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What Is The Ideal Size Of Pillows For Side Sleepers
You must avoid falling in trap of underestimating importance of choosing a proper pillow and its size as your head and neck should have enough space. Of course it is necessary to check the loft, firmness level, fill material and more, but if you do not choose the right size, all these other features will be less important for your neck support pillows. Even if you get the best memory foam pillows. Standard, queen and king are the most common sizes, but manufacturers are increasingly offering some non-standard sizes so that everyone can find exactly what they need. These, generally, come in 5 different sizes.
When To Speak With A Doctor For Sleep Apnea
Since sleep apnea symptoms occur while youre sleeping, you might not be aware that you have the condition. But if your sleep partner complains that you snore loudly or seem to breathe funny at night, it might be worth talking with a doctor.
Other signs it may be time to seek advice from a medical professional include:
- feeling consistently sleepy throughout the day despite getting a full rest
- a frequent need to take naps, often long ones
- trouble staying awake
If you have a close relative with sleep apnea, you might also be at higher risk for the condition.
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How To Sleep On Your Side
As you now know, side-sleeping has many benefits. But if youre a back or stomach sleeper, it can be difficult to shake up your habits.
Need some help? Here are a few tips to follow if you want to join the side sleeper club.
- Opt for a medium-firm mattress that offers a good balance of comfort and support, such as one of the best mattresses for side sleepers.
- Find a pillow that helps you maintain a neutral alignment. Again, when youre side-sleeping, you want to ensure your ears line up with your shoulders.
- When resting on your side, place your arms and hands beneath your shoulders.
- If you suffer from joint pain, place a pillow between your knees.
- Lift your knees toward your chest to alleviate back pain.
From $99 At Casper And Amazon
Casper describes this pillow as feeling like a marshmallow and we couldnt agree more thats exactly what this pillow feels like. The squishy yet supportive Casper Hybrid pillow has a synthetic fill core surrounded by an outer layer of memory foam, which offers the perfect balance between excellent support and comfortable plushness, unlike some other foam pillows which we found too firm or too soft in our testing. The ventilation holes in the foam layer also give the Casper Hybrid an advantage over other memory foam pillows it never left us feeling overheated while sleeping, so its a great choice if you are a hot sleeper.
While the Hybrid Pillow is sold for general use, we liked it for sleeping on our side because of its rectangular shape and substantial side gusset, which helped keep our head elevated in a comfortable position but didnt dig into our shoulder or neck. It also kept its shape throughout the night.
The Hybrid Pillow comes in two heights, regular with a 2-inch gusset and low loft with a 1.25-inch gusset. You can take a quiz on Caspers website to help determine which loft height is right for you. Casper recommended a low loft pillow for our testers needs and we found it was the perfect size for our petite tester, so if you have a larger frame you may want to consider the regular loft size.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Pillows For Back Sleepers
How common is back sleeping?
Unfortunately, experts estimate that less than 10% of people sleep on their backs. This is too bad because back sleeping is widely viewed as the healthiest sleeping position available . Back sleeping is beneficial because it keeps your body in a neutral position and isnt as likely to cause pressure points.
What is the most important consideration when choosing a pillow for back sleepers?
Loft is generally the most important consideration for back sleepers choosing a pillow. Most back sleepers prefer a medium loft pillow. If a pillow is too flat, your head might tilt back and put pressure on your neck. Conversely, if a pillow is too thick, your head might be propped up too far forward.
What is the worst pillow type for back sleepers?
The worst pillow for back sleepers is one that has an inappropriate loft, meaning it is too flat or too thick. If the pillow loft is off, the sleeper will experience pressure in their neck. There is no single pillow material type that works best for all back sleepers. The material type determines a pillows feel, and sleepers should opt for the feel that they prefer.
Where can I find a pillow for back sleepers?
Is back sleeping bad for pregnant women?
Memory Foam Pillows: Pros And Cons
- Pros: Offer even support, easy to take care of, durable and long-lasting
- Cons: Can be too hot in summer, some people simply dont like the feel
This modern addition to the pillow market is good for those looking for strong support. Roughly 13% of our members choose to use a memory foam pillow. They are easy to take care of, like microfibre, but many find them to be too dense and firm, and too hot to sleep on in summer.
They are a great option for those looking for neck pain relief, as the memory foam contours to your body and can offer even support.
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More Pillows For Side Sleepers To Consider
RestHavenShreddedMemoryFoamPillows: We were impressed with how cool these pillows remained during testing, especially considering you get two for such a low price. They make a great budget alternative to more expensive shredded memory foam pillows, but they were a bit too small to fill out our standard pillowcases.
AvocadoGreen Pillow: Made from 100 percent organic materials, this shredded latex pillow is both firm and soft at the same time. The zipper was a bit finicky, but this was the only pillow we tested that didn’t rise in temperature at all after 15 minutes of use.
Tuft & Needle Original Foam Pillow: This responsive, solid memory foam pillow is comparable to our best cooling pick in terms of structure and support. It features cooling gel beads to trap and pull away heat, but it’s worth mentioning that our tester didn’t notice a significant difference in temperature while laying on it.
Woolroom Natural British Wool Pillow
Made of organic wool, this pillow is great for front sleepers as well!
Dont think that WoolRoom Natural British Wool pillow is not suitable for hot sleepers or summer because it is filled with organic wool. Wool is a natural material that regulates temperature and removes moisture away. The cover is made of breathable cotton, which will keep you cool, and the wool will transport moisture away, keeping you comfortable all the time.
Among all other side sleeper pillows UK we listed here, this pillow for side sleepers is suitable for all sleeping positions, because it gives medium support, although stomach sleepers will probably like it least. This pillow is hypoallergenic and considered to be one of the top pillows for side sleepers UK!
- Materials: Filling:- Wool Cover: Cotton
- Maintenance: Wipe-clean only
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How Much Is Pillow For Side And Back Sleepers
pillow for side and back sleepers come in a variety of designs and pricing ranges. Its difficult to predict product costs nowadays. You dont know how much something costs because the pricing range is so vast. For example, a pair of pants can range from $20 to $200 depending on where you buy them. Similarly, additional goods like as pillow for side and back sleepers.
The Benefits Of Side Sleeping
Side sleeping is the most popular sleeping position among U.S. adults. This position has a few advantages over back or stomach sleeping. For one, side sleeping can minimize snoring because it keeps your airway open back sleepers snore more often because the tongue falls back into the throat, creating an obstruction for the airway. Side sleeping can be beneficial to people with sleep apnea and/or acid reflux for the same reason. If youre a pregnant woman, chances are youll feel more comfortable on your side than you will in other sleep positions a bolster pillow for the legs or knees can also provide comfort for pregnant sleepers.
Side sleeping can also align the spine and reduce discomfort in the shoulders, hips, and other areas where pressure points tend to develop. However, this is contingent on a mattress and pillow that offer enough support to align your head and neck, shoulders, lower back, and hips.
Keep reading to learn about special pillow considerations for side sleepers, and how to choose a pillow model based on your body type and personal preferences.
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Choosing The Right Pillow Materials For Side
The pillow fill material you choose has a big impact on how your pillow feels. While the right loft and firmness level for side sleepers are fairly universal, fill materials can impact more specific preferences. For example, do you want a pillow that feels warm or cool? Bouncy or moldable? Lets go over a few different pillow materials:
Parachute Down Side Sleeper Pillow
- Pros: pressure relieving
- Cons: may be too soft for some sleepers
Parachute made our list again with a pillow specifically designed for side sleepers. Its another medium-density option, which means itll still be comfortable if you move from your side to your back.
The pillow is designed with a 3.5-inch gusset to relieve pressure on the neck and shoulders, while European down makes it soft and luxurious.
Reviewers credit the pillow with eliminating neck pain from both back and side sleeping positions. It comes with a 3-year warranty and can be dry cleaned or machine washed. Again, theres no option for a trial.
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Does Your Mattress Make A Difference In Your Pillow Choice As A Side Sleeper
The short answer is yes. “In order to maintain your head and neck in neutral alignment, you will want to consider your mattress type when selecting your pillow,” says Dautovich. “If you have a softer mattress, you’re more likely to sink compared to a firmer mattress.” Be sure to choose a pillow that will fill the gap between your head and the mattress. If you have a softer mattress, this may mean choosing a thicker pillow.
Our Pillow Testing Methodology
To learn more about what to look for in a pillow, we spoke with Rebecca Robbins, sleep researcher, author, and instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School and associate scientist at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital. However, there is no one-size-fits-all, best pillow for everyone.
Individual anatomy, sleep habits, and preferences profoundly impact how comfortable a pillow will be from person to person. For that reason, our rating criteria for this guide relied heavily on the following considerations:
Return policy and trial period: It’s impossible to know how comfortable a pillow is going to be for you until you sleep on it, despite how comprehensive our guide aims to be. “The most important thing is trying the pillows out to see what works for you,” said Robbins, which includes being able to touch, lay on, and sleep with a pillow before deciding if it’s right for you. For this guide, we only considered pillows that accept returns of used merchandise for a full refund with at least a 30-day trial window, which gives you ample time to decide if a pillow is right for you.
Adjustability: We prioritized adjustable pillows with removable inserts or shredded fill for dialing in your perfect loft. This creates a more custom pillow that would better suit your needs.
Recommended Reading: How Long Does A Puffy Mattress Last
How Can I Train Myself To Sleep On My Back
Here are a few tips if you want to train yourself for back sleeping:
- First, youll need a supportive mattress to ensure your body can properly relax without sacrificing spinal alignment.
- Your choice of pillow, as weve covered, is key because it needs to maintain a neutral position for your neck.
- A pillow tucked beneath your knees or lower back can also help relieve pressure in your spine if youre stuck with a soft mattress.
- Spread out your arms and legs to better distribute your weight and avoid pressure on your joints.
- Tuck a pillow on either side of your body as a gentle reminder not to roll over.
If youre new to back sleeping, expect it will take some time to build up to a full night in this position.
What Makes The Layla Kapok Pillow Stand Out
- Its one of the best cooling pillows. Designed with cooling in mind, the pillowcase is made with breathable polyester fabric and has copper fibers sewn in. Copper not only has antimicrobial properties, but it also helps pull heat away from the body.
- It boasts a plush feel. For additional comfort, Layla includes shredded pieces of open-celled memory foam. If its fluffiness youre after, you cant go wrong with the Layla Kapok.
- This pillow is made with high-quality materials. The filling comes from Kapok tree fibers, so it feels similar to down feathers.
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Honeydew Scrumptious Side Sleeper Pillow
- Customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
- Material: copper-infused foam and microgel fiber
This handmade pillow has a curved side and is tall enough to help you avoid hunching your shoulder up too close to your ear. This helps maintain neutral spinal alignment during sleep. The ribbon edging helps the pillow resist bunching and sagging so that it maintains its height and shape.
It has a hidden zipper along one seam, so you can adjust the amount of fill youre comfortable sleeping on. The fill is made from copper-infused foam and micro-gel fiber, which helps maintain a cool temperature.
Its made in the United States by the Honeydew Sleep Company . Users like their good customer service and the 60-day risk-free trial with free return shipping.
Some users complain that the pillow has a smell for several days after opening. Others dislike the need to only buy pillowcases made specifically for this pillow.
Best For A Long Sleep Trial: Nolah Airfoam Pillow
- Dimensions : 17 x 23 in
This pillow claims to include temperature-neutral foam with a cotton cover that contains a cooling material.
The pillow is designed to be softer than some foam pillows, potentially making it more comfortable while providing the same support levels as other pillows on the market.
The manufacturer recommends this pillow for side, back, and combination sleepers, as it aligns the neck and removes pressure from the shoulders. The company also offers a 120-night trial.
- Dimensions : 17 x 29 x 6 in
This U-shaped pillow contains organic cotton, which the company sources from farmers who do not grow or process cotton with chemicals. People can adjust the firmness by unzipping the cover and removing some latex noodle filling.
This company says this pillow is antimicrobial and dust mite-resistant, which may help people with allergies have a restful sleep. The pillow stuffing contains 75% natural latex and 25% polyester fiber.
The manufacturer makes all of its pillows in the U.S. and ships the product from its warehouse in California.
- Dimensions : 18 x 24 in
The company claims that a chiropractic physician helped to develop this pillow.
The design aims to provide optimal spinal alignment side sleepers rest their head on the flat part of the pillow, and the higher section at the base of the pillow supports their neck. Additionally, one side of the pillow has more stuffing than the other, so a person can choose which suits them best.
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Parachute Down Side Sleeper
From $159 at Parachute
Down pillows can fall flat throughout the night, but the Parachute down side sleeper pillow has a side gusset, and when we tested this pillow it kept its shape fairly well. It contains some feathers as opposed to 100% down, which is not ideal, but we found the feathers didnt poke through the material or make too much noise. It also comes in a down alternative version for those that are allergic to down or prefer synthetic fill.
How Did We Test And Review The Best Pillows For Side Sleepers
By using product reviews from customers combined with data on what you’ve been searching for, as well as checking thoroughly to see which products feature high-quality versus less durable materials, we curated what we feel is a selection of the best pillows for neck and shoulder pain on the market for year-round use, no matter the weather. We’ve rifled through the good and bad comments, so you don’t have to, not to mention we – as a team of fashion, interiors and beauty experts – happen to know a thing or two about which brands have earned their respective places as the best in the business. Plus, with a team of 30+ here at GLAMOUR HQ, of course some of us here are fellow side sleepers, so we have some dos and don’t knowhow, too. Our aim is to find you pieces which will last and, should anything about a product signal that that’s not the case, you’ll be the first to know – happy shopping!
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