disease cause you to develop fluid in your inner ear, so sleeping at an angle will help to keep the liquid from pooling in areas which can cause vertigo.

Benefits of a Bed Wedge for Vertigo

Whichever type you're suffering from, one thing is for sure: if you're able to maintain a constant inclined position throughout the night, you're likely to feel less dizzy when waking up in the morning, and our products are designed to help with just that. If you'd like to search for more pillows to help prevent vertigo symptoms check out our full vertigo pillows range.

Has this article provided you with the information you were looking for? Let us know in the comments below or via our Facebook or Twitter!

Tags: Bedroom, Learn About Conditions, Pillows, Sleep Better

Shop Vertigo Pillows

Harley Bed Relaxer White Bed Wedge Pillow

(183)

Bed wedge cushion for back support and neck support
Foam bed wedge can be used for sitting and sleeping
Helps conditions such as back and neck pain, acid reflux, vertigo, and bad posture
Includes a soft, fleecy white cover

In stock now

£59.99

plus FREE UK deliveryFull details