Best pillow for side sleepers – tried and tested for side sleeping comfort and support

The best pillow for a side sleeper is one that allows the head, neck, and spine to rest in perfect alignment.

When you lie on your side to sleep, your posture should be the same as if you were standing up straight. That means that for side sleeping, you need a pillow that's deep enough to fill the gap between your ear and your shoulder, and firm enough that it will keep your head supported during the night without your neck arching up or down.

As a result, a side sleeper needs a different type of pillow from a back sleeper, and getting your side sleeping support wrong can lead to neck or shoulder pain. Luckily, studies by the National Library of Medicine show that over 50% of the population are side sleepers, so there are plenty of pillows aimed specifically at those of us who lie on our sides on the market.

However, finding the best pillow for side sleeping can still be tricky, as we each have different shoulder widths and different mattress tensions that affect our ideal pillow height. The good news is that as Ideal Home's Sleep Editor, I've spent the past four years testing over fifty pillows (and counting) to track down the very best side sleeping options.

Overall, the Levitex Sleep Posture Pillow is one of my top choices for side sleepers thanks to its firm filling that offers stable support to the neck. It's also available in four different depths to suit side sleepers with differing body frames. But, depending on your sleep preferences, there are plenty more options on my shortlist to help you find the perfect fit if you sleep on your side.

The quick list

Short on time? This quick list is an overview of the very best side sleeping pillows. You'll find more information on each pillow and why I recommend it if you continue scrolling.

The best side sleeping pillows

Best side sleeping pillow overall

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Finding a pillow that's the right height is *the* most important factor if we're a side sleeper, and the Levitex Sleep Posture Pillow makes this far easier than any other pillow I've tested because it's available in four heights. I simply input my height and mattress tension into the online tool on the Levitex website and it advised which of the 8, 10, 12, and 14cm depth pillows would suit me best.

Once the pillow arrived, it was indeed exactly the right depth to fit snugly against my shoulder and support my head. Because this pillow is made of a firmer foam than any other pillow in this round-up, I also found it very stable. It kept my head in its optimum posture all night long rather than the filling gradually shifting or dropping. This firmer feel also prevented me from slumping forward or back as my body relaxed.

On the downside, I found it slept a little warm, and that foam meant I found this pillow a little utilitarian feeling. Unlike the Panda, Tempur, and scooms options in this round-up it doesn't have much squish factor so it doesn't feel particularly luxurious, but then it's designed for a function; to keep the head firmly supported to avoid any neck pain, and that, it does very well.

It's also a reasonable price. Not cheap, but not extravagantly expensive. Plus, a generous sleep trial means there's plenty of opportunity to test out if it's for you before you commit. All in all, if you're a side sleeper who always sleeps on your side, this is my top recommendation. If you're a side sleeper who changes sleeping position in the night, read on.

My Levitex Sleep Posture Pillow review has the full lowdown.

Best pillow for side sleepers with neck pain

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When I pulled a muscle in my neck, I found this pillow was the only one I could get comfortable on in a side sleeping position, and I've since recommended it to everyone I know with neck pain.

It's unusual because it's ergonomically designed, with a clever 'butterfly' shape and higher sections on the left and right to support the head and neck when side sleeping.

It has a very dense and firm feel, and I soon discovered this was the key to a pain-free sleep. A softer pillow made my neck twinge as my head slowly sank into the pillow, but this firm design kept my neck static and perfectly aligned with my spine for a pain-free sleep.

It's also a great option if you're a side *and* back sleeper. I tend to start the night off on my back and then switch to my side as I drift off. Unlike most side sleeping pillows –which are too high for comfortable back sleeping – this pillow caters to both sleep positions.

The only downside is that it may be a little too low for those with wider shoulders. It's just high enough for me at 5'9", and thanks to its gently sloping design, it will suit those who are shorter, but if you're over 6 feet, it may be too low for you, and sadly, it only comes in one height option. It's also small in general and doesn't fill out a pillowcase that well.

However, it comes with a 14-night sleep trial, and I think it's well worth a tryout if you're suffering from neck pain.

Our Kally Sleep Neck Pain Pillow review has more detail.

Best budget pillow for side sleepers

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If you're a side sleeper looking for an affordable pillow, this is the best value option I've found. And for once, more affordable doesn't mean a compromise on comfort, because this is a great pillow.

Its memory foam inner isn't quite as firm as the first two options in this round-up so it lacks a little stability, but its blocky design still tucked nicely in between my shoulder and neck and kept my head at a good height during the night with only a little sinkage into the memory foam core.

I also appreciated that bit of extra squish, as this sleep surface has more give than the first two options. However, whether that makes it as supportive is up for debate.

The main downside of this pillow is that it only comes in one height option. That means it's likely to be too low for taller side sleepers or those on a firmer mattress, and too high for shorter side sleepers or those on a soft mattress.

Luckily, there's a sleep trial. So in my opinion this pillow is well worth testing out to see if it's the right dimensions for you. If it is, you're in luck and can bag a bargain, if not, and you can afford to invest a little more, the Levitex Sleep Posture Pillow offers far more height options (and a firmer feel that you may prefer).

Find out more in our Panda Memory Foam Pillow review.

Best memory foam pillow for side sleepers

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TEMPUR was the first brand to take a material developed by NASA for use in spacecraft – otherwise known as memory foam – and turn it into a material that's taken the sleep world by storm. So perhaps it's little wonder that I've found this is the best memory foam pillow for side sleepers.

The brand's memory foam feels denser and heavier than competitors, and seems to do a better job of moulding to the head and neck than most alternative options I've tested. But what really makes this pillow stand out for side sleepers is its ergonomic, ridged design that's specifically crafted to support the neck when you're lying on your side.

Importantly, it also comes in three height options that make finding the right fit for your shoulder width and mattress tension easier. TEMPUR has also solved one of memory foam's biggest downsides – its tendency to cause overheating – thanks to a clever cooling cover that kept even my head – and I'm a *very* hot sleeper – cool overnight.

That means its main downside is its price. At £149, this pillow is quite the investment, and significantly more expensive than anything else in my round-up. Its softer, malleable memory foam core also means it lacks some stability, so those with neck pain might struggle, as I found my head did slowly sink lower for the first twenty minutes or so..

However, if you love the cushioning of memory foam, and one of those three height options is the perfect fit to tuck under your head, this could be your ideal side sleeping pillow. And if you buy direct from TEMPUR, a 30-night sleep trial makes the investment a lot less risky.

Most luxurious pillow for side sleepers

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The downside of being a side sleeper is that for optimum support you generally need to swap out any soft and squishy pillows you may enjoy snuggling into for one with much firmer support.

Keeping your head well supported should be the main goal to avoid neck pain, but sometimes, a functional pillow can feel a little... well, basic. This is probably why the Panda Hybrid Bamboo pillow has elicited sighs of delight from all the side sleepers I've given it to.

It's a far more luxurious pillow than most of the rectangular box pillows generally recommended for side sleeping, and although, yes, it is a little low and perhaps a little too squishy to offer optimum support, if it happens to be the right height for you (sadly it only comes in one depth) then it's a dreamy sleep surface.

That's because its malleable memory foam core is covered by a cover made of silky quilted bamboo rayon. It means it offers a surface your head sinks into a little, and is overall a softer experience. In fact if only the inside was height adjustable (and it slept a little cooler; I found it just a tad too warm), it might be the perfect side sleeping pillow.

As it is, it all comes down to whether its the right height for you. But, a 30-night sleep trial will help you to work this out.

Get the full details in our Panda Hybrid Bamboo Pillow review.

Best soft pillow for side sleepers

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There's a reason most pillows for side sleepers are firm or medium-firm, and that's because the head is heavy and needs good stable support. But, there's no denying a soft pillow is a delight to sink into for many of us, and there's no pillow more soft and sumptuous than a high-quality feather and down pillow, like this option from scooms.

The reason I think this soft pillow can still work for a side sleeper is that it's so plush and well-filled that it kept my head raised throughout the night, with less sinkage than any other feather and down pillow I've tried. If you're a side sleeper who rests with one arm under your pillow, I think this is also a great option for you; the malleable fill allows space for you to curl an arm up under the pillow.

It's softer filling does mean there's less stability for the neck, so my neck muscles did need to work a lot harder than when I slept on the firm Levitex or Kally Sleep pillows, but, if you just can't get comfortable on a firm sleep surface, this is a great alternative option.

As a hot sleeper, I also found this feather and down pillow the coolest sleep surface to rest my head on. It beat every other pillow in this round-up when it came to breathability. Plus, this is the only pillow in my shortlist that is fully machine washable. The synthetic options have removable covers that can be freshened up, but this pillow can go in the washing machine in its entirety.

The downside (there had to be one of course!) is that it's expensive and there's no sleep trial available. But, if you know you love the feel of feather and down but you're just struggling to find the height for side sleeping, this pillow could be 'the one'.

How I tested

In order to thoroughly test the pillows in this round-up, I've slept on each pillow on my own bed for at least two weeks – in most cases far longer – to assess it for comfort and support when side sleeping.

Firstly, because finding the right height pillow is so key to a comfortable night's sleep as a side sleeper, I assessed whether each pillow comes in multiple height options.

Next, I tested each pillow to see how the filling performed during the night. Would my head sink into the pillow so that my neck was strained? Or did the pillow feel stable enough to keep my head and neck aligned with my spine during the night?

Because no one appreciates the sleep disruption that waking up with a hot head and having to flip a pillow over to find the cool side can cause, I also noted whether each pillow caused me – a self-diagnosed very-hot-sleeper – to overheat.

I then assessed ease of care – could the entire pillow or at least its cover be washed? – and whether the manufacture offers a sleep trial so you can test the pillow out for yourself before you commit to keeping it.

Lastly, I read every third-party review of each pillow I could lay my hands on to see how other owners were finding their pillows, and assessed each pillow's value for money before giving each pillow a star rating out of five.

Amy Lockwood

I'm Amy, Ideal Home's Sleep Editor, and over the past four years I've slept on over 50 different pillows (and counting) to find the best-in-class. All in all, that's over 10,000 hours of at-home pillow testing!

How to choose

When it comes to how to choose a pillow, your sleeping position is one of *the* main factors to consider. Research published by the National Library of Medicine reports that more than 50% of the population are side sleepers, and just like the best mattress for a side sleeper differs from the best mattress for a back sleeper, the same is true of pillows.

These are the main factors to consider when shopping for a pillow as a side sleeper.

Pillow height: If we're a side sleeper, it's vital to find the right height pillow. That's because we need our head, neck, and spine to be in good alignment while we lie on our side.

As Dave Gibson, registered osteopath, sleep expert, and founder of The Sleep Site, explains, 'if you're a side sleeper, then your pillow should hold your head in the same position as it would be if you were standing upright with good posture. Choose a pillow that's too low and your head will droop, creating pressure in the neck. Choose a pillow that's too high and your neck will be arched upward all night, which tends to leave the neck muscles stiff.'

However, finding the right height pillow can be a challenge, as everyone’s shoulders are of different widths. Wider shoulders mean that we're likely to need more pillow height to keep our neck straight once we're lying on our side, and narrower shoulders mean we'll need less pillow height, so sometimes it can take a little trial and error to get the correct height.

Mattress tension: You also need to factor in your body weight and how soft your mattress is when considering pillow height. As Kora Habinakova, sleep and bedding expert at bedding specialist Sleepseeker, explains, ’lighter individuals are less likely to sink into the mattress and tend to prefer medium-thick pillows that will help to promote optimal spinal alignment when side sleeping. Those with heavier weight considerations are more likely to experience sinkage and may find a thinner pillow helps keep the head level with the spine.’

Pillow firmness: As side sleepers, we also need a stable pillow so that the head doesn't sink during the night. That generally means softer fillings, such as feather and down, are best avoided, and that the best type of pillow filling for a side sleeper is a firm filling, like a firm foam or memory foam. We need our head to be kept lifted up all night, and softer fillings can shift and allow our head to drop, putting strain on the neck.

Sleep trials: Because of these factors, my biggest tip when choosing a pillow as a side sleeper is to look for one that comes with a sleep trial. A sleep trial may differ slightly by retailer, but most allow you to purchase the pillow, sleep on it at home for a set number of nights, and return it for a refund (or sometimes exchange it for a different option) if you find it doesn't suit you. This is invaluable, as it's very easy to waste money on pillows that don't offer enough side sleeping support.

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