Wellness

15 best pillows for side sleepers 2024, tried and tested for a restful night’s sleep

02/06/2024

pillow for one of the best pillows for side sleepers is well worth doing. Particularly if you’re amongst the 50% of Brits who favour resting on their side each night.

Side sleeping is renowned for its numerous health benefits, including promoting proper spinal alignment, improving breathing, reducing heartburn, and alleviating discomfort in the neck and back. But not all pillows will suit.

Fortunately, the current market is booming with specially-designed pillows tailored to side sleepers, thanks to innovative sleep tech brands such as Emma and Simba. So, the 50% of you who spend most of the night between your back and front can rejoice. Pillow for side sleepers are engineered to provide the ideal blend of support and comfort, catering to the specific requirements of side kippers for a truly restful and rejuvenating sleep experience.

We’ve tested and reviewed numerous options, and consulted with sleep experts to answer all your FAQs, so that you can choose the best pillow for you. Think: firm and soft pillows for side sleepers, memory foam pillows and body pillows. Whether you prefer a plush and cushiony feel or a more supportive structure, our roundup includes a variety of choices to suit individual preferences and sleeping styles. Read on for our full edit, including tips on how to pick the best one for your individual sleeping style.

SKIP TO: How did we test? | Why do side sleepers need a different type of pillow | What type of pillow is best for side sleepers with neck pain? | What else should you consider? | Our full reviews. | The best pillows for neck pain, best cooling pillows and best anti-allergy pillows.

Meet the experts:

Rosie Osmun, Sleep Science Coach at Sleep Junkie.
Anisha Joshi, Osteopath.

In a rush? The best pillows for side sleepers 2024 at a glance:

Best pillow for side sleepers overall: Emma Premium Microfibre Pillow, £65.40, Emma Sleep
Best pillow for side sleepers, runner up: 400 Memory Foam Crumbed Pillow, £41.30, REM-Fit
Most sought-after bed pillow for side sleepers: THE SIMBA Stratos® Pillow, £60, Simba
Best bamboo pillow for side sleepers: Memory Foam Bamboo Pillow, £44.95, Panda London
Best hybrid pillow for side sleepers: THE SIMBA Hybrid® Firm Pillow, £159, SIMBA

Emma Premium Microfibre Pillow

~~£109~~ £65.40 AT EMMA SLEEP

REM-Fit 400 Memory Foam Crumbed Pillow

~~£59~~ £41.30 AT REM-FIT

THE SIMBA Stratos® Pillow

£60 AT SIMBA

Memory Foam Bamboo Pillow

£44.95 AT PANDA LONDON

THE SIMBA Hybrid® Firm Pillow

£159 AT SIMBA

How we tested the best pillows for side sleepers:

In putting these pillows to the test, our testers dove into the nitty-gritty, scoring them on quality, support, firmness, and all-around comfort. We didn’t just stop there – we rifled through what you’ve been searching for and tapped into customer reviews to get the real lowdown. Our goal? To cut through the noise and find the best pillows for side sleepers that aren’t just comfy but also made to last. We’ve read what you’ve been searching for, tested as many as we could in the real world, and are working our way through the rest to help you find the right pillow for your needs. Find out more about how we test.

Why might you need a different pillow if you’re a side sleeper?

“Your sleeping position dictates how thick your pillow needs to be – and the firmness level you need,” says Rosie Osmun, sleep science coach at sleep science platform Sleep Junkie. “Sleeping comfortably is all down to spine alignment.”

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“Some can feel sore when their neck isn’t in a neutral position,” notes osteopath Anisha Joshi. “Being supported should ease any pain and help you to get a good night’s sleep.”

What kind of pillows should side sleepers use?

“Side sleepers require a firm pillow with a higher loft to keep their neck healthily in line with the rest of their body,” explains Rosie.

“Sleep specialists suggest the perfect loft for side sleeping is four to six inches.” Additionally, she notes that contoured pillows are often recommended for this sleeping position because they have two edges that allow you to pick which side fits your neck most comfortably, and memory foam tends to be a good material for support as well as keeping the neck aligned.

What to consider when buying a pillow for side sleeping:

A good test, suggests Anisha, is to zone in on how well a pillow keeps you in position once you’re lying down. “If you get a pillow that places you in a position that’s comfortable, then it will help your muscles relax,” she explains. “You should consider what positions cause your neck to feel any pain or discomfort when standing, and ensure that your pillow is working to counteract this.” Anything else? Rosie adds: “You can also place pillows between or beneath your knees to reinforce healthy spinal alignment.”

After more sleep content? Shop the best duvet, duvet covers, the best mattress toppers and the best mattresses – including memory foam mattresses, cheap mattresses and pocket sprung mattresses. For more from GLAMOUR UK’s Commerce Writer Mayola Fernandes, follow her on Instagram @mayolafernandess.

Scroll for our full edit of the best pillows for side sleepers in 2024.

1. Best pillow for side sleepers overallEmma Premium Microfibre PillowSpecifications:
- Best for – Those after a cruelty-free pillow which suits side sleepers of all ages (children included).
- Pros – There’s seven ways to customise the pillow by flipping it or taking out layers to change its firmness and height.
- Cons – Nothing to note.
- Made from – Outer microfibre cover is made from 100% polyester with a soft touch finish. Filling is made from siliconised hollow fibre 100% polyester.
- Size – ‎70 x 50 cm.
- Firmness – Soft.
The Emma Premium Microfibre Pillow is a fluffy down-alternative cushion with an adjustable height and firmness. Suitable for all sleeping positions, it’s smooth to the touch, and despite being a soft pillow the microfibre filling offers the right amount of ‘bounce’ while still feeling supportive.It’s filled with Emma’s AeroSoft filling which, the brand describes as fluffy and breathable. This filling is made from siliconised micro elastic fibre, so 100% polyester, ensuring it doesn’t feel wiry or clumpy to sleep on. Inside, you’ll find two inserts that can be added or removed, allowing you to customise the height and firmness to your liking.If you have allergies, it’s a great down-alternative pillow to consider. Its removable cover is machine washable at 40°C, the perfect temperature to kill off dust mites. While it’s certainly an investment when full-price, it’s currently reduced in the sale and comes with a 30-night trial, so if it doesn’t live up to your expectations, you can try it out before you commit.~~£109~~ £65.40 AT EMMA SLEEP
2. Best pillow for side sleepers runner upREM-Fit 400 Memory Foam Crumbed PillowSpecifications:
- Best for – Correcting spine alignment and providing supportive pressure relief.
- Pros – Pulls sweat away from the body, perfect for any sleeping style.
- Cons – None here!
- Made from – Filling – memory foam, outer cover – polyester, inner cover – polyester, cotton.
- Size – ‎50 x 40 x 12cm.
- Firmness – Medium-firm.
Cleverly designed to regulate body temperature, REM-Fit’s memory foam pillow is made with cooling Re-ax® fibres, so you can forget overheating and icky night-time sweats. It works by absorbing body heat and redistributing it away from the pillow, ensuring you remain at optimal temperature as you sleep.The pillows are designed to work with all types of mattresses, from memory foam to pocket sprung, providing support for the head, neck, and shoulders. Add to that the pillows ability to aid correct spinal alignment and pressure-relieving properties and you have perfectly cool comfort all-round, guaranteeing a good night’s sleep.~~£59~~ £41.30 AT REM-FIT
3. Most sought-after bed pillow for side sleepersTHE SIMBA Stratos® PillowSpecifications:
- Best for – Side and front sleepers.
- Pros – Brand offers 100% carbon-neutral delivery. Pillow is easy to machine wash and tumble dry at home.
- Cons – It’s often out stock due to popular demand so it’s hard to get your hands on this pillow year-round!
- Made from – Simba Renew Bio™ down-like clusters of breathable filler with a ‘Better’ cotton cover with Stratos® heat control technology to prevent overheating.
- Size – ‎50cm x 75cm.
- Firmness – The brand describes it as ‘soft and down-like’.
One of the most sought-after offerings from Simba, this Stratos® pillow is filled with a recycled/biodegradable filler unlike its hybrid shredded foam model. As such, it’s softer and more of a competitor for the best down pillows and it’s actually been so popular off the mark that it’s almost always sold out. That said, it’s available right now so we wouldn’t wait around knowing just how often we spot this product out of stock.The Stratos pillow’s fibre fill provides a soft, downy feel, offering cushioning and support without sinking too deeply. Encasing this innovative fill is a cover made from responsibly-sourced cotton, and on one side is Simba’s temperature-regulating Stratos technology that ensures one side will remain cool at all times, so any excess heat is dissipated rapidly – good news for those who tend to run hot at night.

The cover is non-removable so using a pillowcase will provide an extra layer of protection, ensuring the pillow remains shielded from wear and tear. Fortunately, the entire pillow is designed to withstand machine washing and tumble drying, allowing you to effortlessly maintain its condition with each wash.Save money on everything from the best mattresses with trial periods to the best pillowcase inserts with these Simba discount codes.£60 AT SIMBA
4. Best bamboo pillow for side sleepersMemory Foam Bamboo PillowSpecifications:
- Best for – Buyers with allergies, much like a latex pillow.
- Pros – Hypoallergenic, eco-friendly and supportive.
- Cons – 12cm loft pillow height is perhaps a little bit better for women/smaller buyers.
- Made from – Bamboo memory foam in a soft bamboo mesh cover – all materials conform to Oeko-Tex standards.
- Size – 60cm x 40cm.
- Firmness – Soft.
If you want to rest easy knowing you’ve done your bit for the planet, this pillow for side sleepers from Panda is a great eco-friendly choice, with the brand sourcing all bamboo materials from approved forests. Its supportive ‘third generation’ memory foam material is designed to stay supportive for ten years, after which it can be recycled as part of their ‘Panda Circle Of Life Programme’.It is protected by a soft, breathable and ethically-sourced bamboo case that is naturally antibacterial – protecting the pillow against dust and dirt so it lasts. There’s a 30-day trial period included, which is ideal if you’re not used to the feel of memory foam and need time to decide if it suits your sleeping style.Previous memory-foam buyers will be familiar with the texture’s signature smell, something that can be off putting and is, unfortunately present in the Panda pillow, though the brand do ensure it disappears after 48 hours. At under £50, we think it’s great value for a high-quality memory foam pillow.£44.95 AT PANDA LONDON