I’ve resolved to get better sleep, and the first change I had to make was indisputably my pillows. The limp and lumpy coagulations of polyester I had bought previously were a serious mistake made on moving-in day, when all my home goods began to blur together. I figured: there’s no real difference between all these foams and feathers, right?
“Wrong!” I’d like to shout backward through time. My neck hurt for months. I knew I didn’t want goose down, both because I’d been poked with feathers many times and because I like to avoid animal products when possible. But going for cheap plasticky fill just wasn’t the way.
So, I placed a few orders targeting the creme de la creme of the pillow market: the Layla Kapok Pillow and the Saatva Latex Pillow. From their heft, carefully formulated fillings, and loyal customer bases I could tell these pillows wouldn’t scorn me like the ones I’d owned before.
Honestly, perhaps the best praise I can give would be that I found it quite challenging to test them, as I’d be asleep before my thoughts thereupon could even register. But that won’t do, so having subjected myself to a post-coffee strategic lay-around I am ready to report the experiences both options offered. Here’s the rundown of differences:
The Layla Kapok Pillow
This is a blend of shredded memory foam and hollow tube-like Kapok fibres designed to hold its shape while staying super airy and breathable. What does that mean for you? I’d say the single best description of what your $109 buys is a super squishy pillow. That airy, springy quality allows your head to be nestled in, but it’s structured enough that you don’t feel completely sunk into the memory foam. The hexagon pattern makes the pillow look as well-engineered as it really is, although it’s worth noting that it was visible through my white pillowcase. If you like the way memory foam molds to you for a perfect fit, but fear a pillow that can’t actually hold your head up, this is the option you’re looking for.
I must own up to having what the internet has assured me is a grave character defect: I am a side sleeper. As such, I was looking for some versatility and what they call a “high loft” in the world of good pillows. Fortunately, the Kapok pillow was up to the task. Layla sends a pillow overstuffed to a high loft shape, with a removable sachet to lower the loft height for you nighttime overachievers with the classic on-your-back sleep posture. These options suited me fine, and the high loft put my old pillows to shame with its relative fullness.
The Saatva Latex Pillow
If the previous pillow was super squishy, the Saatva is the super fluffy option. At $165 this pillow offers a natural shredded latex core designed for support, surrounded by microdenier (meaning very tiny fibers) fill. That means this pillow provides the support and plushy comfort of a down pillow without the “down”-sides (ha, ha) of goose feathers. If you want to feel like you’re at a nice hotel, this pillow has that fluffed and poofy volume.
Once again, my sleep posture was no issue for Saatva. The Latex Pillow comes in your choice of either standard or high loft online (with a full refund if you’ve misjudged your preference). I chose high loft for the extra fluffy support, and it did not disappoint. The latex centre and microdenier exterior work together to make a classic pillow with the perfect amount of give when you lay down for the night.
Whichever is more your style, both these pillows appeal to me not only because they are so cozy, but also they are clearly engineered to suit how we all sleep. I’ve not had a crick in the neck or a restless sleep since going in on pillows that both really suit my sleep style and take into account the details: both pillows are cooling, supportive, and totally soft. If you’re interested in improving your sleep, this would be a good place to start. After all, your bed is somewhere you spend about a third of your life!
Find the Layla Kapok Pillow here, and the Saatva Latex Pillow here.
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