Pillow for Athletes: A Plain Buyer's Checklist

Shopping for a pillow for athletes? Here's what the research says about how athletes sleep, a plain checklist for choosing a pillow (and setting up the bedroom around it), and how MOSO, the Athletes' Pillow, measures up.

What the research says about athlete sleep

The best single summary we know of is an expert consensus in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (Walsh et al., 2020), published online in November 2020. In plain terms, it reports that:
- Athletes often have "habitual short sleep (<7 hours/night) and poor sleep quality (eg, sleep fragmentation)."
- A night or more without sleep reduces athletic performance.
- Training, travel and competition affect athlete sleep, and so do non-sport factors such as stress.
- One fixed range for everyone "is unlikely ideal." The authors recommend going by the athlete's own sleep need.

So, how do athletes sleep? Often not as much as they'd like. The fixes the paper points to start with habits and environment.

Built as a recovery pillow for athletes

MOSO was built as a recovery pillow for athletes. The fill is viscose made from bamboo, blended with bamboo charcoal and tourmaline. The bamboo charcoal and tourmaline convert your body heat into far-infrared energy, which you don't feel as heat, and reflect it back to your body. It's designed to sleep cool, holds a steady height night after night, and has no polyester or microplastics. Here's what to look for in any pillow for athletes, and how MOSO measures up.

The pillow checklist

1. Is it designed to sleep cool? Airflow matters most. Pillow Guru says "airflow through shredded fill is the single biggest practical factor in whether a pillow sleeps hot," and notes that solid memory foam traps heat (Pillow Guru). Look for fill that air can move through.

2. Does it keep its height? Some pillows puff up or flatten through the night. Others are adjustable, so you add or remove fill. Decide which you prefer: a fixed, steady height or one you can tune.

3. Is the firmness right for how you sleep? Brands usually say which sleep positions a pillow is designed for. Check that it matches yours (back, side, stomach or a mix).

4. Can you name the fill? A great pillow tells you exactly what's inside. Look for the material by name on the listing or law label. Our label-reading guide walks through it.

5. Does it fit your pillowcase? Check the dimensions against the cases you already own.

6. What's the return policy? Check how many days you have and what condition the pillow needs to be in.

The bedroom checklist

• Cool: the Sleep Foundation puts the best bedroom temperature at about 65°F, within a 65 to 68°F range (Sleep Foundation).
• Dark and quiet: blinds or blackout curtains, phone across the room.
• Consistent: the Sleep Foundation's advice is to "try to wake up at the same time" every day, weekdays and weekends alike (Sleep Foundation). That includes rest days.
• Breathable bedding: sheets, blanket and pillow.

How MOSO measures up

Here's how the MOSO Black Performance Pillow answers that checklist, from the product page and our policies:
1. Cool: the fill is viscose made from bamboo, which lets air move through it, so it's designed to sleep cool.
2. Height: dense fill that holds a steady height, with a 2-inch gusset. It's not adjustable.
3. Firmness: medium firm with a soft hand, for back, side and combination sleepers. It sits lower than a traditional down pillow.
4. Fill: viscose made from bamboo, blended with bamboo charcoal and tourmaline. There's no polyester in the fill or the ticking, and no microplastics.
5. Size: Standard/Queen 18 × 26 in (fits standard and queen pillowcases), $109; King 18 × 36 in, $119. Charcoal or Silver.
6. Returns: our refund policy allows a return request within 30 days after receiving the item, if it's unused and in its original packaging, with a receipt or proof of purchase.

We're a Denver company, and every pillow is assembled and finished in Denver.

Denver delivery

Between Centennial and Westminster, free same-day hand delivery runs 7 days a week: orders placed by 1 PM MT are delivered the same day, per our shipping policy. Elsewhere in the U.S., standard shipping is free on orders over $99. New customers: HELLOMOSO takes 10% off.

Shopping for an athlete this season? See Holiday Gifts for Athletes.

Get the MOSO Black Performance Pillow →

Keep reading: Sleep for Lifters · Sleep for Runners · Cooling Pillow for Hot Sleepers

— Team MOSO

FAQ

How do athletes sleep?
Often short and broken. An expert consensus (Walsh et al., 2020) notes that habitual sleep under 7 hours a night and fragmented sleep are common in athletes. It recommends going by each athlete's own sleep need.

How much sleep do athletes need?
There's no single number for everyone. The consensus says one fixed range is unlikely to be ideal for every athlete.

Is MOSO a recovery pillow?
Yes. MOSO was built as a recovery pillow for athletes. It's designed to sleep cool and holds a steady height night after night.

What should I look for in a pillow for athletes?
Airflow, a steady height, the right firmness for how you sleep, a fill you can name, the right size and a fair return policy.

What's MOSO's return policy?
Our refund policy allows a return request within 30 days after receiving the item, if it's unused and in its original packaging, with a receipt or proof of purchase.