The 2 Best Back Sleep Training Pillows

Training yourself to sleep on your back is one of the best decisions you’ll ever make to prevent and get rid of your back and neck pain.

One of the simplest ways to do that is to get a back sleep training pillow, which will prevent you from rolling over or changing your sleeping position throughout the night.

In this post, you’ll find the benefits of back sleeping, how to train yourself to sleep on your back, and the 2 best pillows for back sleep training in 2024.

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RELATED: The best pillows for neck pain (side sleepers)

5 Benefits of Sleeping on Your Back

The back sleeping position is considered the healthiest sleep posture and is recommended by most doctors and sleep experts.

Here’s why:

1. Back and neck pain relief – sleeping this way allows your head, neck, and spine to maintain a neutral position.

Most of us have developed a forward head posture due to sitting and looking at a computer all day, so resetting with a neutral spine position at night can prevent back and neck pain caused by it.

Related: The Best Cervical Traction Pillows

2. Joint pain relief and prevention – back sleeping takes the pressure off your joints. Side sleeping can be rough on your knees and hips.

3. Acid Reflux relief – studies have found that a back sleeping posture (with your head slightly elevated) keeps your stomach below your esophagus, which makes acid less likely to come up while you sleep.

4. Tension headaches relief

5. Sleep wrinkles, puffy eyes, and acne prevention – back sleeping is known to be best for your skin.

Sleeping on your side or stomach with your head smushed against a pillow is a surefire way to develop sleep wrinkles – that stay.

Back sleeping will also help you wake up with less puffiness under your eyes, and even help prevent acne breakouts and clogged pores.

How to Train Yourself to Sleep on Your Back

Here are the best ways to train yourself to sleep on your back, assuming you want to keep your spine aligned, prevent back pain, and relieve pressure off your joints:

1. Use a special pillow to train you to sleep on your back.

A back sleep training pillow is the only thing that has helped me finally start sleeping on my back, after months of trying everything (other than tying myself to the bed).

Keep reading to find the 2 best ones.

2. Use a medium-firm hybrid mattress (which gives you the best balance between proper back support and comfort) and a weighted blanket, which makes it more difficult to toss and turn.

3. Practice during the day – Lie down on your back during the day for short periods, and gradually increase the time as you become more comfortable.

4. Wear a shirt backward – wearing a shirt backward can be uncomfortable if you try to sleep on your stomach or side, but it can help train you to sleep on your back.

The buttons and collar will remind you to stay on your back. Weird, but it works.

5. Sleep on an ergonomic recliner for a while – though not a long-term solution, this can actually help to alleviate pressure on your spine.

By elevating your upper body, you reduce the amount of pressure on your lower back, which can relieve herniated discs or spinal stenosis

(See the best recliners for back support)

Most importantly – be patient.

Changing your sleep position can take time, so be patient and persistent.

It may take several weeks or even months to get used to sleeping on your back, but keep at it and you’ll eventually get there.

RELATED: What’s the Best Tempurpedic pillow for back sleepers?

The 2 Best Back Sleep Training Pillows 

Through my extensive research, I’ve found the 2 best pillows to help you sleep on your back – the only pillows to stop you from rolling and your head from turning to the side:

1. YourFacePillow – Best Back Sleep Training Pillow

The YourFacePillow is the highest-rated back sleeping and anti-wrinkle pillow on Amazon, and our #1 recommendation for the best pillow to train you to back sleeping.

As you can see in the image, it’s a memory foam pillow (soft, yet supportive) with a hypo-allergenic inner cover and a removable and washable Velour outer cover.

This fairly flat and adaptable pillow makes it almost impossible to turn on your side and stomach when you sleep, and the head area confirms perfectly to your neck height.

The sides of the pillow are firm enough and high enough to rest your temple against them while keeping your head from falling to the side.

What we liked most about this pillow is the excellent customer service, which begins with an email you get (from the company CEO) once your pillow is delivered, and continues with real integrity and caring about customers, no matter what problem they encounter.

YourFacePillow Pros 

• Soft yet supportive, fairly flat, and adaptable pillow – perfect for back sleeping
• Conforms to your head, allows chin alignment
• Materials are comfortable and pleasant
• Forces back sleeping effectively
• Can prevent neck pain
• Excellent customer service

Cons

• The pillow can get hot. This can be solved with a satin pillowcase
• Takes a few days to get used to

✅ Available on Amazon ($50) and at Walmart ($70)

Make sure to use this pillow with a leg elevation pillow (2 recommendations below) to prevent your spine from pulling out of alignment when you sleep!

2. Back to Beauty Head Cradle – Runner-Up

Anti-wrinkle pillows, like the Back to Beauty pillow, are the best pillows to help you sleep on your back, here’s why:

These pillows are made to prevent you from sleeping on your side or stomach, so you won’t get those sleeping wrinkles you see in the morning after side sleeping.

The Back to Beauty pillow cradles your head and the crescents prevent you from turning to any side while you sleep.

(To make sure your body “plays along” – place a big pillow under your knees)

It’s small and thin (but can be placed on another thin pillow) and is made with no foam – only hypoallergenic down-alternative fiber and satin/cotton pillowcases.

If you like a more “open” support, this pillow can be flipped to the other – “hammock head” side, as you can see below:

The Beauty Back pillow includes “comfort zone” directions, back-sleeping training tips, and even email support – everything you need to force yourself to sleep on your back.

For most users, it took a few days to get used to, but after that – sleeping on their back was achieved – comfortably.

The crescents measurements (top to bottom of the pillow): 5.5 inches high and the largest distance between the center of the crescents measures approximately 7 inches, with a top distance of 3 inches, and a bottom distance of 6.5.

Back to Beauty Pillow Pros 

• Prevents side and stomach sleeping efficiently
• Supports the neck well
• Comes with both cotton and a satin pillowcase
• Works great in a recliner or as a travel pillow
• Can be flipped over to the “hammock” side if the crescents for a more open support
• Prevents sleeping wrinkles on your face and chest, reduces under-eye puffiness and dark circles

Cons

• Takes a few days to get used to
• Smaller than the average pillow (but great for travel)

✅ Available on Amazon ($60)

What Is the Right Way to Sleep on Your Back?

According to research, it is important to keep your spine supported and aligned when you sleep on your back.

The easiest way to achieve this is to use a wedge pillow under your knees to keep your spine in a neutral position.

This pillow needs to be high enough and firm enough, like the one below:

Place a pillow under your knees to maintain proper alignment of your back.

This pillow has to be high enough and firm enough. Here’s another good option:

What are the Best Mattress Toppers for Back Sleeping?

Is your mattress keeping you from sleeping on your back all night?

Sleeping on your back is harder when you have a “wimpy” mattress that your body sinks into every night. It can contribute to lower back pain too.

Back sleeping requires adequate support from a firm mattress, which doesn’t have to be extremely hard.

It should provide adequate support and alignment to keep your spine in a neutral position.

A thicker topper (3-4 inches) will provide more cushioning and pressure relief, but may not be necessary for back sleepers who need more support.

If your mattress doesn’t fit this description, you can get a high-quality mattress topper, instead of a whole new mattress (which is more expensive) – for less than $100.

Conclusion

I have no doubt that using one of these 2 great pillows will help you start sleeping on your back in the next few days.

And if you can prevent sleeping wrinkles, eye puffiness, and acne at the same time – all the better.

It’s important to note that persistence is key when you “coach” yourself to back sleeping.

At first, you’ll have to resist the urge to turn on your side or stomach, but if you stick with it, you’ll find yourself sleeping on your back for most of the night – if not all of it – comfortably.

If you find it too difficult to sleep on your back – the next healthiest option is side sleeping with a full body pillow.

Our #1 recommendation for a back positioning pillow is the YourFacePillow, which combines both effectiveness and comfort and is well worth its price.

To your health and happiness,

The Back Pain Relief Products Team

Studies

Bashir Ahmad Khan, et al, Effect of Bed Head Elevation During Sleep in Symptomatic Patients of Nocturnal Gastroesophageal Reflux, J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2012;27(6):1078-1082.

Arakelyan, Hayk. (2020). Sleeping Position and Back Pain.