I Spotted the Viral “Cool” Pillow at T.J. Maxx, and It’s the Best for Hot Sleepers Like Me

I’m someone who takes forever to fall asleep. I wish I could say I was one of those people who drifts off into a peaceful slumber as soon as my head hits the pillow, but that’s just not me. I don’t know if it’s the fact that I scroll on my phone for way longer than I should at night or that I tend to just run hot, but I usually have trouble getting comfortable and falling asleep.

To try and ease my sleep anxiety I’ve tried countless pillows and sheets that offer some level of comfortability (like down pillows) or cooling (such as all-cotton sheets) — and I still find that I end up waking up in the middle of the night feeling hot and frustrated. One of my biggest issues is finding a pillow that isn’t too flat or firm, and that keeps my head from overheating. I will admit that I’m not one to invest a ton of money into a pillow, so maybe that’s why I hadn’t been able to find the perfect fit — until recently, when I came across a discounted Purple Cloud Pillow while shopping at T.J. Maxx.

Coming across a Purple Cloud Pillow at T.J. Maxx felt like hitting the jackpot. Purple is a brand that is best known for its mattresses, as well as pillows, bed frames, and other bedroom essentials. Some of the pillows, including the Purple Harmony, use a purple grid-like memory foam that shapes to your body and helps keep you cool. The Purple Cloud, though, is a down alternative pillow, which is essentially gel and silicone fibers that mimic the fluffiness of real down feathers. 

A quick scroll through the hundreds of reviews of this pillow on the Purple website, and you’ll find more than a handful of people referring to it as “life-changing.” So when I saw it for $50 at T.J. Maxx (it’s normally $65 online), I knew it was worth a chance at a better night’s sleep. 

The product description of the Purple Cloud Pillow claims that this material keeps the pillow from falling flat or clumping, even after you wash it — and after bringing the pillow home and trying it for the past five months, that’s been exactly my experience. 

I’ve never used a pillow that truly shapes to the form of your head, becoming as flat as you want it, and then springs back to its exact same fluffiness. It feels like the perfect combination of memory foam and down, but without the firmness of memory foam and the feathers that poke through with a down pillow. When I wake up, my neck feels less stiff than it used to, which overall helps me feel more rested in the mornings. 

I’ve also found that the pillow’s springiness helps it feel more breathable and less prone to trapping heat. In the several months that I’ve been using this pillow, it’s almost completely relieved me of the issues I had with overheating during sleep and waking up feeling like I have to flip the pillow over to the cool side. I pair the pillow with a 100% silk pillowcase, which also helps cool me down and just makes the pillow that much more comfortable. I still get hot from time to time, especially since the weather’s been warming up, but I find that it’s less concentrated on the top of my body and more of an “it’s time to turn on the air conditioning” issue. 

If you’re on the fence about investing in the Purple Cloud Pillow, I say your upper body will thank you for it — and don’t forget to check your local T.J. Maxx, too!

Buy: Purple Cloud Pillow, $55 (normally $69)