T

When you think of travel pillows, your mind likely goes to u-shaped donuts that wrap around your neck. But this Tempur-Pedic design is actually just a downsized version of the brand’s Tempur-Neck Pillow.

The contoured pillow sits snuggly between your head, neck, and shoulders when lying down. The ridged edge follows the natural curvature of your cervical spine and supports a neutral position, which physical therapist Erin Weber, P.T., DBT previously told mindbodygreen was essential for taking strain off your neck at the end of a long day.

Similar to its full-sized counterpart, the compact pillow is also made with the brand’s signature Tempur-Material. It responds to body heat, which allows the material to soften and better contour to your body. Created by NASA (and perfected by Tempur-Pedic), the foam is not the greenest material around—but it does offer better temperature regulation than standard memory foam.

Just one warning: This pillow is beck for side or back sleepers as the lifted 6-inch curve may be too high for stomach sleepers.

A contoured shape isn’t the only reason this pillow is worth the investment for those with neck pain. The compact pillow is about the same size unrolled as a large agenda or coffee book, however it compresses down into a tiny travel pouch that’s no larger than a 40-ounce water bottle. This means you can take your neck support with you to all corners of the world.

Personally, I’ve found the rolled up pillow small enough to slip into a large tote with other travel essentials. (Pro tip: Frequent travelers should invest in a carabiner hook to save space in their bag by attaching the pillow to the exterior of a backpack or roller bag.)

Plus, the pillow cover is fully removable and machine washable for an easy refresh between trips. Just be sure to let it air dry instead of tossing the cover into the dryer. Hey, it’s more energy efficient anyways!

While hundreds of customers rave about this pillow and how it’s helped improve the quality of their sleep—one even called it a “game changer” for getting the best sleep wherever they go—there’s actually not a ton of research behind the best pillow for neck pain.

What we do know? A 2021 systematic review1 found moderate evidence to support a few parameters to decrease sleep-related neck pain, including a contoured pillow design, latex material, a cooling surface, and a 7 to 11 centimeter pillow height.

Although the Tempur-Pedic NeckPillow doesn’t meet all these requirements, it comes pretty darn close on height and shape. More impressively, it’s small enough for travel and less than $80.