Sleep is the Foundation Gel Memory Foam Pillow Review

Pillow Performance Ratings

We recognize that it’s a bit unconventional to review your own products. That being said, product testing is the core of what we do. Our testing team prides themselves on providing honest, objective assessments of products to provide our readers with the insight they need to find the right match for their needs. If we’re going to develop a product ourselves, we’re going to subject it to all the same tests and evaluations we would use on any other product in the same category.

We are careful to take a few extra precautions to eliminate any bias in favor of the products we’ve developed. Here’s a breakdown of the measures we take to provide a fair look at our Gel Memory Foam Pillow:

• We remove all brand labeling from the pillow before sending it to our Sleep Foundation test lab and keep the pillow brand anonymous to our testers throughout the testing process. In this case, we used a prototype version of the pillow that did not include the logo quilted into the cover. 
• We test our pillow in a batch with a few other products that were also missing any logos or other identifying information.
• Our testing team members are only told the name of the products after they have completed their ratings for each product.
• Our product testing team is not allowed to alter their test ratings for these products in any way after submitting them.

During the pillow testing process, our testers assessed contouring, support, breathability, and overall firmness and feel. We also handled the pillow extensively to evaluate moldability and shape retention. We performed other tests using tools such as thermal sensors and VOC meters to measure temperature control and off-gassing.

Our testers found the Sleep Is the Foundation Gel Memory Foam Pillow offered excellent contouring and pressure relief. Like most memory foam pillows, this model also earned high marks for shape retention, which means the pillow consistently returned to its full shape once weight was removed from the surface. The pillow performed well in temperature neutrality tests compared to other solid foam pillows we’ve tested. However, as is typical for foam, this model retained more heat than a pillow made of cooler materials like latex or buckwheat.

Sleep Is the Foundation Gel Memory Foam Pillow

Cleaning and Care

The Sleep Is the Foundation Gel Memory Foam Pillow is encased in a cover and inner liner that help keep the foam insert free of stains and dirt. You may remove the cover and liner and wash them in a machine using cold water, then tumble dry on a low setting. The foam insert should be spot cleaned only. Avoid submerging the foam itself in water, as this can lead to mold growth.

Sleeping Style and Body Weight

Your sleep position and body weight are big factors in determining whether a pillow is suitable for you. Below we’ll explore how the Sleep Is the Foundation Gel Memory Foam Pillow performs for different sleep positions and body types. Given the medium firm feel, the pillow generally felt more comfortable for sleepers over 130 pounds than it did for sleepers under 130 pounds. Lighter sleepers don’t exert as much pressure on pillows and typically find softer pillows more comfortable and pressure-relieving.

Side Sleepers

 Side sleepers tend to feel most comfortable on firmer pillows with a high loft in order to fill the gap between the neck and mattress. The Sleep Is the Foundation Gel Memory Foam Pillow is a medium-loft pillow with a medium firm feel, so it’s well suited for many side sleepers. 

It’s an especially good fit for side sleepers over 230 pounds, since these sleepers will sink deeper into the mattress and require a medium loft to support the neck. Some side sleepers under 230 pounds may prefer a slightly thicker pillow to keep the head, neck, and spine in comfortable alignment.

Back Sleepers

Compared to side sleepers, back sleepers don’t have as much space to fill between the neck and mattress. For this reason, back sleepers fare best with medium loft pillows that elevate the head but not excessively so. The Sleep Is the Foundation Gel Memory Foam Pillow’s loft is perfectly suited for this sleep position, offering just enough thickness to raise the head while still keeping the head, neck, and spine in healthy alignment. 

Back sleepers over 130 pounds felt most comfortable on the pillow, while those under 130 pounds may benefit from a slightly softer pillow.

Stomach Sleepers

Stomach sleepers need a low-loft pillow to prevent the head from angling up too high. Some stomach sleepers even prefer sleeping with no pillow at all. The Sleep Is the Foundation Gel Memory Foam Pillow has a 5-inch loft that may feel too thick and firm for many stomach sleepers. That said, the adaptive foam compresses moderately under the head and may suit certain stomach sleepers, especially those who enjoy a bit of loft.

Sleep Is the Foundation Gel Memory Foam Pillow

	Under 130 lbs.	130-230 lbs.	Over 230 lbs.
Side Sleepers	Good	Very Good	Excellent
Back Sleepers	Good	Very Good	Excellent
Stomach Sleepers	Poor	Fair	Good

Sleep Is the Foundation Gel Memory Foam Pillow Review Breakdown

To Recap:

• The Gel Memory Foam Pillow is a medium firm pillow with a 5-inch loft. 
• Its interior is a block of solid gel-infused memory foam. 
• Its quilted cover is made from a blend of polyester and bamboo-derived viscose.
• The pillow’s liner and outer cover are both machine-washable.
• Its medium firm feel and mid-level loft are best for side and back sleepers.

Materials and Options

Product	Size Options	Loft	Fill Material	Cover Material
Sleep Is the Foundation Gel Memory Foam Pillow	Standard: 16” x 24” King: 20” x 36”	5″	Solid Memory Foam Block (Gel-Infused)	Polyester and Bamboo-Derived Viscose Blend
Sleep Is the Foundation Loft Pillow	Standard: 20” x 30” King: 20” x 36”	Adjustable (8” Standard)	Shredded Memory Foam (Gel-Infused)	Polyester and Bamboo-Derived Viscose Blend

Pricing Information

The Sleep Is the Foundation Gel Memory Foam Pillow and Sleep Is the Foundation Loft Pillow have average price-points for memory foam pillows. The Gel Memory Foam Pillow is slightly more expensive than the Loft Pillow. You will find memory foam pillows on the market that are significantly more expensive, but price is not necessarily an indicator of quality. The Sleep Is the Foundation pillows performed just as well as many of the pricier foam pillows that we’ve tested.

Pillow prices can range anywhere from less than $10 to several hundred dollars or more, but you’ll find many pillow options for under $200. Memory foam is known for its durability, so the price-points tend to be higher than pillows made with materials like polyester. When comparing pillow prices, some factors to keep in mind are size, quality of materials, and reputation of the brand. These factors can all influence the price.

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