Examine Our Picks
{Photograph}: Molly Higgins
Others Examined
Pillow Cube Side Cube for $66: This isn’t technically a physique pillow, but it surely’s particularly designed for aspect sleepers (and I adore it), so it’s included on this checklist. This cuboid pillow is designed for the aspect sleeper, and goals to assist with complications and again and shoulder pains by its distinctive form and comfortable, but structured, filling. It has a breathable, soft-and-stretchy quilted aspect case that is detachable with a zipper, and the AeroPluff foam core is comfortable, regulating temperature to maintain you sleeping coolly. I can sleep solely on my aspect, and one of many issues I recurrently have is a sore neck from the hole between my shoulder and my head. This sq., 90-degree-angled pillow completely fills that hole and sits at a manageable head pillow dimension of 24 inches lengthy, 12 inches broad, and 5 inches deep. The breathable cowl and comfortable density even helped with ear strain.
Leacho Snoogle for $50: Although out of inventory in the intervening time, this versatile physique pillow is marketed for pregnant folks due to its versatility and stomach, hip, and knee help. As a consequence of its distinctive form, it may be contorted into many figures. With a detachable cowl product of a polyester/cotton mix and a polyester filling, this pillow is much more breathable than related massive physique pillows on the checklist. Due to its distinctive form for a lot of positions, the pillow isn’t overstuffed, and I discovered that the fill tended to sink to the decrease foot portion of the pillow when sleeping on it. General, this pillow is breathable and very customizable in form, though I might’ve most popular one thing with somewhat extra filling.
White Noise Memory Foam Body Pillow With Hypoallergenic Zippered Protector for $50: I completely love the fill of this 50 x 14-inch pillow—the shredded foam is the proper mixture of construction and softness. If it had been wider, 20 or so inches relatively than 14 inches, this pillow can be good. However as a result of I’m a side-only sleeper, I like to carry the physique pillow and wrap my legs and arms round it. Since it’s so slender, my knees knock collectively on the opposite aspect. I might be able to overlook the flaw of its narrowness as a result of the pillow has a super-comfy fill, however I wouldn’t suggest it for greater folks with longer limbs.
Eli & Elm Memory Foam Body Pillow for $130: In my house, we name this one “the 7 pillow” as a result of … properly, take a guess. This lengthy, L/7-shaped pillow is marketed as a pregnancy pillow, but it surely’s nice for anybody who sleeps on their aspect. The quick part matches neatly below your head, whereas the lengthy finish can attain down to suit between your legs. It comes with its personal customized pillow case, which is nice, as a result of it isn’t such as you’ll have a ton of spares on this form in your linen closet. —Eric Ravenscraft
Eli & Elm Side Sleeper for $116: The Eli & Elm Aspect Sleeper pillow is likely one of the firmest pillows proper out of the field of any we have examined. You may take away among the extra fill if you wish to scale back that firmness, however should you’re the kind of one who likes feeling like they’re sleeping on a really comfortable rock, that is the pillow for you. It isn’t fairly large enough for a number of folks to cuddle up with, like our Honeydew pick, however for a single individual, it is a terrific possibility. —Eric Ravenscraft
Bearaby Cuddler for $229: Bearaby is finest recognized for its weighted blankets, eye masks, and stuffed animals, but it surely makes different sleep merchandise like heated pads, throw blankets, and the physique pillow I examined, the Cuddler. At 75 inches lengthy and eight inches in diameter, with a filling of plant-based Melofoam, an all-natural foam created from rubber-tree sap, it is in contrast to every other pillow fill I’ve slept on. It is heavier than a stuffed pillow however lighter than reminiscence foam and has a rubbery, bouncy high quality. Its springy fill, skinny physique, and extraordinary size made it match awkwardly on the mattress, however its bouncy high quality and skill to evolve into many shapes could make this a pretty decide for some aspect sleepers.
Not Really helpful
{Photograph}: Molly Higgins
Alwyn Home Butcher Fiber Plush Pillow for $56: This 90 x 19-inch pillow disappoints. It’s egregiously lengthy, which may very well be useful for people who find themselves taller or those that like extra all-around physique help. Nevertheless, it simply doesn’t have sufficient stuffing to fill 90 inches. The batting inside seems like typical fluffy batting present in selfmade pillows, but it surely bunches all through the pillow in clumps, leaving gaps the place no filling reaches. These gaps usually occur the place your limbs relaxation, thus defeating the aim of getting a physique pillow for help. The pillow is just about 2 inches deep and didn’t appear to ever spring up after I took it out of the field. I needed to shake and knead the fiber to assist make it extra uniform all through the within of the pillow, but it surely did little to assist.
As a aspect sleeper, you’ll need a pillow that’s lengthy sufficient to supply help between your arms and strain factors like between the knees. Whereas firmness and softness are a matter of private choice, you usually need a physique pillow that strikes the correct stability, to supply help with out being too heavy or agency for the limbs that relaxation beneath the pillow. In the event you’re simply searching for a pillow to hug whilst you sleep, one thing lighter and softer is finest. However when you have joint or spinal ache, one thing a bit extra agency with extra help is finest. You’ll additionally wish to take into consideration which pillow form will help which a part of your physique finest, relying in your wants. I’m a strict aspect sleeper, however I toss and switch between either side, so pillows with help on both aspect had been examined too. I additionally have a tendency to twist right into a extra fetal place, so I needed one thing that had sufficient width to totally wrap my legs and arms round.
Whereas many head pillows and mattresses favor reminiscence foam, relying on the froth’s denseness, it may possibly really feel too heavy for a aspect sleeper whose limbs go beneath the pillow. Polyester or different artificial filling is usually essentially the most plush and malleable however could not present sufficient help. Many have a mix of each or shredded reminiscence foam, which may present construction whereas nonetheless being comfortable sufficient to sink into. This is determined by private choice and want, however fill sort is one thing to concentrate on when searching for the proper side-sleeper physique pillow.
An ordinary physique pillow that is lengthy sufficient to supply full-length help for the physique is right, giving sufficient room to stretch out or cuddle in varied positions. Physique pillows in U or C shapes can present extra total help and are perfect for pregnant folks or these with again or leg points, however can usually make the sleeper run scorching due to the entire surrounding materials. However in the end, the popular form is essentially depending on what components of the physique you need most supported within the side-sleeping place.
I examined (slept with) every of the pillows for not less than every week whereas sleeping, lounging, and sitting to see how the fill modified and moved over time. I contorted them in lots of shapes, and measured how supported I felt in several positions. I eliminated and added fill if I used to be ready, and eliminated and washed covers to see how they had been affected by cleansing and examined the variations with or and not using a cowl.
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