The 15 Very Best Pillows for Side Sleepers

Fill type: Latex noodles and polyester fiber fill | Loft: Adjustable | Firmness: Adjustable | Shape: Crescent

The standout feature of Eli & Elm’s side-sleeping pillow is a crescent shape with a cutout that fits right up against your shoulder, so that it can fully fill the space between your head, neck, and mattress. It’s filled with a blend of soft and supportive noodled latex and polyester fiber, and you can adjust the loft and firmness by removing or adding filling to customize it to your body. When I tested this pillow, I liked how the cutout let me snuggle the base of my neck right up to the edge of the pillow. My neck felt well-supported and I could easily hug my arms around the wider sides of the pillow. As a back-and-side sleeper, I also tried it while lying on my back and I was surprised to find it still worked pretty well. I had to scoot back a bit, so that my neck was lying on the pillow and not dangling over the cutout, but the crescent shape framed my shoulders quite comfortably.

Strategist writer Brenley Goertzen, a stomach and side sleeper, also tested this pillow and liked the way it molded around her shoulder and compressed under the side of her head so there was no pressure buildup around her ear. Goertzen says it’s also more responsive and springy than many memory-foam pillows she’s tried. The filling is encased in a liner protected by a machine washable exterior cover; the brand also sells a cotton pillowcase that fits the cutout perfectly, and which you can bundle with the pillow at the time of purchase. You can also add a package of additional fill, but I’d recommend trying the pillow as-is first, because it comes filled pretty densely.

Fill type: Down-alternative polyester fiber | Loft: Medium | Firmness: Medium | Shape: Rectangular

Sold in a two-pack for about $60 — though you can often find them on sale for even less — Beckham Hotel Collection’s pillows are plush and pleasantly bouncy thanks to their cushy down-alternative fill. Though the fill level and loft are not adjustable, so you can’t customize them like the Eli & Elm pillow, Strategist writer (and combination stomach-and-side sleeper) Arielle Avila finds they are still supportive enough to use while sleeping on her side. I also gave these pillows a whirl, since they are so popular among our readers. They are surprisingly supportive: The down-alternative fill definitely feels soft and compressive, but the pillows are stuffed with enough filling that my head didn’t sink down too far (a common problem with side sleeping on a too-soft pillow). My head and neck felt well-supported, but pleasantly enveloped by the plush cushioning of the pillow.

The pillows come in two sizes, queen and king, and have a smooth and cooling 250 thread count cover. They’re also fully machine washable, which is always a plus in my book.

Filly type: Shredded memory foam | Loft: Adjustable | Firmness: Adjustable | Shape: Rectangular

If I’m testing a pillow that’s supposed to be “cooling,” I’m generally looking for breathable materials that allow heat to escape, and materials that feel cool to the touch. The Tempur-Cloud Breeze is filled with Tempur-Pedic’s signature Tempur Material memory foam, topped by a gel pad on each side of the pillow. Memory foam is known for retaining heat, but when I tested this pillow, I was taken aback by how cool the gel pads actually felt — gel is a common cooling infusion, but I rarely notice it making foam actually feel cold. And while the initial cooling sensation does fade the longer you lay on the pillow, I like that Tempur-Pedic has a gel pad on each side, so you can always flip the pillow over for another blast.

This pillow is fairly tall, at just over six inches, and the foam is dense, so I think it works best for side sleepers. But the foam is also deeply contouring, letting your head settle into it after a minute or two, so my neck still ended up level with the rest of my spine. Goertzen had a similar experience when she tried this pillow, reporting that it foam slowly molded around her head and neck. She also tends to run warm and says the Tempur-Cloud Breeze did an excellent job of regulating her temperature.

Fill type: Shredded memory-foam | Loft: Adjustable | Firmness: Adjustable | Shape: Rectangular

This pillow from mattress-maker Nolah is around half the price of the Tempur-Cloud Breeze. It’s filled with shredded memory foam, and you can adjust the amount of fill to lower the loft and change the firmness of the pillow. The shredded format of the memory-foam allows for better air circulation than a solid piece of foam, helping keep you cool, and the pillow’s cover is made from a polyethylene blend. Polyethylene is a synthetic fiber that is commonly used in “cooling” covers on pillows, mattress toppers, and mattresses, and gives the fabric a slightly cool-to-the-touch feel.

This pillow is a good choice for side sleepers because it comes with a fairly tall loft and firm feel, but you can adjust it how you like. The shredded foam is densely packed, which makes the pillow super supportive but simultaneously cushy. I had to remove some filling to adjust it to a loft that worked for me. But the beauty of an adjustable pillow is that you can tinker with it to get it just right. Though I prefer the Tempur-Cloud Breeze as a cooling pillow because its gel pads make its cooling effect much stronger, if you don’t want to fork over $200 for a pillow — or if you like being able to adjust your pillow — this one from Nolah is a good pick.

Fill type: Charcoal-infused latex | Loft: High | Firmness: Firm | Shape: Rectangular

Latex foam is one of my favorite materials for pillows because it’s supportive like memory foam, but has a more bouncy and responsive feel. It also tends to stay cooler — a bonus for those who want a cooling pillow. This pillow from Avocado, a brand known for its natural and organic products, is filled with a lofty slab of charcoal-infused latex foam. According to the brand, the charcoal infusions combat body odor and moisture. The foam is also perforated to allow for further ventilation.

When I first lay down on the Avocado Molded Latex pillow, I immediately clocked how firm and supportive the latex felt. I usually sleep on a Purple Harmony pillow, which is also a latex pillow, but one with a much softer, more forgiving consistency. This Avocado pillow is much firmer and more sturdy feeling, though it still has a slight give and the classic latex buoyancy. My head and neck didn’t sink into the Avocado pillow much, so the loft of the five-inch-tall pillow was actually a bit too high for me. But former Strategist writer Latifah Miles, who’s five feet, 10 inches tall, found the loft of the Avocado pillow just right. I’m about five-foot-five, so I think this pillow would be a great choice for side sleepers who are tall or have broader shoulders.

The latex is encased in a certified organic cotton cover, which is soft and breathable. It’s also machine washable, which makes keeping the pillow clean super easy.

Fill type: Talalay latex foam | Loft: Low, medium, or high | Firmness: Medium | Shape: Rectangular

I primarily sleep on my back and side, and the Purple Harmony has been the main pillow I’ve slept on for over a year, at least when I’m not testing other pillows. If you don’t love a super-high loft pillow but still want latex, the Purple Harmony should work well. This pillow is my top pick for back sleepers, but I also like it as a sometimes-side-sleeper who prefers a slightly lower loft. The pillow comes in three loft options: low with a 5.5-inch loft, medium with a 6.5-inch loft, and high with a 7.5-inch loft. I have the low version and frankly, 5.5 inches is hardly a low loft (I’d say two or three inches would be a truly low-loft pillow). It’s even a half-inch taller than the Avocado latex pillow, above. But this loft strikes the right balance of comfort and support for me, because it has more give than the Avocado pillow, so in practice it feels lower-loft once you’re actually lying on it.

The Purple Harmony is made with a Talalay latex core that has ventilation holes to allow for additional airflow. On top of the latex, there’s a layer of Purple’s signature polymer grid — the same stuff that’s in the brand’s mattresses. The combo of latex and the polymer grid gives the Purple Harmony a super springy feel; my partner also sleeps on this pillow and he has marveled at how it never goes flat. I find that the latex core gives me enough support when I’m laying on my side to keep my neck in alignment, without veering into being overly supported. If you want a higher-loft pillow, the medium or high versions would be worth considering, especially if you’d like a more flexible feel than the Avocado pillow provides. The downside, though, is that the Purple Harmony costs about $70 more than the Avocado at full price.

Fill type: Silicone-coated gel fibers | Loft: High | Firmness: Medium-soft | Shape: Rectangular

Down-alternative pillows are meant to mimic the plush feeling of down, without the actual animal product, and generally use a synthetic fiber fill. The Purple Cloud pillow goes one step further by using silicone-coated fibers. This extra detail keeps the pillow from compressing too much and makes it more springy and responsive to pressure. The result is that the pillow feels super soft and cushioning, but keeps your head and neck supported and in a neutral alignment. It also means the pillow never really needs to be fluffed — it bounces right back into position. But it is still somewhat moldable, so you can shape the pillow around your head and neck however you like.

When I tested this pillow, I really loved how it struck a balance of cushioning and support for side sleeping. The pillow is about six inches tall, so I found it was too tall for me to sleep comfortably on my back, but on my side the pillow compressed beneath me just enough to be comfortable, while still keeping my head and neck from dipping down toward the mattress.

This pillow has a 100 percent cotton cover, but the entire pillow is also machine washable, and Purple says the silicone coating will help prevent the fill from clumping after washing it. At $70 for a single pillow, the Purple Cloud is also among the more affordable pillows on this list.

Fill type: Shredded memory-foam and kapok fiber | Loft: Adjustable | Firmness: Adjustable | Shape: Rectangular

Because side sleepers need more head and neck support, it can be easy to go overboard and end up too supported, with your neck flexed into an uncomfortable position. So adjustable pillows can be particularly helpful for side sleepers, because you can really dial in your height and firmness preferences. My favorite adjustable pillow for side sleepers is the Layla Kapok, which is filled with a blend of shredded memory foam and kapok fiber (seed-hair fibers from the kapok tree, which feel similar to cotton). The memory-foam gives the pillow some structure, while the kapok fiber adds softness. The pillow comes overstuffed, so it was quite firm and lofty when I first received it. However, it was easy to unzip the inner cover and remove some filling. Adjusted or not, the Layla Kapok pillow is dense and provides lots of good neck support, but still molds easily around you.

The Layla Kapok pillow comes with a polyester-rayon blend outer cover that feels soft and cozy, like a well-worn T-shirt. The cover is conveniently machine washable, too.

Fill type: Cross-cut memory-foam and microfiber fill | Loft: Adjustable | Firmness: Adjustable | Shape: Crescent

For a little less money, the Coop Sleep Goods Original Cut-Out pillow is another good adjustable pillow for side sleepers. It has a cutout like our top-pick Eli & Elm pillow, which leaves space to accommodate your shoulder so that the pillow can fit more easily and snugly under your head and neck. Coop’s cutout pillow has a more pronounced curve than Eli & Elm’s, with an overall blockier shape. The effect is that you’ll get even more support in the space between your head and neck.

This pillow comes in two sizes, queen and king. Miles tried the king size, and though it is technically an inch smaller in length and width than Coop’s king-size, rectangular Original pillow, which Miles also tried, she said this one felt more substantial because the center cutout pushes filling to the sides and a gusset around the perimeter of the pillow creates a more even loft across the whole pillow, without any tapering at the edges. Like other Coop Sleep Goods pillows, this one is filled with cross-cut GREENGUARD Gold– and CertiPUR-US–certified memory-foam and microfiber, and you can unzip an inner case to add or remove fill to adjust the loft and firmness. (The pillow comes with a bag of extra fill, or you can buy more in medium or firm densities.) While I still prefer the Layla Kapok pillow for most side sleepers, as I think the more traditional shape and high starting loft give it a little more mass appeal, if you want a little extra room for your shoulder, the crescent-style cut-out of this slightly more affordable Coop pillow is worth a shot.

Fill type: Shredded latex inner pillow and microdenier fiber outer pillow | Loft: Medium or high | Firmness: Medium | Shape: Rectangular

One of the questions I get asked most often about pillows is “What kind of pillow should I buy if I change between sleeping positions?” The key is to find one that strikes a good balance between what you need for each position. For side sleepers who occasionally shift onto their back, it’s important that your pillow can provide enough neck support when you are lying on your side, without wrenching your neck too high when you’re lying on your back. I recommend the Saatva Latex pillow for this, because it has a pillow-within-a-pillow design: an inner pillow filled with shredded latex, surrounded by an outer pillow filled with fluffy microdenier fiber, a type of ultrafine microfiber. The result is a fluffy exterior with sturdy neck support beneath.

The pillow comes in two loft options: standard or high, which are about five inches tall and six to seven inches tall, respectively. Saatva recommends the standard version for back and stomach sleepers, and advises side sleepers to go for the high. I tested the standard version, and found it very comfortable both on my back and on my side. I like how this pillow prioritizes neck support, but not at the expense of a plush feel. I also appreciate that the inner pillow is made from latex, which tends to stay cooler than memory foam.

Fill type: Down and feathers | Loft: High | Firmness: Medium-soft | Shape: Rectangular with gusset

Down pillows are known for their luxurious comfort and cloud-like softness. Without skimping on plushness, thanks to its 750-fill-power European white down, the Parachute Side Sleeper pillow has a high loft and medium density to cradle your head and neck comfortably. However, the 3.5-inch gusset is the star of this pillow, as it helps the pillow maintain its rectangular shape across the whole surface of the pillow. When Miles tried it, the extra-tall gusset stood out the most as it ensured the pillow maintained its structure and fluffiness. She rarely needed to fluff the pillow or readjust the down fill, which can be a common issue with down pillows. This pillow comes in two sizes, standard and king.

Fill type: Copper-infused shredded memory-foam | Loft: Adjustable | Firmness: Adjustable | Shape: Crescent

Honeydew’s side-sleeper pillow, which appears on our list of the best pillows for neck pain, has a curved design and contains cooling copper-infused gel memory foam to promote temperature regulation as you sleep. Goertzen tested this Scrumptious model and says she likes that the cutout — similar to the one on our top-pick Eli & Elm pillow — creates extra room for her shoulder, while the spongy core gently cradles her head. She says it creates a spooning sensation that takes strain off her upper body and that it has not caused her to overheat, despite memory foam’s reputation for sleeping warm. Although she found the original height and density optimal for sleeping on her side, the loft and firmness can be customized by removing or adding fill. Honeydew also sells a pillowcase that’s made to fit the unique shape.