A Guide to Best Pillows for Side Sleepers

Pillows have a significant role in a comfortable sleep and a wonderful morning. For side sleepers, it sets in the space between your ear, neck, and shoulder to provide complete support for spinal alignment. Generally, side sleepers use more loft and filled pillows to keep their spine in a neutral position. Those who don’t use a pillow that is firm and high enough to provide this support may wake up stiff or with neck pain from the weight of the head putting stress on the neck muscles all night long.

Side sleepers who have broad shoulders or a large frame require a pillow filled with thick material and others who wants some more comfort in terms of their body alignment generally add a pillow or a blanket or towel between their knees to ease the pressure between their joints as well as hips.

In addition to it, a small rolled towel is also used in the place between the shoulder and the pillow to support the neck and reduce strain.

 

What to buy?

Side sleepers looking for pillows, generally add a thicker pillow to their bucket, because it limits stress on their neck while keeping the head, and neck, in line with the spine.

 

Moreover, there are some contoured shape pillows that are specially designed to support the neck and head of side sleepers. Such pillows are made of memory foam or latex, and both materials have the advantages of longer life spans compared to traditional pillows which compress permanently with long-term use.

 

Pillows generally come with the label “Firm” or “Extra Firm” based on their density of filings and fabric, but what is to be chosen is clearly a matter of personal preference.

Additionally, there are Gusseted pillows available in the market which are considered one of the best pillows for side sleepers. It has rectangular-shaped panels sewn on the top and bottom of the sides. It has more loft and gives complete comfort to the side sleepers, thus considered the best pillow for side sleepers.

 

What Pillow filling is best for Side sleepers?

The filling material used in the pillow is clearly a personal matter because the word comfort has a different meaning for each individual. But the common filling material used to plump out the pillow has both benefits and downsides specific to side sleepers that they should keep in mind while shopping.

 

Memory Foam:
Memory foam was initially used in airline seats but now it has spread to worldwide cushions & beddings. It is absorbent and has a squishy feel that allows you to mold your head and neck. However, it is still a subject of research whether memory foam improves sleep quality by providing complete comfort during sleep or not.

 

On the other hand, there is a downside of memory foam that needs to be considered: memory foam retains more heat than other filling materials. Also, after a long time of use, there will be a requirement for replacement of pillow or side sleeper pillow additional fill.

 

Bamboo:
Considering the pillow fillings, it is newer than the others. The name might let you think once before choosing it as a filling, but it more often refers to the fiber used in the covering.

Although, many of these pillows contain a memory foam core, the bamboo fibers in the outside covering purport to be sweat-wicking to help keep you cool at night.

Side sleepers choose Bamboo fillings because of the cooling advantage of this pillow. The memory foam retains the heat and the bamboo keeps cool at night, and it allows the side sleepers to adjust the fill volume subject to their comfort.