If you’ve been reading our sleep and health blog for long, you know there’s no such thing as “just a pillow.” Pillows can be made specifically for those who sleep on their side, designed for pregnant women, made to be thick, made to be thin, pillows made with latex inside, those made with feathers, or even pillows designed to fit with a CPAP machine. This is only the beginning! In fact, before you even get far enough to decide if you want to buy a new down pillow or not, you must first understand the correct pillow sizes. Yes, there is a standard pillow size, but there are also king size pillows and more!
How do you decide which size is best for you? It isn’t as easy as matching the size of the pillow to your mattress size. It might sound simple to just buy a queen size pillow for a queen bed but actually, you can use any or all size pillows on a queen mattress. Don’t worry if this seems a bit overwhelming; this is exactly what we’re going to explain in more detail.
What size is a standard pillow?
Before we go further into specialty pillows and unique sizes, let’s first discuss a standard pillow. A standard pillow measures 20 inches by 26 inches. It’s a compact size perfect for children or adult sleepers who don’t change sleeping positions through the night. If you take a look at our new pillow options, you’ll see that most of them are offered in either a queen size or king size pillow dimensions. This includes the Tempur-Pedic Adapt Pro Cooling Pillow and many others. They are offered in larger sizes because if you roll around to find the right position, you may slide off the pillow. As well, a king size bed may look incomplete with one or two tiny pillows. This is why there are so many other choices!
| Pillow Sizes | Measurments |
| Standard size pillow | 20 inches by 26 inches |
| Queen size pillow | 20 inches by 30 inches |
| King size pillow | 20 inches by 36 inches |
| Body pillow | 20 inches by 54 inches |
Queen size pillow dimensions
A queen size pillow fits snug in a standard pillowcase. A queen size pillow can be placed across a twin, and two of them fit perfectly across a queen size bed. You can also place two queen size pillows on a king with extra space in between.
King size pillow dimensions
These long pillows are a great option for active sleepers, who tend to toss and turn at night. You can comfortably place one king pillow across a twin or full, and two on a king or California king-sized bed. You may be able to tightly fit two of them across a queen sized bed, leaving no space between the pillows. They also make a good back support pillow for reading, watching tv, or working on a laptop in bed. A king pillow can also work as a shorter body pillow for kids. King size pillows work perfectly with king pillowcases but won’t fit into a smaller pillowcase so be sure you’re purchasing the correct size.
What size is a euro pillow?
You may have noticed you don’t see a euro pillow size mentioned in the quick guidelines above. Euro pillows are square pillows measuring 26 inches by 26 inches. These are typically decorative pillows, adding to the visual appeal of your bed or sofa. They are used as a sleeping pillow in some European countries, such as Germany and Holland, but are not the pillows Americans usually sleep on each night.
Once you’ve found the best mattress for your unique sleep needs, you need to find the right pillows to complement it. Pillows do more than complete the look and feel of your bed. They enhance your sleep, providing the required comfort and support to your head and neck.
The right pillow functions as the perfect support for your head, cradling your neck or shoulders as you sleep. You need this support to maintain a healthy spinal alignment. If you’re sleeping on the wrong size pillow, you might slide off during the night and wake up with aches and pains. We don’t want this to happen to you!
With so many different shapes and dimensions, how can you determine the best pillow for you? To make the selection process as easy as possible, we encourage you to visit your nearest City Mattress store and speak with our Sleep Experts. Let us know you’re looking for the right pillow sizes for your sleep needs, and we’ll take it from there!