How to use your Align Pillow™

One minute to set up, a few nights to get used to. Same steps for the Align Pillow™, the Plus and the Elite.

The Align Pillow flat on the mattress, its edge resting against the sleeper’s shoulders

Step 1

Set it up

  1. Lay it flat on the mattress, on its own. Never on top of another pillow: it's made to replace your pillow, not to add to it.
  2. Hollow side up. The side with the small hollow in the center is the top.
  3. Curved edge toward you. Turn it so the long edge with the two shoulder cutouts faces the middle of the bed, where your shoulders go.
  4. Pull it down to your shoulders. The pillow touches the top of your shoulders, but your shoulders stay on the mattress.
  5. The CoolCase™, a thin pillowcase, or none. The outer cover is made to sleep on. A thick or tight regular pillowcase flattens the contour.

A light new-foam scent is normal. It fades within a day or two in an airy room.

Using the CoolCase™

Button it into the hollow

Same three moves for the Plus, the Standard and the Elite.

  1. Unzip it and slide the pillow in, hollow side facing the button.
  2. Zip it closed.
  3. Fasten the button in the center hollow. It holds the fabric down in the dip, so the case follows the curve and cradles your head. Left unbuttoned, the fabric stretches flat over the hollow.
The Align CoolCase on the pillow, buttoned in the center hollow
Woman sleeping on her back, head in the center of the Align Pillow

Step 2

On your back

  1. Head in the center. Let the back of your head settle into the central hollow.
  2. Neck on the contour. The raised front edge fills the gap under your neck. You should feel it supporting you, not pushing your head up.
  3. Chin level. Not tucked toward your chest, not tipped back.
  4. Arms down. By your sides or on your stomach, not above your head.
Woman sleeping on her side, head on the raised side of the Align Pillow

Step 3

On your side

  1. Roll onto a wing. When you turn, move your head from the center onto one of the raised sides. They're higher on purpose: on your side, there's a shoulder's width to fill.
  2. Shoulder in the cutout. Your lower shoulder sits on the mattress, tucked into the curve at the front of the pillow.
  3. Nose in line with your chest. Your head shouldn't tip down toward the mattress or up toward the ceiling.
  4. Arm in front of you. Not under the pillow: it lifts the pillow and puts your arm to sleep.

A pillow between your knees, like the Align Knee Pillow™, keeps your hips level too, so your whole spine stays in line.

Elite only

Two heights: pick your edge

The Elite has a lower edge, 4" (10 cm), and a higher edge, 5" (13 cm). To switch, turn the pillow around so the other long edge is under your neck.

  • Start on the lower edge for your first nights.
  • Switch to the higher edge if your head tips down toward the mattress when you're on your side, or if you have broad shoulders or are taller than 5'11" (180 cm).
  • Go back to the lower edge if you feel your chin pushed toward your chest on your back.
Side view of the Elite: a 4 inch edge and a 5 inch edge Lower edge 4" Higher edge 5" Turn it around

The 6 most common mistakes

Almost every "it doesn't feel right" message we get comes down to one of these.

  • Shoulders on the pillow It pushes your head up. Pull the pillow down so it rests against your shoulders, not under them.
  • Stacked on another pillow Two pillows means twice the height. Use the Align Pillow on its own, flat on the mattress.
  • Turned the wrong way The curved edge with the shoulder cutouts goes toward you, not toward the headboard.
  • Arm under the pillow It lifts your head and puts your arm to sleep. Keep your arm in front of you.
  • A thick pillowcase It fills the hollow and flattens the curves. Use the CoolCase™, a thin stretchy case, or just the cover.
  • Judging it after one night Your neck is used to your old pillow. Give it a full week before you decide.

Your first week

  1. Nights 1 to 3 It feels different Firmer and more shaped than a regular pillow. That's normal: your neck is still in its old habits.
  2. Nights 4 to 7 Most people adjust You stop noticing the pillow and fall asleep in the right position without thinking about it.
  3. Weeks 2 to 3 The real test Judge it on how you wake up, not on how it feels when you lie down.

You have 100 nights to decide. Not for you? Get refunded, no return needed.

Care

  • Outer cover: unzip it, wash on a gentle, cold cycle, then let it air dry.
  • Inner cover: stays on the foam to protect it.
  • Foam: spot clean only with a damp cloth. Never in the washer or dryer.

Quick answers

Can I sleep on my stomach with it?

It's designed for back and side sleeping. Face down, the contour lifts your head too much. If you usually fall asleep on your stomach, try starting on your side with a pillow to hug.

Can I use it with a CPAP mask?

Yes. On your side, the shoulder cutouts leave room for the mask, so it doesn't get pushed against your face.

It still feels too high or too firm

Check the first two mistakes above (shoulders on the pillow, a second pillow underneath): they explain most cases. Still too high after a week? Write to us with your height and how you sleep, and we'll help you sort it out.

My head slides off the center during the night

That's normal when you change position: on your side, your head belongs on the raised wing, not in the center. Moving between the two is how the pillow is meant to be used.