By Brenda Pastore

Deciding on the most comfortable pillow in the world is pretty subjective. Some folks swear by their synthetic fill ones, claiming they are better than down ones because they have more support or are less expensive or they are hypoallergenic.

There is another group of people that would never consider buying anything but a memory foam model for their bed. Foam ones are known to provide a lot of support and can actually shape to the contours of your neck, preventing aches and pains from sleeping in a bad position. This is also a good choice if you are allergic to feathers.

But probably the first choice for most people would be the down version. Laying your head on a down pillow is like sinking into a cloud. If you are the type that looks forward to the comfort of your bed after a long, busy day, then you owe it to yourself to try out one of these. When properly cared for, down pillows can last for many years, so it is often a good investment to purchase a high quality pillow.

The next big question is how much to spend on a down product. You will find choices from $20 to $200. Watch out for the ones that are very inexpensive. They are often filled with mostly regular feathers with a little bit of down included. You should be able to see the percentage of down in the product before you purchase.

Down feathers are the small, silky feathers that make a pillow soft and fluffy. They do not have quills that can poke through the ticking. More expensive pillows will often be stuffed with only down feathers. While some people believe that you must spend over a $100 for a quality down product, you could probably find a very comfortable model in the $50 - $60 price range. If you want to spend less than that, look for a good quality down alternative version.

Considering how much time we spend sleeping, it is well worth the time and expense to find a great pillow that will help us get a good rest at night. Many people will spend a lot of time and effort shopping for a new bed. It is a good idea to take an inventory of your bedding at the same time. Why not upgrade that pillow and comforter at the same time? You deserve to be sleeping on the most comfortable pillow in the world.