No matter your age, getting a good night’s rest is at the top of everyone’s daily to-do list (or if it’s not, it definitely should be). Most of us are familiar with the reasons why sleeping well contributes to having a positive, productive, and happy life, whether your body requires the full eight hours or can manage just fine on fewer, but totally uninterrupted, hours of sleep.

It’s typically when you have trouble falling or staying asleep that you take the time to understand the importance of sleep and its short and long-term effects on the human body. You might deep dive into finding ways to improve sleep quality with either A) changing your habits, mindset, and pre-bedtime activities or B) learning about different products that could actually be impacting the way you rest without you even realizing.

And while the first thought could be to upgrade your mattress and hope to see a change, there’s another thing you can do without a four-figure investment: learn about pillows and what they can do to help (or hurt) your sleep.

Why do we have pillows?

According to Medical News Today, pillows are used to align the head and neck with the backbone during sleep. It’s important to keep the head, neck, and spine all in a neutral position, since having poor sleep posture can lead to pain the next day, including neck or backaches.

A neutral position means that your head should not be resting too far back or too far forward, but rather should rest squarely on your shoulders. This is sometimes referred to as a “good sleeping posture” because it resembles how you’d look standing up with good posture.

There are certain sleeping positions where sleeping with a pillow is more critical than others, like sleeping on the side or the back. In those positions, sleeping without a pillow can put pressure on the neck, disrupting a person’s regular sleep pattern and again --causing pain.

However, stomach sleepers can potentially benefit from sleeping without a pillow, as this position already puts the spine in an unnatural position, adding stress to the back and neck areas when a pillow is used to keep the spine neutral (which it already has trouble doing while in this position).

To find the best pillow for you, start with your specific sleeping style.

Pillows for each sleeping type

Back Sleepers

If you sleep on your back, a thinner pillow is going to help your head from being thrown in a forward position during sleep. How thin is thin, though? There are pillows designed for back sleepers that start at just 2.5 inches, like this Elite Rest ultra-thin sleeper pillow sold at Amazon.

Experts recommend memory foam pillows for back sleepers, as they are designed to mold to fit the shape and position of the head and neck and offer maximum comfort and support. They are able to do this with the viscoelastic foam material, which softens when heat or pressure is applied. A memory foam pillow allows the head to sink in just far enough into the pillow so that it’s at a comfortable height in respect to the rest of the body.

Memory foam pillows can start at around $12 and go up from there, with some of the highest-rated pillows ranging anywhere from $50 to-$150 online. If you are willing to spend a little bit more for a better night’s sleep, you can also rest easy knowing that these pillows are long-lasting and hypoallergenic.

Bonus tip for back sleepers: Sleeping with a pillow in between your knees can also help alleviate pressure on the lower back.

Side Sleepers

Like the back sleeper, sleeping on the side can put pressure on the shoulders, so the head and neck should be supported during sleep to minimize pain the next day. To support the head and shoulders, a higher, more firm pillow will work best.

When you’re looking for a firm pillow, try the search term “overstuffed” to return results of pillows in the firm category that are specifically designed for back and side sleepers. This two-pack of standard size pillows is available on Amazon and is made for both side and back sleepers.

Stomach Sleepers

Sleeping on your stomach is actually the least common sleeping position, with the Sleep Foundation reporting 7 percent of the population saying this is their preferred method of catching zzz’s. And since most people sleep on their back or sides, there are fewer pillow options in the market catered toward the stomach sleeper.

That could also be because sleeping on your stomach is the one sleeping position where sleeping without a pillow can be more beneficial in preventing neck pain during sleep. Since the head is already to the side, a pillow would increase the angle of the head in an uncomfortable, more unnatural position.

As most of us have gone our entire lives with a pillow (or two or three) by our bedside, adjusting to sleeping without a pillow can take some time, but there are potential benefits that could lead to a more well-rested lifestyle. One trick to start changing the habit is to replace a pillow with a folded blanket or towel to start, and over time slowly reduce the height of the cloth. Eventually, your body will adjust to sleeping sans-pillow and fighting through the initial discomfort it might cause.

Universal pillow etiquette

Regardless of your sleeping position, there are a few best practices you can also adopt to make sure you’re getting the most of your fluffy or firm bedside buddies.

Sleep with one pillow (if you can)

While it’s really up to the person’s preference whether sleeping with one or two pillows is more comfortable, sleeping with one pillow is recommended to help maintain that “good sleeping posture” we talked about earlier.

Purchase pillow protectors

Pillow protectors can help extend the lifespan of your pillows, by providing a barrier between stains, moisture, or general wear and tear. They are also used to keep your pillows free of allergens, dust, and other particles that can affect you while you sleep. These simply zip up as the first layer covering your pillow and are topped with your typical standard pillowcase. Think mattress pad, but for a pillow.

Change your pillowcases regularly to protect your skin

Since your pillows can pick up particles, dust, or allergens, changing your sheets and pillowcases regularly will help keep your skin feeling clean and fresh when you lay your head on the pillow each night. If you’re looking for a more shiny and less bedhead type of hair in the AM, a satin or silk pillowcase can work wonders on your hair and also keep the other side of the pillow cool at night for when you need it.

Replace your pillows every 18 months

Most pillows aren’t meant to last forever, more expensive pillows may have a longer life span, but your average pillow will wear out after about a year and a half. One way to tell whether it’s time to refresh your pillows is to see what happens when you fold them in half. If it stays that way, it’s time to replace your pillow --especially a feather one. Additionally, if you notice lumps in your pillow, find moisture stains you can’t get rid of, or are generally seeing a pattern of exhaustion or post-wakeup pain, your pillow is trying to tell you something: it’s time to part ways and start fresh --literally.

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