How To Choose A Down Pillow
Most down pillows offer a similar feel characterized by exceptional plushness and deep sinkage beneath the head and neck. However, there are subtle differences between these pillow models that make them better suited for some types of sleepers and less suited for others. Important considerations include the type of down used, ratio of down to feathers, cover material, loft, and price-point. We also encourage shoppers to research the down and feather harvesting practices of different companies to ensure their pillows and other products are ethically sourced and manufactured.
What Makes For A Good Side Sleeper Pillow
Its not terribly hard to pull back the curtain on what separates a great pillow from the rest. Sleep specialists will tell you that side-sleeping requires ample amounts of loft to keep your head suspended without sagging like a deflated air mattress mid-REM cycle. Yet not so much height that your spinal alignment looks like a question mark, putting weight on your pressure points, and leaving your back a little worse for wear in the morning.
Ideally, its got some fluff to give it some softness for dozing off, but offers ample firmness and thickness to provide the right amount of neck support to offset any back or neck pain. And if youre not sure exactly what you want, or have very specific preferences , there should be enough adjustability to fine-tune the alchemy of your pillow.
Best Down Alternative Pillow: Casper Original Pillow
The mattress company that people love also makes incredibly comfortable pillows. Caspers down and foam options are excellent, but its their tried-and-true original that gets comments like, I feel like I am sleeping on a cloud. Built as a pillow-in-pillow design, the inner model is supportive, while the outside is soft and fluffy. Even better, the polyester microfiber doesnt clump, so youll get an even spread of stuffing. This is also a great choice if you flip from your side to your stomach throughout the night since it will support both positions. When its time for a cleaning, heres how to wash your pillow the right way.
via Laylasleep.com
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Best Pillows For Side Sleepers Video
Watch our video below to learn more about our labs top picks for pillows for side sleepers.
We provide an overview about each of our picks, covering features that set each pillow apart from the competition. Further down, well take a closer look at how pillows affect side sleeping and offer a few tips for choosing a pillow based on thickness, material composition, price, and other factors.
Black Friday is a great time to buy a pillow, with many companies offering some of their biggest discounts of the year. Head to our complete list of Black Friday discounts to learn about the most up-to-date deals. You can also check out our list of Cyber Monday mattress and bedding sales to learn about deals happening after Black Friday ends.
Best Down Pillow For Stomach Sleepers
Soft and moldable but still supportive, the Boll & Branch Down Chamber Pillow comes in three firmness levels, including a soft option for stomach sleepers.
- Dimensions: 20 x 28 inches , 20 x 36 inches
- Support levels available: Soft, medium, firm
- Return policy: 30 days
- Care instructions: Wash in cold water on a gentle cycle. Tumble dry on low. It may take several cycles to fully dry. Do not iron or steam.
- Certifications: International Down Standard certified
Pros: Very soft, supportive, moldable, comes in three firmness levels
Cons: Softest version may sink in too much for some
Soft, flat pillows work best for stomach sleepers. The least-firm version Boll & Branch’s down pillow is incredibly soft and squashes down the instant your head touches it.
The three-chambered soft pillow has down in all three sections, meaning it’s luxuriously cushiony. We found it very flexible, and we were able to mold it and fold it in various ways to make it plumper or flatter, based on how we were lying. The two firmer versions have more-supportive feathers in the inner chamber, which would make them more suitable for side sleepers.
The organic cotton shell is well constructed and smooth. Overall, the pillow feels plush while still providing a bit of support so your head doesn’t sink all the way to the mattress.
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Luxe Down Alternative Pillow
This pillow is made with polyester gel fiber that very closely mimics the feeling of down. It’s a great choice for back and stomach sleepers.
Sleepopolis Score
Free shipping minus HI and AK
Return Policy
Free returns
Filled with a blend of white duck and goose feathers, the super-fluffy Luxe Pillow pillow features a high fill power of 600. Well discuss this in greater detail later on in our buying guide, but fill power is the measure of how fluffy a down product is, and ranges from 300 to 900. The higher the number is, the more lofty and fluffy its going to be!
When it comes to this pillow in particular, its high 600 fill power gives it a high profile of 5 tall. It also has a medium level of firmness which, in my experience, helped it maintain its shape throughout the night. This makes it most compatible with side sleepers, or back sleepers who prefer a firmer feel.
Its worth noting that this brand also makes a down alternative pillow that, I have to say, feels remarkably like real down.
If you want to learn more about both options, be sure to check my full Luxe pillows review.
Price: $129$149, with a 100-night trial period.
Perfect For: Back and side sleepers looking for a super fluffy pillow!
Which Down Pillow Sizes Are Available
Down pillows are widely available in the standard, queen, and king sizes. Although some brands offer down and feather body pillows, these models are much less common. Next, well discuss the most common pillow sizes and dimensions. Please note: the dimensions listed below may vary by a few inches, depending on the manufacturer.
Standard: The standard size typically measures 20 inches wide by 26 inches long. This size is ideal for people who sleep on a twin, twin XL, or full mattress, as well as couples that share a queen, king, or California king. Standards are quite common.
Super Standard: The super standard size measures 20 inches wide by 28 inches long, giving sleepers a bit more space than a traditional standard. This size is not particularly common, but some brands offer standard sizes that are technically super standards based on their measurements.
Queen: Another very common size, the queen measures 20 inches wide and 30 inches long. If you tend to change sleep positions or toss and turn, the queen offers a bit of extra space compared to the standard.
King: A typical king size pillow measures 20 inches wide and 36 inches long, so this will be an ideal size for anyone who moves around frequently in bed. Keep in mind that this size will take up most of the surface of a twin or twin XL mattress, so you may only need one if your bed is this size.
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How Do I Choose A Good Down Pillow
A good starting point is to consider your sleep positionthatll give you a good way of determining how thick your pillow should be. Jessalynn Adam, M.D., a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician at Baltimores Mercy Medical Center, comments that pillows for side sleepers typically should have the highest loft, and those for back sleepers can be somewhat lower. Pillows for stomach sleepers should generally be the lowest. Additionally, while its not a requirement, down pillows with chambers tend to keep the feathers from shifting around as you sleep, minimizing the need for regular fluffing.
What To Consider When Purchasing A Pillow For Side Sleepers
In your research for a pillow that is compatible with side sleeping, youll no doubt come across pillow manufacturers who claim their products are suitable for all sleep positions, or that their pillows construction and materials offer universal comfort for all sleepers regardless of body type or personal preference. These marketing claims are misleading. Each pillow is uniquely designed to provide a distinct feel. Given the demands of different sleep positions, any pillow you select will be better suited to some sleepers and less so for others.
Rather than using marketing jargon to guide your pillow search, focus on the following attributes instead.
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Kassatex European White Goose Down Pillow
Why You Should Get It: This pillow has a plush look and feel while maintaining structure and support. Plus, there are three firmness options.
Keep in Mind: You might be able to see some dark feathers through the cotton shell.
If you want the plush look and feel of a down pillow without compromising on structure or support, consider this one by Kassatex. Its filled with lofty 650-fill-power European white goose down, giving it a full, comfy, marshmallow-like feel, according to our tester. Plus, you can choose from three firmness levelssoft, medium, and firmto match your preferences.
This pillow was more comfortable than some of the other down pillows we tested because its thick and didnt flatten down to nothing when the tester was lying on it. She also noted that the amount of feathers is top-notch.
“In the past three months I haven’t woke up with any pain in my neck or back,” our tester said. “I am mostly a back sleeper but will toss and turn throughout the night, and this pillow stays with me the whole time. I’m never adjusting it or flipping it over.”
Keep in mind that the tester could see some dark feathers through the cotton shell, which is a drawback if you want to display it without a pillowcase.
Price at time of publish: From $180
Product Details: Fill Material: White goose down | Firmness: Soft, medium, and firm | Recommended for: Back, side, and stomach sleepers | Care: Machine wash warm on delicate cycle, tumble dry low with tennis ball
Side Sleepers: The Best Pillow For You Has A Firm Support
Especially if you’re sleeping on a firm mattress, firm pillows provide the support a side sleeper needs. They often come with a gusset to help the pillow conform to your shoulder. Stackers may like two softer pillows, such as the Hotel Symmetry, for the right height. Side sleepers will generally need more feather fill for adequate support. The illustration below shows us how to determine which pillow will best fill the space between the head and shoulder to keep your spine aligned and pressure distributed evenly.
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Why Trust The Spruce
This article was written by Cristina Sanza, a lifestyle writer specializing in home products and organization hacks. She reviews the latest and greatest home products for The Spruce. Her work has been featured on Bustle, Ranker, Inside The Magic, and Upright Citizens Brigade. For this list, she used insights from product testers, who slept on each pillow for weeks, evaluating the durability, softness, and comfort of each.
For additional background on pillows, we spoke to Dr. Samantha March-Howard, doctor of chiropractic at 100% Chiropractic office in Dunwoody, Georgia, as well as Robert Hayden, DC, chiropractor and spokesperson for the American Chiropractic Association. Additional reporting was done by Ashley Abramson, a writer whose work has appeared in MyDomaine, the New York Times, Washington Post, Allure, InStyle, and more.
Buying Guide For Best Pillows Side Sleepers 2023
We all know that how much beneficial is online shopping. But before you add that item to your cart, there are a few things you should consider first. Here are some questions to ask before buying anything online.
Here are some questions to ask before buying best Pillows Side Sleepers online.
1. What is the return policy?
2. What are the shipping costs?
3. What are the customer reviews saying?
4. Is the price right?
5. What are my other options?
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Are Duck Or Goose Down Pillows Better
Both types of down are premium fillings that carry the same qualities: Theyre soft, supportive and breathable. Both will feel luxurious to most users, especially when compared to synthetic pillow stuffing. That said, goose down features are generally considered to be the cream of the crop. Its somewhat subjective, but theyre a bit fluffier and warmer than duck down. As a result, goose down pillows tend to be more expensive.
What Were Looking For
Loft: The loft, or height, of your pillow is a crucial factor for side sleepers to consider. Dr. Toussaint-Keshinro explains that keeping your head, neck, and shoulders in a neutral and even position is most important. If a pillow is too flat or too high, it can create an uneven muscle tone in the neck and shoulders, leading to spasms over time. While there isnt a formula to figure out the ideal loft of your pillow, Dr. Dennis Colonello, celebrity and professional-athlete chiropractor at Peak Wellness and all33 co-founder, suggests that your pillow be around four inches off of your mattress. But dont go breaking out your ruler just yet, as there is wiggle room with this number. For taller people with broader shoulders, a higher loft may be more comfortable, and conversely, a petite person with more narrow shoulders will likely rest comfortably with a lower loft.
Firmness: All of our experts agreed that medium-firm pillows tend to be the best option for people sleeping on their side. While there is room for personal preference here, a medium-firm pillow helps your head stay in the right position without sinking while you sleep. For people who like to dream on a bed that feels like fresh brioche buns instead of a firmer surface, gusseted-down and down-alternative pillows can be a plush compromise. Additionally, Cushner and Foley suggest memory foam pillows, as they sort of mimic the softness of down by contouring to your body, while still providing support.
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Best Down Pillow For Side Sleepers
Though the Parachute Down Side Sleeper Pillow isn’t super firm, its boxy design provides strong support for a side sleeper who also wants the soft, luxurious feel of down.
- Dimensions: 16.5 x 22.5 x 3.5 inches and 16.5 x 32.5 x 3.5 inches
- Support levels available: Medium
- Care instructions: Machine wash cool on the delicate cycle with a mild detergent or dry clean.
- Certifications: Responsible Down Standard certified
Pros: Supportive gusset that doesn’t lose shape quickly, generous warranty
Cons: May not provide enough support as a memory foam pillow, length and width are smaller than the average pillow
In my personal experience, a firmer memory foam pillow has the absolute best support for a side sleeper. If you’re dead set on sleeping on a cushiony down pillow, Parachute’s Down Side Sleeper Pillow has enough structural support so you can sleep comfortably on your side while enjoying a plush feel.
It has a tall, 3.5-inch gusset, which is the extra material in the middle and side panels that gives the pillow a more boxy shape. This design prevents your head from sinking in too much and keeps your spine aligned while you sleep. At the same time, it’s not so tall that your neck is uncomfortably strained.
Because it’s thicker and more supportive than non-gusseted pillows and filled with fluffy white down, my sleep experience felt extra luxurious and comfortable. It doesn’t flatten as quickly as non-gusseted pillows and fluffs up easily by hand or in the dryer.
What To Consider When Purchasing A Down Pillow
While misleading claims and specs are widely used throughout the mattress and bedding industry, this problem is particularly common with products containing down. Some pillows contain 100 percent down, but most contain a blend of down and feathers from the same type of bird. The feathers provide more support to stabilize the pillow and prevent excessive sinkage.
The Federal Trade Commission regulates how down and feather pillows and other products are labeled. According to the International Down and Feather Testing Laboratory , pillows containing at least 75 percent down require the percentage of down to be listed on the product tag. If a pillow contains less than 75 percent down, then percentages for both down and feather fill must both be listed. Only pillows that contain 100 percent down can carry this listing.
Below, youll find the most important considerations to take into account when shopping for a down pillow.
Loft
Loft, or thickness, affects how supportive the pillow feels. Side sleepers generally need more loft in order to align the head and neck with the spine, which in turn reduces pressure throughout the body. Back sleepers need some loft to keep their body on an even plane, but too much can elevate the head and create neck and shoulder pain. For most stomach sleepers, a low-loft down pillow allows them to rest comfortably without contorting their head too much.
Fill Ratio
Support
Firmness Level
Pressure Relief
Shape
Price
Quality Materials
Moldability
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What Is The Best Down Pillow Available
While we stand behind all options on this list, we believe the Boll & Branch Down Pillow is the best pick for most sleepers, thanks to its supportive construction and responsible sourcing. That said, if youre looking for something more affordable, the Three Geese Store White Goose Feather is a fantastic budget pick. If you tend to wake up sweaty, the Parachute Down Pillow is our favorite cooling down pillow. In other words, the right pillow for you ultimately depends on your budget, preferred sleeping position and how you like your pillow to feel.
