Best Pillow for Side Sleepers: What Actually Matters

If you sleep on your side, you've probably woken up with a stiff neck at least once and blamed your pillow. Often that's fair. Side sleeping leaves the biggest gap between your head and the mattress, and a pillow that's too flat, too high or too firm can leave your neck bent all night. Here's what actually matters when you're choosing one.

1. Height (loft) matters most

When you lie on your side, the space between your ear and the mattress is roughly the width of your shoulder. A good side-sleeper pillow fills that space so your head stays in line with your spine, not tilted down towards the mattress or pushed up towards the ceiling.

• Broader shoulders usually need a higher, fuller pillow.
• Narrower shoulders usually feel better with a little less height.
• A softer mattress lets your shoulder sink in, so you may need slightly less height than on a firm one.

A quick check: lie on your side and ask someone to look at you from behind. Your neck should look like a straight continuation of your back, not bent up or down.

2. Support that holds its shape overnight

Many fiber pillows feel lovely when you first lie down, then slowly flatten as the night goes on. For side sleepers that's a problem, because the gap under your head doesn't shrink while you sleep. Look for a fill that keeps its height for the whole night, and that you can fluff back up in the morning.

3. A fill you can shape

A solid block of memory foam holds its shape well, but it only has one shape. Shredded memory foam works differently: it's made of small pieces of foam that move around, so you can push the pillow into a thicker roll under your neck or flatten one end slightly. That makes it a good match for people who switch between side and back during the night.

4. Width, so you don't roll off it

Side sleepers tend to move their arm under or around the pillow. A wider pillow gives you more room before you end up on the edge. If you share a bed or like to hug your pillow, a King size can feel noticeably more comfortable.

5. A cover that stays comfortable

Your cheek is pressed against the pillow all night when you sleep on your side, so the cover makes a real difference. A soft knit that lets air through usually feels fresher than a tight, plasticky case. A cover that zips off and goes in the washing machine is a bonus you'll appreciate every week.

Quick checklist

1. Lie on your side: is your neck straight?
2. Is the pillow still the same height in the morning?
3. Can you shape it a little to suit you?
4. Is it wide enough for how you move?
5. Can you wash the cover easily?

Where the Driftly pillow fits in

We designed the Driftly Bamboo Pillow with these points in mind. It's filled with shredded memory foam that you can push and fluff into shape, it's about 7.9 in (20 cm) thick when fully expanded, and it comes in Queen (28 × 17.7 in) and King (35.8 × 17.7 in). The cover is a breathable bamboo-blend knit that zips off for washing.

Not sure which size to choose? Our size finder takes two questions.

This article is general information about pillows and comfort, not medical advice. If you have ongoing neck or shoulder pain, it's worth talking to a doctor or physiotherapist.