Yup, you’ve got it right - different types of sleepers are going to require different types of pillows. That shouldn’t come as a shock, though - because of the varying sleeping positions, your body (read: head, neck and shoulders) is going to adapt differently to distinct types of pillows. Today, we’ll be taking a look at the options for best pillow for side sleepers.
While there are many pillow brands out there, we’ll focus on a list of the top 7 best pillows for side sleepers. In one way or another, these products are designed to fit this sleeping position best - we’ll delve into the actual details once we start listing them out:
- Saatva Latex Pillow
- Puffy Pillow
- The Purple Pillow
- Layla Kapok Pillow
- Helix Ultra-Cool Pillow
- Leesa Hybrid Pillow
- Coop Home Goods Eden
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Why Look for the Best Pillow for Side Sleepers?
The side sleeping position is probably the most popular sleeping position out there - the majority of people around the world feel the most comfortable while lying (sleeping) on one of their sides. However, it’s also one of the more “dangerous” positions to sleep in - there’s always a significant load on your back, shoulders and neck.
Some of the best mattresses in the industry are going to be great as far as your back position and spine alignment are concerned. However, when it comes to neck, head and shoulders, you’re going to have to look for the best pillow for side sleepers. And there are a few specific guidelines that you could follow.
First of all, anyone searching for the best side sleeper pillows should keep in mind that, most of the time, a down-like pillow is going to be a great start.
Down pillows are often fuller and puffier than a standard pillow - they tend to offer more support for your head and neck while you lie on the bed. One of the worst possible scenarios for a side sleeper is sleeping on a pillow that tends to sink - this will a have a major impact on your back health.
Also, when it comes to the actual material of the pillow, do note that memory foam products are the usual go-to of the industry - while there are other pillows that are just as well-built and designed for side sleepers, most people seem to lean towards memory foam (or at least foam) ones.
Let’s get one thing clear - there are certainly exceptions to the above-mentioned criteria. Some contenders for the spot of the best pillow for side sleepers are unique, and do not fall short when compared to the “industry standards”. That said, some general guidelines are always nice to have.
1. Saatva - A Cool and Breathable Pillow
Ranks #1 out of 7 Mattresses
- + Adjustable loft
- + Changeable insert
- + Great shape retention
- - Expensive
- - Unsuitable for stomach sleepers
- - Too soft for some customers
Saatva is primarily a mattress-selling company. The brand offers customers some of the best mattresses in the entire industry - they’re well-known for offering that old-school, spring mattress feeling, and combining it with some modern bed design.
But we’re not here to talk about mattresses - rather, the Saatva pillow. And, well, truth be told, customer best pillow for side sleepers reviews almost universally agree that Saatva has managed to transfer some of their best qualities to their pillow product, as well.
The Saatva pillow is very soft, yet supportive. It doesn’t have that feeling of sinkage, and is thus on the firmer side of the pillow market.
Furthermore, the pillow sleeps very cool - that’s definitely a feature that extends from the company’s mattress. If you’re a person that tends to sleep pretty hot, you’ll definitely appreciate this feature - most “best pillow for side sleepers” reviews agree.
What is the Price of the Saatva Pillow?
Whether you believe Saatva pillow to be the best side sleeper pillow or not, there’s no denying that the price tags of the product are, well… High:
The Saatva pillow is definitely one of the most expensive pillows out there (at least when it comes to the topic of the best pillow for side sleepers). However, while there are a few customer reviews that claim that these prices are “outrageous”, the majority of customers don’t really seem to have a problem with them.
2. Puffy - A Cool-Sleeping, Adjustable Foam Pillow
Ranks #2 out of 7 Mattresses
- + Cool to sleep on
- + Good moldability
- + Best for back and side sleepers
- - Not the best shape retention
- - Might not suit some stomach sleepers
Puffy is a well-known mattress provider - the company deals in some high-quality foam mattresses, and also has some other sleep-related products to company those beds, too. The Puffy pillow is one such product.
The pillow is filled with foam, and features a cover that’s made out of bamboo rayon. The product itself is adjustable - what this means is that you’ll be able to either add or remove some of the foam located within, in order to manage the height and puffiness (no pun intended) of the pillow.
This, in turn, is going to be great for anyone who has specific pillow preferences whilst sleeping on their side.
The bamboo rayon cover will also guarantee that you have a cool night’s worth of sleep. This material is breathable, and does not trap heat - even though foam is far from being the coolest-sleeping material out there, a bamboo rayon-based cover can, in fact, mitigate this.
What is the Price of the Puffy Pillow?
The Puffy pillow comes in two different sizing options - Standard, and King. The pricing options are:
A very affordable, well-made product!
3. Purple - Great Shape Retention
Ranks #3 out of 7 Mattresses
- + Same technology (Smart Comfort Grid) in both the mattress and the Purple original pillow
- + Both pillows sleep cool
- + The original Purple pillow is very easy to clean
- - Original Purple is a heavy pillow
- - Single firmness option
Purple injected the unique feature of their mattress - Smart Comfort Grid technology - into their Purple Pillow. The technology is very well-known, as it makes the mattress (and, in this case - the pillow) retain shape very well.
Shape retention is one of your best friends when it comes to features that should be found in the best pillow for side sleepers. It’s the opposite of sinking - the Purple pillow is very supportive, and will thus not only alleviate the neck and shoulder pain that you might already have, but will prevent new pains from forming.
The pillow also sleeps very cool - that’s a rare feature! If you live somewhere that’s really hot, and air conditioning alone doesn’t quite cut it, a cool-sleeping pillow is something that you’ll probably definitely appreciate.
What is the Price of the Purple Pillow?
The Purple pillow comes in one size, and costs $99. All things considered, that’s a great price! Furthermore, you’ll receive a 100-night trial, 1-year warranty and free shipping around the US.
Did you know?
Compare Mattresses Side by Side With Others
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Yes! Show me the Comparison Chart4. Layla - A Fluffy, Yet Supportive Memory Foam Pillow
Ranks #4 out of 7 Mattresses
- + Sleeps rather cool
- + Designed to be comfortable for most sleeping positions
- + Good breathability
- - A hassle to clean
- - Loft might be too high for some people
The Layla pillow is an amazing option for anyone who’s looking for the best pillow for side sleepers. This is evident both from reading customer reviews, and also taking a look at what the company itself has to say about their product.
You see, the Layla pillow is filled with shredded memory foam. This gives the product its unique fluffiness - it’s something that side sleepers will likely especially appreciate!
The pillow is quite plush, which means that you shouldn’t have to beat the living hell out of it every single morning in order to get it back into shape. It has some rather decent cooing capabilities, too, which is definitely good news for hot sleepers (especially given the shredded foam filling that the product possesses).
Lying on the Layla pillow, you should feel some minor sinkage (contouring). However, in general, the pillow appears to be quite firm, at least as far as foam products go.
What is the Price of the Layla Pillow?
The pricing options of the Lyla pillow are:
Definitely an affordable option, especially since there’s also free shipping and a 5-year warranty involved!
5. Helix - A Very Cool-Sleeping Pillow
Ranks #5 out of 7 Mattresses
- + Sleeps very cool
- + Contains antimicrobial fibers
- + Durable design
- + Free shipping
- - Could be a bit expensive for some
- - Only 1-year warranty
The Helix pillow is rather well-known for its cooling capabilities. The brand itself states that their product is an “ultra-cool” pillow - this is because of the technology used in its creation.
You see, the pillow in question is filled with some phase change materials. What this material does is it regulates the temperature of the pillow, absorbs heat, and keeps it away from the sleeper’s body. Frankly, even some of the hotter sleepers are going to be able to enjoy a cool night’s sleep.
The pillow also features some antimicrobial fibers, which will help with maintaining a cleaner surface of the product, and thus, alleviating the possibility of developing some allergies while you sleep.
The pillow is durable, well-made, and features some supportive and responsive design. Surely one of the better options as far as the best pillows for side sleepers are concerned!
What is the Price of the Helix Pillow?
The Helix pillow is priced like so:
Definitely worth checking out!
6. Leesa - Perfect Balance Between Comfort and Support
Ranks #6 out of 7 Mattresses
- + Sleeps cool
- + Loft height suitable for most sleepers
- + Removable insert
- + Easy to take care of
- - Some initial odors might be present
- - Might be a bit too heavy for some people
People like comfort - that’s obvious. However, oftentimes, comfort tends to intersect with what’s actually good for you.
Pillows are a great example of this. Usually, the softer the pillow, the more comfort it’s going to provide to the sleeper. However, as discussed earlier, soft pillows are both a blessing and a curse - whenever your head sinks into the pillow, your neck bends and your spine alignment gets all messed up, which usually results in a whole lot of pain in the morning.
If only there was a way to find the perfect balance between comfort and support… Well, many customer best pillow for side sleepers reviews are going to tell you that Leesa has seemingly found the answer.
The Leesa hybrid pillow, as the name implies, is a product that utilizes the benefits of a gel comfort layer and a quilted pocket layer, both in the same product. Also, while these two layers are located at the sides of the pillow, there’s also a removable insert stuffed in the middle.
What does that all mean to a person looking for the best pillow for side sleepers? Well, sleeping on the Leesa pillow isn’t only going to be comfortable - because of the quilted pocket layer, your head and neck are going to be fully supported all throughout the night.
Worried about the height of the product? Not a problem - since the insert in the middle is removable, you can stuff the pillow as much as you want, without having to worry about any uncomfortable positions or height.
Customers seem to love Leesa mostly because of the fact that the pillow is both comfortable and supportive at the same time. Truth be told, the brand has also earned a pretty stable reputation because of its mattresses - they often score the top spots as far as the best beds in the market are concerned.
What is the Price of the Leesa Hybrid Pillow?
Admittedly, pillow prices aren’t really a fun topic to talk about. Usually, a decent product and a contender for the spot of the best side sleeper pillow isn’t going to be cheap - that’s one of the main reasons why some people tend to “cut it short” and simply go with a cheap, yet not-as-effective alternative.
Well, here are the pricing options for the Leesa hybrid pillow:
Even with the current prices, Leesa is somewhere in the middle with their pricing, as far as the best pillows for side sleepers are concerned. However, the vast majority of Leesa’s customer reviews are going to tell you that the product is worth the price.
7. Coop Home Goods - A Wide Variety of Firmness Options
Ranks #7 out of 7 Mattresses
- + Sleeps cool
- + Stuffed with shredded memory foam
- + Multiple firmness options
- - Some initial odor might be present
- - Poor shape retention
As of late, you could genuinely say that Coop Home Goods is a household name not only when it comes to the best pillow for side sleepers, but also the best pillows in general.
If you frequent online reviews and sleeping product discussion groups, you’ve likely heard about Coop at some point in the past. Many customers praise the brand’s original product, and they should - it’s an amazing sleep product, and is one of the best-selling pillows in the world!
That said, it isn’t the only pillow Coop offers its customers - there’s also Eden.
Eden is a shredded memory foam pillow that comes dressed in polyester and bamboo-mixture cover. The “shredded foam” part is one that should capture your attention immediately - just as we’ve talked earlier, foam is the go-to stuffing for the best pillows for side sleepers.
Furthermore, the filling is adjustable - any time that you’d want, you can unzip the cover and either fill or empty the stuffing. This makes the product very versatile - great start!
As far as sleeping experience goes, customer “best pillow for side sleepers” reviews claim that Eden is very soft and puffy, yet still provides decent neck support while you sleep on it. Admittedly, there are people that claim that the pillow might be a bit too soft for some, especially if you prioritize firmness and support over softness and comfort.
What ist the Price of the Coop Homes Good Eden Pillow?
The Coop Eden comes in three different pricing and sizing options:
As you can probably see for yourself, Eden is definitely one of the cheaper pillow alternatives in the category of the best pillow for side sleepers. That’s just an added bonus - it’s really cool that the company has managed to not only create a great product, but also price it very well.
Here is The Best Saatva Offer I Found:
UP TO $500 OFF
Limited-time Saatva Sale
We're sharing a limited-time Saatva mattress discount with our readers! Grab this deal & enjoy your new mattress with huge discounts.
Conclusions
Choosing the best pillow for side sleepers isn’t an easy task. There are many different points that the product has to “tick” in order for it to be effective and last longer than the first week after purchase.
Honestly, though - all of the brands and pillows mentioned on this list are going to be great for anyone who likes to sleep on their side, but also prefers to keep their back and neck health intact.
No one product is going to suit everybody, though, and there are other factors that come into play when choosing a pillow, but the seven products mentioned in this article should be a great place to start.
That being said, do note one more thing - oftentimes, once you purchase the “best pillow for side sleepers”, that’s not going to be enough (especially if your shoulder, neck and back pains are already there for a while). What you should also do is place a pillow between your knees while you sleep.
What this does is that it aligns your spine into a comfortable position. Combine that with a supportive pillow and a solid mattress, and you should forget about your back problems in no time.
Other Less Favoured Mattresses in This Category
Here are other mattresses related to the category but not as favoured by MyBestMattress readers yet. In my personal opinion, today there are much more optimal mattresses in the list with the higher rating that I'd recommend for the same price range or less.
Tuft and Needle Pillow - Good Pressure Relief
- + Good breathability
- + Decent pricing options
- + Very moldable
- + Retains shape well
- - Possible initial odors
- - Only one firmness options
Following the tradition of mattress companies selling pillow products, Tuft & Needle provides customers with an adaptive polyfoam product. What does that mean?
Basically, to put it simply, customer Tuft & Needle reviews claim that the company sells the best pillow for side sleepers that have sore necks and shoulders. Because of the way that it’s made, the pillow offers sleepers some very good pressure relief abilities.
While the Tuft & Needle pillow is on the softer side of the “best pillow for side sleepers” spectrum (it being a foam product, that is), it still provides some decent support while you sleep on it. The adaptive polyfoam aligns your spine as you lie on the bed, which in turn relaxes your neck and shoulder muscles.
What is the Price of the Tuft & Needle Pillow?
Tuft & Needle has two different pricing and sizing options for their pillow product:
- Standard - $75
- King - $100
As you can see, it’s definitely one of the more affordable pillow on the market. Furthermore, the company provides a 3-year limited warranty with the product, in addition to a 100-night trial - pretty good!
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