You spent a lot of time finding the perfect mattress, but often the pillow you rest your head upon is just an afterthought.

Your pillow plays an important role in getting a good night’s sleep. Anybody who has tossed and turned or punched a pillow trying to find a comfy position can attest to that.

Although there are a variety of pillows on the market, finding the perfect one for you isn’t rocket science.

“It’s a lot like buying the mattress,” says Bruce Fetters, owner of Heitman’s Lebeda Mattress Factory, “It’s an individual thing.”

Essentially, it’s a matter of what feels good to you. Just like a mattress, you need to decide what kind of support you want from your pillow — soft, medium or firm. Choose a pillow that will give you the support you need.

“Determine your sleeping style,” says Ellen Clements, assistant buyer for JC Penney.

If you sleep on your back, you most likely will prefer a medium to firm pillow. Side sleepers often like a firm to extra firm pillow, and stomach sleepers tend to favor a soft to medium pillow. And your mattress firmness can influence your pillow choice, according to www.ultimatewatermassage.com. For instance, if your mattress is really firm, you’ll need a thicker pillow, and if your mattress is very soft, then you’ll want a thinner pillow.

When choosing that perfect pillow, Mr. Fetters says to “lay down on them and see what feels good.”

What will feel good may be a foam pillow, down pillow or synthetic fiber pillow. With a little searching, you also can find buckwheat- and water-filled pillows.

Mr. Fetters says the memory foam pillows are extremely popular now. They provide support for the neck, head and back. They also are good for those who suffer allergies, he adds.

Goose down pillows are another consideration, Ms. Clements says. Ultimatewatermassage.com states that allergy suffers may want to forgo down (the site lists the pros and cons of several different kinds of pillows). The site also notes that down pillows can be filled with as much as 30 percent feathers and still legally be considered a goose down pillow. For a cheaper alternative to foam or down, try polyester-filled pillows. According to the JC Penney Web site, these pillows are hypo-allergenic, lightweight and durable.

Of course, once you find that perfect pillow, you’ll need to take care of it. Some, such as polyester-filled pillows, can be washed. Others, such as foam pillows, can’t. Check the tag for the care instructions. If they can’t be washed, then look for pillows that have a cover, Mr. Fetters says.

“Just wash to cover,” he says.

Both Mr. Fetters and Ms. Clements offer one more tip to consider when purchasing a pillow: You get what you pay for. And that might just be a difference between a restful or restless night.

Lifestyles reporter Cathy Woolridge can be reached at cathyw@npgco.com