Pillows are crucial for good sleep, but not all pillows are created equal. The best water pillow will provide comfort and support to your head and neck while you sleep, providing neck pain or back pain relief.
Water pillows are best for neck pain relief because the water provides weight and support to your sleep. You can customize the loft/height of your pillow by adding or removing water.
The best time to use a water pillow is when you are suffering from neck or back pain. Sleeping on the best water pillow will provide your body with much-needed support to relieve pressure while keeping your muscles in alignment.
If you’re looking for a new pillow, we have reviewed the best water pillows in the market so you can find one that is best suited for your needs!
What is a water pillow?
Most water-based pillows consist of a few layers but can be broken down into filling and water bladder.
Some water pillows also have a layer of fabric to separate the polyester filling and the bladder. This prevents any leaking or damage to your pillow. Water pillows are great for many different sleeping positions due to their adjustable firmness
Important features of a good water pillow
The best materials used in water pillows are memory foam and hypoallergenic covers. The best water pillow uses different fabrics, padding, and materials to give you comfort and relief.
Here are the things to look for in a water pillow:
Pillow Material
Most water-based pillows are made of memory foam, which offers great support while you sleep. The best water-based pillow is made of soft and flexible memory foam that adjusts to your needs while you sleep!
This allows the perfect giving when sleeping on your side, providing you with a neutral sleeping position.
Some materials, such as polyester, will affect the pillow’s firmness, affecting the amount of neck support you get.
Construction quality
Since the inner water pouch of these pillows is filled with water, it is important to get a high-quality water pillow to ensure you don’t get a wet bed in the middle of the night from leakage.
Best Mediflow Water Pillow
1. Mediflow Fiber Water Pillow – The First & Original
The best water pillow is the Mediflow Fiber Water Pillow because it has been clinically proven to reduce neck pain and improve sleep quality.
If you are constantly waking in the middle of the night, this water pillow can conform to your head and neck even when you move during sleep, reducing the chances of you waking up.
Like most water pillows, this pillow features an adjustable water level to customize the height, firmness, and loft you desire with a sealed water pouch.
On top of that, the cotton shell is made of hypoallergenic material, making this multi-layered pillow the best for support and quality sleep.
Thanks to the patented design that relieves pressure on sensitive neck areas by cradling the cervical spine into natural alignment, you will feel like your head is floating in the air.
This water pillow comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try the water pillow out risk-free!
- Mediflow is the pioneer of water pillows
- Clinically shown to help alleviate neck pain
- Insulated water pouch ensures no leakage happens
- 30-day guarantee to make sure you are completely satisfied with the purchase
- Not machine washable
2. Mediflow Waterbase Pillow with Memory Foam
If you want to sleep soundly all night long, this is the best water pillow to buy.
This waterbase pillow is another great pillow made by Mediflow; it is similar to the Mediflow pillow reviewed above, but it is reinvented with its unique water-based technology.
This water pillow is unbelievably comfortable and helps with neck pain, making sleeping through the night easy.
The combination of the breathable memory foam and the insulated water pouch is great for hot sleepers and is sure to cool you through the night.
The European memory foam conforms naturally to your head and neck, giving you long-lasting comfort by relieving pressure points.
Hence, these water pillows are made for all sleepers out there, from side sleepers to back sleepers, so you can rest assured that this product will work best for you and meet your needs.
This Mediflow waterbase pillow is FDA-registered and made of credible materials, so you don’t have to worry about safety.
The best part? The 30-day money-back guarantee means so you can try it out worry-free!
- Unique Mediflow waterbase pillow design
- Fits queen size and standard pillow covers
- Cool pillow for a good night’s sleep
- Suitable for all sleeping positions
- Quite heavy once filled with water
Best Polyester Fiber Water Pillow
3. FOMI Premium Large Water Pillow
The FOMI Premium Large Water Pillow features an orthopedic comfort design-the pure cotton cover is very soft on your skin.
The inner layer is made using polyester fiber rather than typical memory foam, which is great for a pillow that provides softer support.
One of the best features of this water pillow is that it adjusts to your head movement, regardless of whether you’re a stomach sleeper or a side sleeper. It offers good support all night.
This water pillow is easy to adjust – adding or removing water is easy; just use the funnel with the pillow.
This water pillow is suitable for heavier people, back, side, stomach sleepers, and pregnant women.
- Large size suitable for bigger people
- Pure cotton cover for maximum comfort
- Orthopedic comfort design for pain-free sleep
- Polyester fiber inner layer, unlike typical water memory foam pillows
- Water funnel needs to be tightened well to prevent leakage
Best Cooling Water Pillow
4. NERLMIAY Water Filled Cool Ice Pillow
The NERLMIAY Water Filled Cool Ice Pillow is made with a large water bladder and can be filled to be a pure water-filled pillow.
And best of all, it does not involve any chemicals to help you cool off for the night.
This water pillow is best for hot sleepers, and normal water pillows are not cooling enough.
Ladies experiencing hot flashes can use this pillow for comfort with the best results, but all people can benefit from it.
It is not just a summer product, as you can put it into your seat cushion to make any place cool and comfortable, on top of relieving back pain.
The great thing about this water-filled pillow is that its quality polyester material makes it soft to touch while durable enough for long-term use.
The NERLMIAY Water Filled Cool Ice Pillow can be put in the fridge or freezer to make it a nice cool pillow and help regulate the temperature throughout the night.
- Purely water-filled pillow
- Great for use in summer
- Use as a seat cushion for home or outdoors
- High-quality polyester material, soft to touch, and durable
- Product instructions are not clear
Best Bamboo Water Pillow
5. Papo Cooling Bamboo Memory Foam Water Pillow
Papo Memory Foam Bamboo Water Pillows are designed with the best memory foam to provide you with an optimum night’s sleep.
One of the unique features this water pillow offers that other pillows do not provide is that it can be used with hot and cold water to relieve neck pain or back pain.
This means if you’re not feeling well, or need some additional comfort on your neck after a long day at work, simply fill up the water bladder with the provided funnel, whether hot or cold and enjoy!
The bamboo cover makes this pillow hypoallergenic and further reduces body temperature while you sleep. The bamboo cover is also washable, so you can clean the pillow with ease.
It comes in a larger Queen size, so it is suitable for bigger beds.
- Can be used with hot and cold water
- High-quality memory foam water pillow
- Machine washable bamboo cover
- Hypoallergenic cover
- Does not stay cool for too long
All you need to know about water pillows
These water pillows will help you get a good night’s sleep and wake up feeling refreshed. They relieve neck pain and back pain, allowing the water bladder to adjust according to your movements for optimum support all through the night.
The water pressure can also be adjusted by adding or removing water from the internal reservoir via a funnel provided.
How do I fill water into a water pillow?
After purchase, the water pillow must be filled with water. Fill water pillow through the sprout on the corner of the pillow.
To add more water, simply unscrew and remove a small water cap on either side of the bladder that holds all of the liquid inside. You’ll need to use the included funnel for this step as it can be difficult to fit water through a small hole!
You can place your water pillow inside a large plastic bag and fill it up with water using the funnel to be extra cautious. When adding or removing water, make sure to screw caps back on tightly!
Once the water pillow is full, you can adjust the height of your sleep by removing or adding more water. To remove the water from the pillow, simply turn it over and allow all excess liquid to drain out.
Water pillows will always give/stretch when you push down, but be careful not to overfill as that can cause leaking through seams.
Be sure to read the pillow’s instruction manual that accompanies your purchase!
Health benefits of using a water pillow
Water pillows are especially helpful for people who have medical conditions causing them to wake up with neck or back pain.
The water pillow can also help regulate the temperature at night so that your body can sleep in a comfortable environment without too much heat being trapped inside of it.
Most pillows in the market only come with one firmness. The adjustable firmness of water pillows makes them the perfect pillow for people who are still experimenting with their sleeping position.
If you’re looking for pain relief during the day due to sleeping issues, consider using water pillows if possible!
Final Thoughts
Water pillows are a great investment for people who have sleeping issues. They provide good support and help you get rid of your neck pain or back pain all night long!
Do note that water pillows contain water, so please take extra precautions when handling them by placing them inside a plastic bag while filling water through the funnel and making sure the cap is screwed tightly before using.
If done incorrectly, you risk a wet bed when you wake up in the morning!
If you love the idea of using water to improve sleep, be sure to check out the best humidifier for sleep to keep the air moist while you sleep!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my water pillow so noisy?
While it is not uncommon for the water to slosh around inside the pillow, if there is excessive noise, chances are there is excess air in the pillow while you fill it up.
Try squeezing the air out of the pillow, just like how you would push out air from a ziplock bag to store your sandwich.
Is there anyone who shouldn’t use water pillows?
Water pillows are generally safe for use, as they are just like any other pillow. The only exceptions would be people is sensitive to noise as water pillows tend to make a little noise when moved around.
If you have worries, consult your doctor for medical advice.
Do chiropractors recommend water pillows?
Yes, many chiropractors recommend water pillows for their patients who suffer from neck or back pain to help with the discomfort.
How often to change the water in a water pillow?
Since the water is not exposed to the air or used for drinking, the refill frequency can range from months to a year. You will be changing the water fairly often at the beginning as you are adjusting the firmness to your preference.
Are water pillows heavy?
Yes, they are heavier than regular pillows due to the weight of water. If you need to move your pillow around often but need adjustable firmness, you can check out a shredded memory foam pillow instead.
What is the best water pillow brand?
The Mediflow pillow is still our top recommended pillow, but the Chiroflow pillow is another worthy contender for improved quality of sleep.