In order to purchase a pillow that is going to allow you to bypass the insomnia zone, you need to know in what position you would normally sleep. Your goal is to know what pillow firmness is going to allow your neck and spine to be aligned properly. Consider if you are a back sleeper, what an overstuffed pillow would do to your head and spine. It would raise your head up so that no alignment is going to occur. For that to happen, you would need a flatter pillow. That same overstuffed, firm pillow would work well if you slept on your side. Consider the depth of your shoulder in comparison to the distance from your head to the bed. In order to fill that large area, thus providing an equal surface to position your head so that it were even with your spine, would require the thick, overstuffed version.
Orthopedic pillows exist in several different shapes and materials. Some promise to keep their shape or mold and conform to your head and shoulder, always keeping spine alignment as the number one focus. Consider the different materials they are made of, pull them out of their boxes, and inspect them. Read the labels to understand what you are purchasing and what the promises are. With the added cost that these pillows incur, be as informed as you can before you lay out any cash for one. If you can pinpoint the one that is going to provide that balance between your head and sleeping surface that we have been discussing, an orthopedic pillow is an ideal choice.
Body pillows are perfect for side sleepers who need to align not only their head and spine, but also the lower portion of their body.