Side sleeping is the most favored sleeping position; it helps alleviate snoring while evenly distributing pressure across the body for better alignment. While a side sleeper requires a soft and cushy mattress to relieve pressure along the hips and shoulders, the ideal pillow is on the opposite side of the firmness spectrum. The best pillows for side sleepers are firm and lofty enough to bolster the head, keeping it level with your spine to prevent aches and pains. Our editors tested over ten of the market’s most beloved pillows, and our top choice is the Coop Sleep Goods Original Adjustable Pillow. It offers an ideal balance of plush comfort and ample support that you can customize to your liking.
The best pillows for side sleepers fill the gap between the head and mattress, helping to maintain spinal alignment for all-night comfort.
ILLUSTRATION: FORBES / PHOTOS: RETAILERS
If you predominantly sleep on your side and have awakened with tension in the neck or spine that you didn’t go to sleep with, there’s a good chance it’s due to a flat, lackluster pillow. Spinal alignment is key when selecting the right choice, and every model isn’t made to suit every sleep posture. The pillows below address different needs, like hot sleeping and shoulder pain, while ensuring you maintain your spine’s natural curvature.
Best Pillow For Side Sleepers Overall
A Crowd-Pleasing Choice At A Competitive Price
Coop Sleep Goods
Coop Sleep Goods Original Adjustable Pillow (Queen)
Loft: Adjustable | Fill: Cross-cut memory foam, poly fibers | Cover: Polyester and viscose rayon from bamboo | Trial: 100 nights | Warranty: 5 years
Best for:
A soft and squishy feel that doesn’t fall flat
Customizing loft and firmness
Easy maintenance
A good value
Skip if:
You sleep particularly hot
With the contouring pressure relief of memory foam and the fluffiness of polyester fiber, the Original Adjustable Pillow from Coop Sleep Goods offers the best of both worlds with a “just right” feel. It comes generously stuffed, but the brand includes an additional bag of fill to further customize loft and firmness as needed. Petite body types can also remove stuffing for a more accommodating loft.
“Recently, I’ve been trying to sleep on my side to help with back pain,” says one tester, “and the Coop Sleep Goods Original Adjustable Pillow was the easiest pillow I found to make that transition.” Another says it quickly became her go-to pillow after testing a haul of models, and it’s maintained its loft after six months of use. “I haven’t even had to refill it yet,” she says. “Sometimes it needs a little re-fluffing, but it remains as supportive and comfortable as ever.” Both the removable cover and the inner pillow are machine washable (just limit cleaning the inner pillow to once a year).
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Sleep Number ComfortFit Ultimate Pillow (Standard)
Loft: Adjustable | Fill: Memory foam shreds and down-alternative fibers | Cover: Lyocell blend with cotton and polyester | Trial: 100 nights | Warranty: 1-year limited
Best for:
Regulating temperature
A cushioned, contouring feel
A removable and machine-washable cover
Adjusting its profile to your needs
Skip if:
You prefer a very firm memory foam pillow (ex: side sleepers over 250 pounds)
Sleep Number may be known for its smart mattresses, but its accessories are the perfect complement to a premium setup. I’m an avid user of the Sleep Number ComfortFit Ultimate Pillow, which has three removable inserts filled with a comfortable blend of conforming, slow-moving memory foam and airy down-alternative fibers. Together, they provide a squishy and doughy feel that’s lighter than typical memory foam and better at preventing heat retention. As an avid hot sleeper, I sleep comfortably through the night using my ComfortFit pillow.
I recommend side sleepers keep all three inserts inside for maximum support and lift, unless you weigh under 250 pounds or regularly switch from your side to another sleep posture. I move between my side and stomach during the night, so I keep two inserts inside for the most accommodating profile.
Best Pillow For Side Sleepers With Shoulder Pain
Intentionally Designed To Accommodate Your Curves
Eli & Elm
Eli & Elm Side Sleeper Pillow
Loft: Adjustable | Fill: Memory foam or latex foam and fine polyester fibers | Cover: Cotton, spandex and polyester | Trial: 45 nights | Warranty: 5 years
Best for:
An ergonomic U-shape design
Your choice of material (latex or memory foam)
Simple cover care
Customizing your firmness and loft
Skip if:
You want a king-size pillow
Named in our best pillows for shoulder pain list, the Eli & Elm Side Sleeper Pillow has an ergonomic U-shape design that grants space for your shoulder, conforms against your joints and supports the cervical spine. With the option to remove fill as needed, it helps promote proper alignment to ease pain or tension. You have your choice between fill: latex foam, a bouncy, supportive and responsive material; and memory foam, which is softer and more contouring against the body’s curves.
I tested the latex foam option and recommend it for increased support and temperature regulation, unless you’re looking for a better balance with more softness and doughiness. Keep in mind, additional fill isn’t included with your purchase (unlike the Coop Sleep Goods Adjustable Pillow), but you can add it to your cart for $16.
The Best Cooling Pillow For Side Sleepers
Made With Premium Materials That Combat Night Sweats
MOST POPULAR
Purple
Purple Harmony Pillow (Standard)
Loft: Low; 5.5 inches, medium; 6.5 inches or tall; 7.5 inches | Fill: Talalay latex and Hyper-Elastic Polymer | Cover: Nylon and spandex fiber | Trial: 30 nights | Warranty: 1 year
Best for:
People prone to sleeping hot
Allergies
Choice between three loft options
Simple cover maintenance
Skip if:
You’d prefer a traditional pillow with more cushion
Highlighted in our best cooling pillows list, the Purple Harmony is made with temperature-regulating materials that don’t retain heat and is an avid favorite among Forbes Vetted sleep editors (myself included). The secret is its GelFlex Grid made from Purple’s one-of-a-kind Hyper-Elastic Polymer, which is a squishy and stretchy gel-like material similar to a Dr. Scholl’s insole. Paired with a supportive and perforated Talalay latex core, air effortlessly passes through instead of getting trapped.
My older sister is going through menopause and experimented with three or four other pillows before she found relief with the Purple Harmony. It offers a weightless, buoyant feel that removes tension from pressure points, without ever needing to be fluffed. Side sleepers can also choose between three different loft heights, but I recommend the tall for most unless you weigh under 150 pounds. For more of our insights, take a look at our ode to the Purple Harmony.
Best Pillow For Side And Back Sleepers
Subtle But Noticeable Adjustments Accommodate Both Postures
You’re a big-and-tall side sleeper who requires more loft
From one of our favorite bedding brands is the Marlow Pillow, a partially adjustable option that can go from soft to firm in a matter of seconds using its side zippers. The pillow is at its firmest when both zippers are closed, softest when zippers are open and medium when you leave one zipper closed. For most side sleepers, I recommend the firmest feel, which I found provides ample support and loft for side sleeping. The medium profile is more suitable, however, for those who switch between their side and their back.
Although it’s not cool to the touch, the gel memory foam helps prevent overheating by absorbing body heat and evenly dispersing it, and its sateen cover gives it a silky-smooth feel. I slept with this pillow for several months before giving it to a close friend in need of new bedding, and she purchased another one to prevent her husband from claiming hers. See more details about my testing experience in my full Marlow Pillow review.
How We Chose The Best Pillows For Side Sleepers
We tracked down the most popular pillows from reputable brands and retailers, prioritizing ones that offered an ideal balance of support and comfort for side sleepers (a medium to firm feel and a supportive loft that aligns the neck and head with the rest of the spine).
We have hands-on experience with all of the pillows listed, and our editors provided their feedback to offer better insight into the performance of the best pillows for side sleepers.
We pored over reviews and excluded pillows without an average customer rating of at least 4 out of 5 stars.
We included a wide variety of options to accommodate side sleepers with different comfort preferences and budgets.
What To Consider When Shopping For The Best Pillows For Side Sleepers
Spinal alignment is the key for pain-free sleep, but many pillows fall short for side sleepers in providing proper support. Here are the key features to look for in order to find an ideal match for your needs.
Firmness
A pillow can come in a variety of firmness levels or have an adjustable design that lets you customize firmness. The wrong firmness level can lead to back or neck pain, so it’s important for side sleepers to choose a profile that’s firm enough to keep the head from sinking into the shoulder.
Loft
The loft of a pillow refers to its height, and like firmness, it plays a part in promoting spinal alignment. Side sleepers require a tall height that fills the gap between the head and mattress. You can adjust the loft for many of the pillows we list in our roundup by removing or adding fill, making them versatile for different body sizes.
Body Type
In general, the more you weigh, the more supportive and firm your pillow should be. Petite side sleepers, on the other hand, may not need a pillow as tall or as firm as someone over 250 pounds. Keep your body type in mind when selecting a proper loft and firmness, and know that most pillows list firmness ratings from the perspective of someone between 150 and 250 pounds.
McKenzie Dillon is a mattress and sleep editor at Forbes Vetted with six years of experience in the sleep and wellness space. She is a certified sleep science coach with extensive experience testing and reviewing mattresses, pillows, bedding and other sleep accessories.
Bridget Chapman is the senior mattress and sleep editor at Forbes Vetted with over ten years of reporting experience. She has also earned a sleep science coach certification, and like Dillon, has vast experience testing sleep products.
To keep our advice accurate and current, we regularly update this story. It was last updated in December 2025 to reevaluate our recommendations and expand our shopping guide.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
We like the Coop Sleep Goods Original Adjustable Pillow best because it contains cross-cut memory foam—a material that excels at support and contouring. It’s also adjustable, so sleepers can add or remove the fill to find the right height for them.
Most side sleepers need a firmer pillow that keeps the head in neutral alignment with the spine, preventing it from dipping into your shoulder. A pillow that’s too soft can lead to discomfort, aches and pains.
Most side sleepers benefit from a mid- to high-loft pillow of about five to seven inches. That’s a general rule of thumb, but note that it can vary—if you’re on the petite side, you may need something slightly lower to avoid lifting your head out of alignment.
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