15 Best Pillows For Side Sleepers (Buying Guide)

Buying Guide

Why are these pillows different?

Most people with shoulder pains and who love side sleeping assume that standard flat pillows will work perfectly at keeping at bay the pain and guaranteeing that your sleep is stress-free. In fact the pain will increase significantly. This is why we have the best pillows meant for side sleepers. However, side sleepers shall also:

Give you added support

Amongst the key merits of a side sleeper’ pillow is that it gives you much better support than regular pillows for side sleepers. This is mainly due to the fact that most best pillows are made with lighter constituents like feathers. However, for side sleepers’ pillows, they contain sturdy materials that guarantee that it shall not collapse due to your weight. Therefore your head and spine will always have the strong bolstering it necessitates with the pillows. 

They allow for proper alignment

You always require getting adequate prop for your spine whether you are sleeping or sitting. This is the reason doctors always tell you to uphold the correct posture. Whenever you are asleep, it is tougher to uphold the posture as you aren’t conscious about it. These pillows for side sleepers will always come with arches that will help keep the backbone aligned. This way, your spine will be healthy even as you continue to age. It shall be effortless for you to sidestep the aches that are common at 40 years and beyond.

Permits you to sleep more comfortably

As discussed earlier, the regular pillows may sink too low and leave your head at an awkward position when compared to your body. This will make it difficult for you completely get a restful night of sleep. It will also help to reduce aching after sleep.

Forms of side sleeping

There are three types of side resting that are generally normal. The log and fetal position are most prevalent to an extent that 40% of side sleepers shall be on the fetal posture. This position includes taking care of the knees and keeping the elbows twisted. The log position is the place the arms and legs are straight. The last position is the yearner wherein individuals sleep on their side with the arms out at the front.

How to select the apt pillow

It is now clear that sleeping on a pillow meant for side sleepers is beneficial to your health and general well-being.  The following are some of the most crucial features to explore in the event you are looking for the best side sleepers’ pillows.

Filling material

All pillows, despite their intended purpose consist of diverse materials. All these materials have their merits and demerits. The sort of fabric you choose will depend on the material that feels most comfortable for you.  The commonest constituents include:

Buckwheat

Some pillows are manufactured from the outer shells of the buckwheat hulls. That is a material that is strongly encouraged by experts and doctors owing to the breath-ability. They therefore allow you to sleep better and remain cool throughout the night. The fabric is quite costly and noisy so it might not be the idyllic solution for persons sensitive to noise. It does conform closely and allows you to have better support giving you premium support. The material also gives you the freedom to choose the level of width appropriate for your needs.

Memory foam

This type of padding is often made from sturdy viscoelastic foam or the shredder. This material has in the recent past grown in popularity due to its capacity to adapt to the user’s shape and maintain it when warmed up. It will lose this shape when it cools down. You can easily adjust the loft and choose a thickness that best suits your needs. On the bright side, unlike buckwheat, these are noise-free. On the downside, they have a much shorter lifespan. Owing to its conforming abilities, it gives users much better support.

Down

This is either duck or goose down. This name suggests the plumes on the outer layer of the feathers. Most women love this padding material as it is much more flexible in terms of adjust-ability. Not only is it tender, but it is also as well weightless. Its lifespan is longer and the break-in duration a lot shorter. If you need much firmer support, this material might not be the perfect solution for you. You shall also experience some odor when you first use it. If you have allergies, this isn’t an ideal material as it potentially holds on to allergens.

Polyester

The fibers here can either be interlocking or shredded polyester. This fabric is loved owing to its low costs and abilities to excellently keep the structure of the users and thus more supportive.  The pillows shall provide you a much fuller shape and allows for much firmer support. Although there is a noticeable difference between the stability of interlocking ones and shredded ones.

Latex

Most companies will use solid latex which is an innate material acquired from the sap of trees. It isn’t fair for individuals with latex allergies but it does comply with the user shape. You, therefore, are well supported and relaxed all through the night. However, it does become dense and weighty. If you like adjusting the firmness, then you shall not like the material as it is non-alterable.

Other factors to look into include:

Density

You require ensuring your pillows that you seriously look into denseness which is likewise call the pillow loft. The thicker it is, the more difficult it is to modify. Thicker ones may also not be ideal for those undergoing neck pain. In this categorization, there are three classes: low, medium and high. Low is about 3” in denseness while high loft is as much as 5” in breadth.

You always need to try the mid to high thickness if you are a side sleeper. This shall be the comfiest. This is due to the fact that it allows for adequate room between the shoulders and the head. The higher thickness permits you to have a gap that is adequate sufficiently to plummet and completely eliminate shoulder aches. Though, the extent of the width you choose should also differ depending on the mattress firmness, your mass, the size of your head and the shoulder expanse. Therefore what works perfectly for one person may not work for another at all.

Size

Their pillow sizes are standard. You need to ensure that you thoroughly study the pillow guide and know much more about these sizes. Smaller sizes are perfect for sleeping. They also allow you to turn throughout the night. If you love reading then you may want to go with Euro and King sizes. These are best used as backrests and headrests. Pregnant women should choose body-sized pillows because it will offer more support for their growing bellies and overworked spines.

Surface shape

The shape you choose will vary depending on the needs you have. There are two crucial shapes, curved and flat ones. The best pillows for side sleepers have an elevated area and it will give you more support under the neck and the area under the head. This will give you much more support for your injured shoulder. It will also offer better support for the spine.

Skin response

If you have sensitive skin, you know how damaging rough pillow materials can be when sleeping. You, therefore, need to ensure that you check how the pillow feels on the skin. You do not have to put your face on it; you can use your hand. It should be gentle and soft to touch.  You must also make sure that the material used for filling is not made of unpleasant material. This way, if you have allergies, they will not flare-up. Also, stay away from pillows that have any kind of chemical odor.

Closure system

If you want to share the pillow with your partner, you may want a method that allows you to add and remove filling as you please. You, therefore, need to make sure that the closure system allows it.