The 9 best pillows for side sleepers

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1. Best side sleeper all rounder 

This three-chambered down pillow is composed of a central core (850g duck feathers and 150g duck down) and two outer compartments (60% duck down and 40% duck feathers). The higher percentage of feathers provides a firm base for the higher down content of the outer layers. Good head, neck and shoulder support with a soft and comfortable feel. Everyone sleeps a little differently, and this pillow caters for different needs. It moulds itself to your shape, even when you move.

• Top support thanks to the firm core.
• Wonderfully soft outer chambers with generous down percentage.
• Three-chamber construction suits all side sleepers with average to large frames.
• Filled with Downpass-certified, ethically-sourced duck down.
• Finished with soft, 100% cotton ticking.

2. Best rated pillow for side sleeper

Our Prestige pillow has a central natural latex core surrounded on both sides with 100 grams of 90% duck down and 10% duck feather fillings. Natural latex is elastic but keeps its shape, meaning excellent support for a heavy head and tired neck. Both down and natural latex provide excellent air circulation and moisture absorbency capabilities. 

Whichever way you shift as you sleep, this pillow will take up the slack. It adjusts to your body as and when you move, meaning every position is a comfortable, supported position.

• Recommended for side sleepers in search of extra support.
• Natural latex provides a firm, malleable core.
• Surrounding down filling is soft, comfortable and luxurious.
• Great moisture absorbency thanks to the duck down filling.
• Excellent air circulation with Talalay natural latex.

3. Best pillow for side sleepers with a large frame

A bit bigger than most and enjoy the support of a firm pillow? This extra-firm box edge pillow is packed with 1600 grams of duck feathers. The combination of fill weight and box shape means this is the perfect option for side sleepers with a larger build.

This duck feather box edge pillow is manufactured in Gelderland, therefore complying with strict national and European production requirements.

• The perfectly firm choice for side sleepers with average to large frames.
• Good air circulation thanks to the 100% duck feather filling.
• Cotton ticking and feathers work together for great moisture absorbency qualities.
• Made in the Netherlands.

All pillows for side sleepers with larger frames

4. Best pillow for side sleepers with average frames

The luxurious Ducky Dons three-chambered box edge pillow has a duck feather core which provides average build side sleepers with plenty of neck support. The high fill weight of 1100 grams makes this the right choice for both side and back sleepers. One side of the pillow has a 100% goose down outer later, the other is filled with 65% duck down. 

The firm core and soft outer compartments mean you can flip the pillow according to preference. Love the feeling of a deliciously soft pillow? Rest your head on the top-quality goose down layer. Too soft? Flip the pillow and rest your head on the firmer duck and feather down layer.

• Suits small to average build side sleepers.
• Two methods of use (soft or firm).
• The right combination of support and comfort.
• Good moisture absorbency thanks to the duck down filling.
• Excellent ventilation with the feather and latex filling.
• Downpass-certified – down and feathers are high quality and collected via humane methods.

All pillows side sleepers with average frames

5. Best pillow for petit side sleepers

The Ducky Dons Duvet Dorè 60% Masurian goose down box edge pillow is filled with 60% pure white goose down and 40% small goose feathers. While feathers make this pillow sufficiently firm to support the head, neck and shoulders, the large percentage of down allows the head to sink deep into the pillow, aligning the spine of small-framed side sleepers. As a box edge pillow, you still get the height you need to avoid sleep-related neck problems or soothe existing ones. It’s that box edge pillow shape that makes this pillow different from other Duvet Dorè options. With butter-soft, fine-combed cotton ticking and a 60% down filling, you’ll love sinking into deep, luxurious sleep. 

The Duvet Dorè box edge pillow is fully Downpass certified with Downafresh hygiene and NOMITE anti dust mite labels. An extremely animal-friendly option … unless you’re a dust mite.  

• True luxury with high down percentage and pure cotton.
• NOMITE-approved ticking.
• Perfect head and neck support thanks to box construction and goose feathers.
• Ethically-sourced down and feathers earning Downpass certification.

All pillows for petit side sleepers

6. Least bucks for your ducks

The Ducky Dons 10% duck down box edge pillow offers lots of luxury for a very reasonable price. With a 90% duck feather and 10% duck down filling, this is a firm choice that suits side sleepers. The box edge pillow construction means a pillow height of 8 centimetres – ample support for the head, neck and shoulders.

• Great price for great quality.
• Firm pillow with excellent support.
• Just soft enough with the small but game-changing down percentage.
• Finished with soft and supple pure cotton ticking.

7. Best support pillow for side sleepers

This pillow from the Vandyck Support range has a natural latex core. Natural latex is flexible and firm, meaning top support for head and neck. Natural latex also keeps its shape; when you move, it recovers its shape and moulds to your new position. A natural latex pillow won’t flatten through the night. 

A soft, duck down cover surrounds the firm core. This cover is filled with 280 grams of Downpass-certified duck down and 70 grams of Downpass-certified duck feathers sourced exclusively from the Netherlands. That mix of firm latex and soft down means you get the best of both worlds. The right choice for anyone looking for a firmer place to rest their head who also wants that soft-as-a-cloud sensation of down.

Softness is echoed in this pillow’s 100% cotton ticking. 

• Recommended for side sleepers in search of extra support.
• High-support natural latex moulds to the shape of the body.
• Downpass approved.
• High moisture absorbency with the duck down layer.
• Excellent air circulation with Talalay natural latex.

8. Coolest pillow for side sleepers

The Vandyck kapok pillow doesn’t only look cool, it feels cool. Packed with 1000 grams of kapok, you’ll find this to be a firm pillow which keeps its shape. Kapok has great air circulation qualities, something our customers often tell us they appreciate. That fantastic air circulation means a cool head in warmer weather.

With the Vandyck kapok pillow, every gram of filling is collected and processed according to the strictest environmental standards.  

• Recommended for average to large framed side sleepers.
• Kapok provides an excellent degree of support.
• Top air circulation qualities with an extra cool feel.
• Filling can be removed or added according to preference.
• Perfect for anyone with a dust mite allergy.

9. Best pillow for side-sleeping planet- and plant-lovers

What about a vegan pillow? This organic kapok option is an extremely comfortable choice for your spine, and for your conscience. A firm pillow containing 800 grams of natural kapok – soft balls of fibres from the tropical Ceiba tree.

Kapok is somewhere between wool and down when it comes to density and bounce. It’s naturally hypoallergenic – dust mites don’t like kapok filling.

The soft, supple ticking is 100% organic cotton.

• 100% organic and Fairtrade certified .
• Kapok offers excellent support.
• High air circulation qualities; feels cool to the touch.
• Filling can be adjusted according to preference.

3 steps to finding the perfect pillow

What exactly is the best pillow for a side sleeper? When you sleep on your side, the distance between your head and the mattress is greater than that of back or belly sleeping positions. It’s so important to pick a pillow with enough height to fill the gap between the top of your shoulder and the side of your face. Fail to do that, and you’ll misalign your spine, causing unnecessary stress and injury.

Finding exactly the right pillow to suit your individual needs depends on 3 factors:

1. Your build
2. The firmness of your mattress
3. (Potential) neck problems

Stap 1: Pick a pillow which suits you and your mattress

The best pillow for a side sleeper is a firm, relatively high pillow. Finding the perfect pillow mainly depends on your frame and the firmness of your mattress. If you have a larger frame, you’ll need a deeper pillow with a higher amount of filling and a higher fill weight than someone with an average build.

Align your spine – the height of your pillow helps to maintain the natural line of the head, neck and back. If a pillow is too high, more strain is put onto the shoulders. The best pillow for a side sleeper is the box edge pillow. A box edge pillow has a broad edge that, not surprisingly, turns it into a box shape rather than the traditional rounded pillow shape. This raised edge ensures that the space between your head and shoulder is optimally filled. It also helps keep your shoulder off the pillow, something side sleepers tend to do with a standard, soft pillow. This can lead to neck, back and shoulder problems. With sufficient support, you align your spine and so prevent pain in your neck, shoulders and back.

The perfect pillow also depends on the firmness of your mattress

How firm is your mattress? The deeper a side sleeper sinks into the mattress, the shorter the gap between head and mattress and the thinner the pillow needed to fill that gap. A hard mattress means you need a deeper pillow.

Side sleepers ideally need a soft to medium firm mattress. This allows the hips and shoulders to sink slightly, helping keep the middle and lower spine aligned with the neck and head. A very hard mattress is never the right choice for a side sleeper.

Stap 2: Opt for extra neck support when necessary

To prevent (further) neck problems, you need a pillow that offers the right degree of neck support. We supply a wide selection of neck support pillows which help prevent neck stiffness, strain and pain.

Do you suffer from neck and/or back problems? Maybe it’s time to try one out. A neck pillow might be the trick to align the spine as you sleep in your favourite position.

Are you a side sleeper with narrow shoulders? You’ve probably realised that most neck support pillows are too high, pushing your head and neck upwards. Your best bet is a low natural latex pillow. Neck support pillows are more helpful to side sleepers with normal or large frames.

Step 3: Choose the right filling

Not only must a pillow fulfil all the above-mentioned factors, it’s also important to choose a pillow that suits your taste. This primarily concerns the type of filling and firmness. Choose a pillow that matches your frame and mattress.

Both the filling type, ticking and pillowcase have an impact when you sleep on your side. The cover makes direct contact with your face. Choose hypoallergenic materials where possible. Your pillow, or at minimum the pillowcase, should also be (machine) washable.

Down is a fine and soft material but because it isn’t so firm, down percentages should be quite low for side sleepers. They need firmer pillows to rest their heads.

Feathers are much firmer than down; a feather pillow or a combination feather and down pillow is extremely suitable for side sleepers.

Memory foam is a popular filling. A pillow with memory foam moulds to your shoulders, neck and head. The downside of memory foam is that it takes a while to adjust to your body shape. As a result, you use more energy whenever you change position. Since we turn around 30 times a night, this can take its toll. Memory foam also lacks the cool characteristics of natural fillers like down and kapok.

(Natural) latex is a relatively stiff filling but is firm and holds its shape. This makes latex pillows a good option for side sleepers. While natural latex bedding has great features both in pillow and duvet form, it can be quite pricey. Unfortunately, latex is less environmentally friendly as it needs time to decompose, even though it’s a naturally-occurring material.

Wool pillows are almost as soft as down pillows but significantly cheaper. Looking for a natural pillow filling? Then wool is a good candidate. Most woollen pillows can be made firmer or softer by adding or removing some of the filling. However, woollen pillows can’t be washed and tend to get very warm. 

Kapok is plant-based and suitable for people with a dust mite allergy – mites hate it. Kapok also offers excellent air circulation, meaning it always feels nice and cool. There’s a downside – a kapok pillow only lasts about 1.5 years.

By opting for a pillow with a high percentage of feathers, side sleepers are guaranteed firm, comfortable support.

Pros and cons of sleeping on your side

If you suffer from back pain, sleep apnoea or indigestion, sleeping on your side is the best position. It’s also the right position for heavily pregnant women as it reduces pressure on the lower back.

When you sleep on your side, your airway is at its most open, your head and neck are naturally aligned, and your oesophagus is at a better angle. All these factors reduce the risk of snoring, sleep apnoea and acid reflux.

The disadvantage of sleeping on your side is the added pressure on your lungs and abdomen. Sleeping in a foetal position, especially when you curl into a tight ball, restricts diaphragm movement, making it harder to take deep breaths. Try to stretch out a little, avoid tucking your chin into your chest and keep the knees low. If you suffer from arthritis of the spine, knee joints, neck or even elbows, you might be woken by pain or discomfort if you curl yourself into a tight ball.

When you sleep on your side, the shoulder and arm absorb the weight of your entire body. This can cause pain or pins and needles.

Another downside to sleeping on your side is that one side of your face is always pressed against the pillow. You’re more likely to develop ‘sleep wrinkles’. To avoid them, try a satin pillowcase. Women who sleep on their side might also develop wrinkles in the cleavage as the breasts tend to get pressed together in this position.

Advantages	Cons
Good for your spine	Greater risk of shoulder pain/dead arm
Lower risk of sleep apnoea, heartburn and snoring	Less deep (REM) sleep
Better blood circulation	Higher chance of wrinkles

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