3 Best Pillows for Side Sleepers (2021 Review)

While comfort is paramount with any pillow, side sleepers have more to think about than those who sleep on their backs or stomachs. Side sleepers need more support for their necks to prevent pain in their back and shoulders when they wake up.

Think about how you sleep when you’re on your side. You create more distance between your mattress and head when side sleeping, making it more difficult to keep your spine straight. Your head rests in a lower-angled position, placing more tension on your body than if you sleep on your back or front.

Here we’re going to look at three of the best pillows for side sleepers for the year 2020.

Favorite Pick: Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow

Beckham Luxury Linen was our favorite pillow because of its superior materials and special gel fiber design for side sleepers. It is the chosen brand for many high-end hotels because of the quality of their products.

Unlike most, the company uses gel fibers to create their pillows. These mold easily to most body positions, improving comfort no matter how they’re used. As a result, the Hotel Collection pillow is one of the more versatile on the market.

Beckham has enough confidence in its pillow to offer a money-back guarantee. If you’re unhappy with the pillow, you have 30 days to send it back for a full refund.

Review

Our time with Beckham’s Hotel Collection pillow revealed a comfortable pillow that you can use in several ways. It’s ideal for head support when sleeping on your side. However, it also molds to your body if you choose to place it between your legs, or near your hip.

Beyond that, Beckham uses exceptional materials throughout. The gel fibers are really comfortable, plus the pillow resists stains and creepy crawlies.

Pros

Here’s what the Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow does really well.

Comfortable Sleeping

The gel fibers create an interesting sensation, as the pillow feels soft but also holds its form during the night. You won’t wake up to find the pillow has collapsed in on itself. The gel also molds to your sleeping position, so it works just as well for back support as it does for head support.

Allergen-Free

The pillow contains no allergens, and Beckham has avoided the use of man-made chemicals. It also isn’t susceptible to mold and mildew over time, plus it wards off dust mites. We think this makes them a great choice for side sleepers who also have respiratory issues, such as asthma.

Machine Washable

Washing pillows is often a chore, but Beckham makes it easy. Not only do their pillows resist staining and fading, but you can also pop them into the washing machine.

Multiple Sizes

The Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow comes in queen and king sizes, with the latter costing a little more. You also receive two pillows with each set, so you can use one for your head and one for support elsewhere.

Cons

Though we think these pillows are generally great, here is what to look out for.

Initial Delivery Issues

Occasionally, Beckham seems to send out pillows that haven’t undergone quality control. It’s possible that your pillows may release lint when removed from the packaging, or have stains on them. Take advantage of the 30-day return policy if anything like this happens.

Counterfeits

There are reports of counterfeit pillows on Amazon and Ebay. To ensure you are getting a real pillow make sure to buy directly from the Beckham Luxury Linens seller account on Amazon. They are the sole seller of the product and do not sell through other distributors.

Product Line

Beyond their gel pillows, Beckham also offers the following:

• Hotel Collection Luxury White Down Feather Pillows
• A range of duvet cover sets
• A microplush mattress pad
• A hypoallergenic microfiber set of sheets
• Goose down comforters

Type of Sleeper

The gel fiber makes these some of the most versatile pillows available. Although they offer suitable support for back and stomach sleepers, we recommend them for side sleepers specifically.

Materials Analysis

The pillow’s gel fiber means it molds to the user’s body. The pillow feels soft when in use, but avoids the issue of collapsing in the middle that some other pillows experience. This leads to a more comfortable experience for side sleepers who need to achieve spine alignment while sleeping.

Conclusion

Beckham draws on its experience in making hotel-quality bed linens to create an exceptionally comfortable pillow. The gel fibers mean their pillow molds to your body and provides great support. Plus there’s the 30-day return policy, should you find it unsuitable.

If you’re interested in this pillow, click the button below to find out more.

Runner Up: Coop Home Goods Memory Foam Pillow

Coop Home Goods has made it their mission to make pillows that help you feel fresh and energized in the morning.

The company uses shredded memory foam in its pillows. While this ensures the pillow molds to your preferred sleeping position, it has an added advantage. You can add or remove the shredded foam as needed, until you achieve the most comfortable position.

Much like Beckham, Coop offers a 30-day money-back guarantee if you’re not happy. The pillow also comes with a five-year warranty.

Review

Available in a range of sizes, from standard to king size, Coop’s pillow ensures you feel comfortable as you sleep. The adjustable shredded memory foam allows you to achieve perfect head positioning. Furthermore, the company has put a lot of effort into product testing.

Pros

These are our favorite things about the Coop Memory Foam Pillow.

Customizable

The shredded memory foam is both comfortable and removable. You only need to open the pillow up to remove some of it if you find the pillow is too large for your preferred sleeping position. This versatility makes it a great choice, no matter how you choose to sleep.

Certified Foam

As well as being shredded, the pillow’s memory foam carries Certipur-US certification. This means Coop haven’t used any ozone depleting materials in the pillow. It also means that it’s free of harmful chemicals. Each pillow undergoes independent testing to ensure it meets the required standards.

Hypoallergenic

These pillows are hypoallergenic, and also resist dust mites. This makes them a great choice for anybody who struggles with breathing issues. You shouldn’t find yourself waking up coughing and wheezing due to the pillow collecting dust.

Multiple Sizes

You have a choice of standard, queen, and king size pillows. Don’t be afraid of ordering a larger pillow, as you can always adjust it by removing some of the foam.

Cons

The pillow isn’t perfect. These are a few issues to look out for.

The Initial Smell

When you remove the pillow from its packaging, you may notice a fairly strong smell. This is common with memory foam pillows. Allow the pillow to air out for 48 hours and the smell should disappear.

If it doesn’t, take advantage of the 30-day return policy. There may be a problem with the pillow if the smell is still present.

The Shredded Foam May Move

While the shredded foam is a great idea in theory, it can cause some problems. If you decide to remove some of the foam, you create space inside the pillow. This can lead to some of the shreds shifting more than they otherwise would during the night, leading to a less comfortable sleeping experience.

Product Line

Coop Home Goods enjoyed enough success with their original memory foam pillow to warrant expanding their product line. Here are some of the other pillows they produce:

• The Eden, which combines memory foam with a microfiber and gel fill
• The Dawn, which has a combined microfiber and memory foam fill
• The toddler pillow
• An adjustable knee pillow
• A full body pillow

Coop also sells pillow refills in half-pound batches, should you lose any of the shredded foam after removing it.

Type of Sleeper

Much like with the Beckham, this is a pillow that offers great versatility. The ability to remove and add memory foam means you can adjust the pillow until you find your perfect head position. We think this makes it a good choice for side sleepers who find that other pillows leave their heads at an angle.

Materials Analysis

Beyond the Certipur-US certified memory foam, the pillow also has a cover made using a polyester and rayon blend. The rayon comes from bamboo, and is used at a ratio of 40% in each pillow. It adds an additional softness to the otherwise potentially harsh polyester.

Conclusion

There’s a lot to like about the Coop Home Goods Memory Foam Pillow. It’s adjustable, made using certified materials, and is hypoallergenic. You may have to mess around with it a bit to find the perfect pillow size, but it should last for years once you do.

Click the button below to buy this pillow today.

Favorite Pick: Snuggle-Pedic Adjustable Pillow

With a focus on alleviating the neck support issues that side sleepers often struggle with, Snuggle-Pedic’s pillows are fully customizable.

Much like Coop Home Goods, the company uses shredded memory foam for its pillows. Couple this with a micro-vented cover and you have a pillow that feels comfortable and stays cool.

Snuggle-Pedic also offers one of the best guarantees on the market. In addition to a 120-day refund policy, the company guarantees its pillows for an extra 20 years.

Review

At first, we felt that there was little to choose between Snuggle-Pedic’s and Coop’s pillows. Both offer similar features in regards to memory foam, and they also both come with Centipur-US certification.

However, the superior guarantee and focus on keeping you cool sets this one apart.. This makes it the better pillow for side sleepers in hot climates.

Pros

Here are the things we love about the Snuggle-Pedic pillow.

Customizable

You can remove as much of the shredded memory foam as needed to ensure comfort when using the pillow. The dual-zip design means you can remove the outer cover easily, providing access to the second zipper that secures the memory foam. This customizability makes it a versatile pillow.

Quality Control

In addition to the Centripur-US certification, the pillow’s foam carries Biogreen certification. This ensures the foam fights against bacterial buildup, as well as several other issues. It’s also free of other harmful chemicals, such as fire retardants and ozone depleting materials.

Quality Customer Service

The pillow arrives with instructions, which offer information about the pillow and contact details for Snuggle-Pedic. This helps you to get the most out of the pillow, and provides a point of contact if you need to talk about any issues.

Long-Lasting

Some memory foam pillows have a longevity issues, as they start to flatten with extended use. While the 20-year guarantee may be a touch excessive, this pillow will hold its form for a long time. You won’t have to worry about the foam deteriorating for several years.

The KoolFlow Cover

Ventilation can be an issue with memory foam pillows, especially when they’re packed tightly. Snuggle-Pedic gets around this issue with its KoolFlow cover. The inclusion of Lycra gives this pillow a breathability that others don’t have. This ensures that your pillow stays cool even on the hottest summer nights.

Multiple Sizes

The pillows come in a choice of standard, queen, and king size, so you won’t have any problem finding one to suit your bed. There isn’t a huge difference in price between the three so we recommend choosing the one that fits your mattress.

Cons

Despite the high-performance levels and quality materials, there are a few issues to consider.

Heavy Weight

The memory foam seems to make this pillow a touch heavier than its competitors’ products. This shouldn’t cause a problem for most, as it’s still fairly easy to handle. Nevertheless, you shouldn’t expect the same light weight you experience with other pillow types.

The Initial Smell

Much like the Coop pillow, the Snuggle-Pedic pillow may have a strong “new car” smell when you remove it from its packaging. This should dissipate after a couple of days, so you need to air it out before using it. Return the pillow if the smell persists.

Product Line

This is Snuggle-Pedic’s basic pillow. The company also offers similar products, including the following:

• The Snuggle-Pedic body pillow
• A two-inch memory foam mattress topper
• The Snuggle-Pedic mattress, with Flex Support technology

Type of Sleeper

Much like with the Coop pillow, this is a versatile pillow that can adjust to any type of sleeper. Side sleepers will appreciate being able to remove the memory foam shreds until they achieve the perfect position. The superior ventilation makes it a good choice for side sleepers in warmer climates.

Materials Analysis

The memory foam comes with Centipur-US and Biogreen certification, so it’s free of harmful additives. The cover contains 43% bamboo viscose, almost 57% polyester, and a small amount of Lycra. The bamboo makes the case feel softer, while the Lycra makes it more breathable.

Conclusion

While it offers many of the same benefits as Coop’s pillows, the Snuggle-Pedic has some extra features. The more comprehensive returns policy makes us feel confident in its quality, and we appreciate the Centripur-US and Biogreen certifications. Get past the initial smell, which goes away after a few days, and you have a pillow that will last for many years.

Purchase this pillow here to start enjoying a better and more comfortable night’s sleep.

How We Choose

More Tips for Side Sleepers

Getting the right pillow is only one part of the side sleeping equation. Sleeping on your side places more tension on your body than you may realize. You’re maintaining a position that doesn’t leave your body fully relaxed while you sleep.

Furthermore, lying on your side elevates your head.

This is why many side sleepers experience neck pain when using regular pillows. Their head drops down into their pillows from an elevated position, which pushes the spine out of alignment.

Some recommend avoiding sleeping on your side entirely.

However, if you move a lot during your sleep, this may not be entirely possible. Plus, many people prefer sleeping on their sides, as they find sleeping on their back or stomach uncomfortable.

Here are some other tips for side sleepers:

• Find a mattress that supports the curved areas of your body. For side sleepers, this means something that supports the neck and waist. If needed, a body pillow or rolled up towel could fill the gaps between these body areas and the mattress.
• Side sleeping places pressure on your hips and shoulders. Use a mattress that feels soft on these pressure points, or support them using a soft pillow.
• Keep adjusting your pillow until you achieve level spine alignment. You head should not droop downwards or be propped up when you’re sleeping. Both positions cause gradual spinal issues and may lead to that groggy feeling you may experience in the morning.
• Place a thin pillow between your legs, ideally at knee-height. This provides more support for your upper leg. This is crucial, as your upper leg may pull your spine down. If you need any more advice, check out this video from Rehab and Revive, a physical therapy provider. Dr. Lin explains how to keep your spine aligned while sleeping on your side:

Those with spinal issues may wish to consult a doctor or chiropractor to help them find their optimal sleeping position.

The Final Word

So, those are our three top picks for the best pillows for side sleepers. If we had to choose between them, we’d go for the Snuggle-Pedic. It offers the customizability and benefits of memory foam that you get with the Coop, but has a better returns policy and lasts longer.

However, Beckham’s pillow offers something a little different. While it isn’t adjustable, the use of gel instead of memory foam creates a snug sensation. You should find that the pillow forms easily to whichever part of your body you use it for.

Each of these pillows has its own pros and cons. Weigh them up carefully before making your decision. With the right choice, you’ll enjoy greater comfort and superior posture as you sleep, plus you’ll wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day.