How to calculate the right pillow loft for side, back, and stomach sleepers

Restore guides · Comfort estimates are for guidance and do not constitute medical advice.

Pillow loft is simply how high the pillow holds your head above the mattress. Get it wrong and you notice it quickly: too high and your neck bends upward, too low and your head drops. Get it close and you mostly forget the pillow is there. Calculating the right loft is not guesswork — it comes from three things you can measure: your sleep position, your shoulder width, and how firm your mattress is.

Start with sleep position, because it changes the distance you need to fill. On your back, the distance from the mattress to the back of your head is relatively small, so back sleepers usually need a lower loft. On your side, the distance is larger, because your head has to bridge the gap created by your shoulder. On your stomach, the distance is smallest of all, because your face is close to the mattress — stomach sleepers usually need the lowest loft, and some prefer a very thin pillow or none at all.

Next, measure shoulder width if you sleep on your side. This is the measurement most people skip, and it is the one that matters most for side sleepers. Stand relaxed and have someone run a tape straight across your upper back, from one shoulder point to the other. Do not wrap the tape around your arms or chest, and do not let it sag. If you do not have a tape handy, lay a well-fitting shirt flat and measure seam to seam across the shoulders — that gives a useful starting point. As a rough guide, a regular or slim men's large shirt is about 48 to 52 centimetres across the shoulders, while an oversized large can be 55 centimetres or more, but your own measurement is always better than a size label.

Mattress firmness changes the answer too. On a soft mattress, your shoulder sinks in more, so you need slightly less pillow height. On a firm mattress, your shoulder stays higher, so you need slightly more. Feel preference plays a role as well: some sleepers like a firmer, more supportive feel, others like a softer feel that lets the head settle in a little. None of these is right or wrong — they are inputs to a starting build, not a prescription.

Restore's Fit Finder turns those inputs into a starting build in about two minutes. You choose your sleep position — side, back, side and back, or stomach — enter your shoulder width, and choose your mattress firmness and feel. The tool suggests an ideal height and a layer build: how many pocketed spring layers, how many gel layers, and whether to include the fibre layer. That build is a comfort estimate, not a medical measurement.

Then comes the part no calculator can replace: trying it. Sleep on the suggested build for 5 to 7 nights before deciding whether to change it. Night one is a poor judge — a new height always feels unfamiliar at first. After a few nights, if it feels too high, remove a layer. If it feels too low, add one. If it feels right, leave it. That restacking is the whole point of a layered pillow: the calculation gets you close, and a few nights of trying gets you to the height that actually works for you.

For stomach sleepers specifically, start low. Use fewer layers to set a lower profile, which many stomach sleepers find more comfortable than a high pillow. For side sleepers, start from your shoulder width and do not be surprised if your ideal height is higher than a standard pillow. For back sleepers, start in the middle and adjust from there.

Comfort estimates are for guidance and do not constitute medical advice. If you have ongoing neck or back pain, see a clinician — a pillow is a comfort fit, not a treatment.

Find your height — 2 minutes

Launch S$139 S$159 · Free shipping in Singapore · Warm Cream only at launch. Pre-order — first batch ships in December 2026. After you order, our customer service team will contact you within 1 working day to confirm your delivery date.

About Restore: Restore is a Singapore pre-order business. Its customizable pocketed spring pillow is built to your height with the Fit Finder, using spring, gel, and fibre layers, with a Tencel cover in Warm Cream.