Being a aspect sleeper could be difficult. You need to continually flip and flop for the best place and infrequently use a number of pillows to assist your physique’s stress factors. Physique pillows are the obvious answer, lengthy sufficient to cuddle totally whereas nonetheless supporting your limbs.
I selected physique pillows in a spread of shapes and kinds, from conventional, lengthy, rectangular physique pillows to being pregnant pillows in a range shapes to see which type labored finest for a strict side-only sleeper like me. I examined every of the pillows for per week whereas sleeping and lounging to see how the fill modified and moved over time and which pillow labored finest for a aspect sleeper’s distinctive wants. There are tons of decisions—together with totally different fill, firmness, and form—however these are our picks.
Take a look at our many different sleep-related guides, together with Best Mattresses, Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers, Best Organic Mattresses, and Favorite Pillows.
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What to Look For
As a aspect sleeper, you’ll desire a pillow that’s lengthy sufficient to offer assist between your arms and stress factors like between the knees. Whereas firmness and softness are a matter of non-public choice, you usually desire a physique pillow that strikes the best stability, to offer assist with out being too heavy or agency for the limbs that relaxation beneath the pillow. When you’re simply searching for a pillow to hug when you sleep, one thing lighter and softer is finest. However if in case you have joint or spinal ache, one thing a bit extra agency with extra assist is finest. You’ll additionally wish to take into consideration which pillow form will assist which a part of your physique finest, relying in your wants. I’m a strict aspect sleeper, however I toss and switch between each side, so pillows with assist on both aspect have been examined too. I additionally have a tendency to twist right into a extra fetal place, so I needed one thing that had sufficient width to totally wrap my legs and arms round.
Whereas many head pillows and mattresses favor reminiscence foam, relying on the froth’s denseness, it might probably really feel too heavy for a aspect sleeper whose limbs go beneath the pillow. Polyester or different artificial filling is usually essentially the most plush and malleable however might not present sufficient assist. Many have a mix of each or shredded reminiscence foam, which may present construction whereas nonetheless being mushy sufficient to sink into. This is determined by private choice and wish, however fill kind is one thing to pay attention to when searching for the right side-sleeper physique pillow.
A normal physique pillow that is lengthy sufficient to offer full-length assist for the physique is good, giving sufficient room to stretch out or cuddle in varied positions. Physique pillows in U or C shapes can present extra total assist and are perfect for pregnant folks or these with again or leg points, however can usually make the sleeper run scorching due to all the surrounding materials. However in the end, the popular form is basically depending on what components of the physique you need most supported within the side-sleeping place.
