Not all pillows are created equal. Some are made specifically for side sleepers or side and back combination sleepers. There is a lot that goes on in the making of a pillow so make sure you read these points carefully so you don’t get a bad quality pillow that causes neck or back issues, heating, skin or even health problems. These are the only tips you need to find the right side sleeper pillow from all the pretenders:

1- Stay away from Amazon!

We personally tested dozens of pillows and we can confidently say that the pillows available on Amazon are by far the worst. You basically get what you pay for. Unfortunately, because the businesses selling these are in China, they do not abide by the FTC rules. They say things like 100% natural while the quality is obviously polyester. They even play with the law tags to show authenticity. Also, do not trust the reviews, as even Amazon itself said that those Chinese businesses are hacking their way into thousands of reviews and they can’t do anything about it. To put it simply, stay away from all Amazon bedding and especially bamboo sheets. 

2- Higher loft is better for side sleepers.

Because of the created gap between the sleep surface and the neck for side sleepers, the pillow needs to have a higher loft than regular pillows or it will cause neck pain due to lack of support. Especially pillows that have different layers in the fill with different densities as these pillows allow for side sleepers to switch between side and back without needing to place an arm under the pillow and risk arm numbness.

3- Down is Best as fill while Cotton is best as a cover for materials.

Side sleeper’s pressure points can be triggered very easily and so pillows with foam might not get the job done. Instead, opt-in for a down or down alternative pillow to get a better sleep experience. Down alternative, however, is not natural and has many shortcomings. Down is natural but can cause allergies and has its own shortcomings as well. Some companies go with soybean vegan plant-based down that outperforms the other two. As far as the cover is concerned, it’s best to go with cotton as it is the most skin friendly fabric material known to man. That’s because we humans have been using it for the longest time and it is the single most used fabric. Since the pillow will be in contact with your face, it’s best to go with natural cotton rather than polyester for cover.

4- Reputation & Customer Reviews Matter.

Nothing is better than personal experience. When it comes to well-reputable brands like the ones here on this list, the reviews are honest because the businesses are Google partners. This means they cannot control and play with reviews as they are posted by the Google service. Also, unlike the Amazon sellers, they are American businesses and they have the FTC laws to abide by. Read their reviews and see what people like about these pillows.

5- Service, Sleep Trial & Warranty.

Look for a good service with at least a 30-day return policy with a full money-back guarantee to make sure you like the pillow. Also, you can see from the reviews, what kind of service customers are getting with their purchases. The personal shopper experience we had with the brands on this list is the reason why they are recommended by us.