Side sleepers usually feel most comfortable on thick pillows that fully support the head and neck. We recommend the Saatva Latex Pillow because the adjustable loft can be customized to your ideal thickness, and the bouncy feel of the latex generates plenty of support.
Generally, side sleepers should aim for a pillow that's 3 to 6 inches thick; the goal is to keep your head and neck in a straight line with your spine.
For side sleepers, Tal recommends a medium to soft fill that allows the head, neck and shoulder to fall gracefully into the pillow, with enough balance to keep the head and spine neutral. Good fill materials to achieve this include memory foam, down and down alternatives.
Side sleepers do best with a relatively firm, thick pillow that can fill the gap between the neck and shoulders. A pillow that is too thin may not keep the neck and head level with the spine, and a very thick pillow can be just as problematic if it tilts the head up at a very high angle.
When lying on one's side, a pillow should support the head and neck so the spine maintains a straight and natural horizontal line. A thicker pillow is needed for sleeping on the side than sleeping on the back. Bending the knees and placing another pillow between the knees keeps the spine in the neutral position.
'For side sleepers, using two pillows is best, due to the nature of the vertical shoulder position,' explains Alison Jones, Sleep Expert at leading mattress brand, Sealy.
Side Sleepers — When you sleep on your side, there's a gap between your neck and shoulders. If that space isn't supported by a pillow, your neck can arch downward and misalign. That's why it's not recommended for side sleepers to sleep without a pillow.
You want to have less fill in your pillow than those who sleep on their side or back. If you sleep on your stomach with a pillow that's too thick, your spine will bend at an angle which is more likely to cause aches and pains. A pillow that is too firm will not allow your neck to fully relax while asleep.
Your head is naturally higher up when you sleep on your side instead of on your back or on your stomach. That leaves a certain amount of distance between your head and the mattress pad, which means you'll need a thicker pillow to rest your head on to protect your neck, shoulders, and spine.
A thin pillow can aid your health
A thin pillow can be a good companion for your health especially when you are a stomach sleeper or you sleep on your back. If you're a stomach sleeper, a thin pillow will help you rest better by maintaining your neck at a natural angle.
Side sleepers need two pillows to sleep with, but as long as you choose a good quality pillow, you need only one underneath your head. The other pillow is for your legs. When you sleep on your side, your top leg can pull your spine out of alignment and cause pain in your lower back and hips.
Side Sleepers
A knee pillow placed between the legs can reduce hip movement while also holding the spine in a straight position. Side sleeping is often recommended for certain stages of pregnancy and for people with back pain, and using a knee pillow can help these sleepers stay comfortable at night.
“Most side sleepers will do best on a medium-firm mattress, as a general guideline, but that will vary based on their height and weight,” Dr. Breus explains. “If you're a 250- to 300-pound person, you're going to look for a different mattress than a 120- to 130-pound person.
Hotel pillows are softer, fluffier and more luxurious. Their fill material is usually 100% genuine goose down or feathers. Hotel pillows offer long-lasting support for the head and upper body. The cloud-like feel of hotel pillows is amazing for keeping your head, neck and spine healthily aligned.
“Pillows with too much material jammed in or that remain too fluffy can hold your neck in an awkward position,” Dr. Bang says. Shredded foam can cool you but loses its stability over time if you sleep on your side.
The softer the mattress (or pillow top) the more your shoulders will sink into the mattress so you will need a thinner pillow. For a harder mattress, you will need a thicker pillow because your shoulders won't sink down as much.
Bending down toward the mattress or up away from it will cause strain in your neck, shoulders, and back, even if you don't immediately feel it. If your pillow is too thick or if you have too many pillows, your neck will be propped at an angle that causes craning or twisting.
Side sleeping can cause or exacerbate shoulder and neck pain, and contribute to muscle imbalance. Therefore, side sleepers need to be aware of their neck and shoulder alignment to avoid waking up with body aches. This article explains how to get the most out of side-sleeping while avoiding serious injury.
Specifically, sleeping on the side or back is considered more beneficial than sleeping on the stomach. In either of these sleep positions, it's easier to keep your spine supported and balanced, which relieves pressure on the spinal tissues and enables your muscles to relax and recover.
Firmness. All of our experts agreed that medium-firm pillows tend to be the best option for people sleeping on their side. While there is room for personal preference here, a medium-firm pillow helps your head stay in the right position without sinking while you sleep.
Keep your legs and knees in the same position, whether at an angle, slightly bent or straight. (Placing a pillow between your knees can help alleviate pressure on your hips.) Try to keep your arms aligned, either straight down at your sides or in front of your chest with your elbows bent.
For the uninitiated, placing a pillow between your legs adds comforts and eliminates pressure by keeping the knees on top of each other. It also helps by aligning your hip and spine.
Side sleepers should use pillows between their ear and the bed and between their knees to maintain spine alignment. Your top leg should be even with, or slightly behind your bottom leg, with both knees bent. Use a small pillow to keep your head in a neutral or aligned position when sleeping on your stomach.
Idzikowski describes lying on your side with your arms at your sides. If this is your favorite sleeping position, then you're probably easy-going, social, and relatively trusting of strangers, he told the BBC. That said, you may also be a bit gullible.