Best Pillows for Side Sleepers: How to Pick One

Quick picks

Derila Ergo is our top pick for most side sleepers who also spend time on their back. The other three pillows each win on one narrower thing.

Our top pick: Derila Ergo. It’s a contoured memory foam pillow, not an adjustable shredded-fill pillow. Here’s why it leads:

• A contour shape for two positions. The maker says the front curve and support wings are shaped to support the neck for back and side sleepers.
• A side-sleeper height. It is 12 cm (4.7 in) tall, which sits in the usual range for average shoulders.
• The lowest price per pillow here. It’s $59.99 for one, and less per pillow in the bundles. The removable cover is machine washable.

Check the current Derila Ergo price and the return terms on the official site.

See Derila Ergo on the official site60-day money-back guarantee

• Coop Home Goods Original Adjustable Pillow: best for adjustable fill if you fall between sizes.
• Saatva Latex Pillow: best for a choice of two lofts and a springy latex feel.
• TEMPUR-Neck Pillow: best for people who want an extra-firm contour in three profile sizes.

Which side sleeper pillow should you pick?

The right side sleeper pillow depends on one main thing: does its height fill your shoulder gap? After that, pick by shape, how much you can adjust it, how it feels and the price per pillow. These 2026 picks are judged on those criteria, and the criteria won’t change next year.

Contoured pick for back and side sleepers

Derila Ergo is the pick for side sleepers who roll onto their back during the night. It’s a curved memory foam pillow (memory foam is a slow-moving foam that molds to pressure). It has front support wings, an arm cut-out and a zippered cooling cover.

The maker says the cover and breathable foam help keep the pillow cool and dry, and that the materials are hypoallergenic. It ships vacuum-packed. Give it 6 to 8 hours to expand before you use it.

See the bundle prices and the 60-day return details on the official site.

See Derila Ergo on the official site60-day money-back guarantee

Adjustable loft pick

The Coop Home Goods Original Adjustable Pillow is the pick if you’re between sizes. You can add or remove fill to set the height yourself. The Cut-Out shape, in Queen size, lists at $98.75. The maker says the cut-out stops bunching under the shoulder.

Pros

• Adjustable fill to match your shoulder gap
• 100-day trial with a pre-paid return label, described as free
• The maker lists a 5-Year Limited Warranty

Cons

• Loft and firmness are not stated for the Queen Cut-Out
• It takes some trial and error to get the fill right

Latex pick for firm, cool support

The Saatva Latex Pillow is the pick for people who like a springy feel and want to choose a set height. It comes in Standard Loft (roughly 4-5") or High Loft (roughly 6-7"). It has a shredded natural latex core inside a fiber layer and an organic cotton cover. One review site suggests the high loft for side sleepers and the standard loft for back sleepers.

Pros

• Two loft choices, including one for broad shoulders
• 45-night home trial, free return shipping, no restocking fees
• Cover is removable and machine washable

Cons

• $165 for Standard/Queen, the highest price here
• The maker asks you to wash a used pillow before returning it

Affordable pick

Derila Ergo has the lowest price per pillow of the four compared here, especially in the four-pillow family pack. Plain down alternative pillows (polyester fill made to feel like down) are often cheaper still. They suit soft-pillow fans, but many flatten under a side sleeper’s head. If cost decides it, compare the price per pillow, not the bundle total.

The TEMPUR-Neck Pillow is the firm option. The Medium size (20" x 12.5" x 4") is $114. Tempur-Pedic offers no sleep trial for pillows, only a 5-year limited warranty against defects. It’s a good fit if you already know you like very firm foam.

Side sleeper pillow comparison: loft, firmness and fill

The four pillows below differ most in loft, fill and return terms. Read across one column at a time to find the pillow that wins on the criterion you care about.

For people who switch between back and side, the two contoured pillows and the adjustable Coop are the easiest fits. Saatva gives switchers a set height instead.

Other fills work differently. Kapok (a fluffy plant fiber) is moldable, and one review site names the Layla Kapok as its pick for side sleepers. Brooklyn Bedding makes a cooling pillow in two lofts. Buckwheat hulls hold a firm, shapeable height. The Cozy Earth Silk Pillow is known for its silk cover. We haven’t compared those four line by line because their full facts aren’t listed here.

How do you size a pillow to your shoulder width?

You size a side sleeper pillow by measuring the gap between your ear and the mattress when you lie on your side. That gap is your target height, or loft.

Measure your shoulder gap

The ear-to-shoulder distance is the loft you need. Stand against a wall, or ask someone to help, and measure from the side of your neck, just below the ear, out to the edge of your shoulder. Write it down in inches.

Loft by shoulder width and mattress firmness

Your mattress changes the answer, because a soft bed lets your shoulder sink. A small lab study of nine people found that a pillow height set by each person’s shoulder width predicted the neck’s curve, and a medium height with neck support came closest to the neck’s natural standing shape.

Here’s an example. A side sleeper with wide shoulders on a firm mattress lands near 6 inches, so the Saatva High Loft fits that person. Derila Ergo has a fixed stated height of 4.7 inches, so check it against your own shoulder gap.

Between sizes: adjustable fill

Adjustable fill is the easy answer if you measure between two sizes or share a bed with someone of a different build. Start with the pillow full and take out a handful at a time until your nose lines up with the middle of your chest. Fit depends on your position, shoulder width and mattress, so no single pillow suits everyone. For more detail, see our guide to pillow height for side sleepers.

Foam, latex, kapok, down alternative: which material suits a side sleeper?

Memory foam and latex hold height best under a side sleeper’s head. Kapok and down alternative feel softer and squish more.

For pressure relief, the pillow should let your shoulder sit just in front of it, not under it. Contoured and cut-out shapes are made to give the shoulder that room. If you’re unsure how firm to go, our guide to pillow firmness for side sleepers walks through it. One review site generally recommends a firm pillow for side sleepers.

Cooling and breathability

Cooling comes mostly from the cover and from how open the fill is. Shredded fills and latex let air move. Solid foam holds more heat, so foam pillows often add a cooling cover, as Derila Ergo does. Silk and organic cotton covers feel smooth and breathable.

Quick tip: If you run hot, choose a pillow with a removable cover so you can wash it often.

Washability and allergies

The word hypoallergenic on a pillow is the maker’s own claim. No one standard backs it up. What you can count on is a removable, washable cover. Derila Ergo, Saatva and TEMPUR-Neck all have one. Foam cores themselves shouldn’t go in the washer, so add a zippered protector if dust mites bother you.

Are contour and cervical pillows good for side and back sleepers?

Contour pillows, also called cervical pillows, suit many side and back sleepers because they have a raised edge for the neck and a lower dip for the head. A review of five small studies found no single pillow type, such as latex or foam, clearly better than the others for people with long-lasting neck pain. So choose a contour shape for comfort and fit.

What the Derila Ergo shape is made to do

Derila Ergo’s shape gives you a set spot for each position. The maker says the contour is shaped to support the neck for back and side sleepers. On your side, rest the front curve against the side of your neck. On your back, place the back of your neck on the front curve with your head toward the centre. Keep it right side up and facing you. The maker hasn’t published a study of Derila Ergo itself.

Who it’s not for / what it can’t do

• Mainly stomach sleepers, who usually need a much lower pillow
• People who need a very high loft, above about 5.5 inches
• Anyone who wants to feel a pillow in a store before buying
• It’s a comfort product. It doesn’t treat snoring, sleep apnea, or neck or back pain.
• It never goes in a baby’s sleep space

A body pillow can help too. Hugging one keeps your top arm from dropping forward. Tucking it between your knees keeps your hips stacked and stops you rolling forward.

If you want a contoured pillow at a side-sleeper height, check today’s price on the official site.

See Derila Ergo on the official site60-day money-back guarantee

Can a bad pillow cause neck pain, and what do chiropractors recommend?

A pillow that doesn’t fit can leave your neck stiff in the morning, because it holds your head too high or too low for hours. The fix is a better fit, not a cure. Most advice from chiropractors and physical therapists comes down to one rule: keep your neck level with the rest of your spine. In practice, that means matching the loft to your shoulder width. Our page on side sleeper pillows for neck discomfort goes deeper.

Signs your pillow does not fit

These signs suggest your pillow doesn’t fit:

• You fold the pillow or stack your arm under it
• Your shoulder feels squashed by morning
• Your head tilts down toward the mattress, or up toward the ceiling
• You wake up stiff, and the stiffness eases once you’re up and moving

When to see a doctor

See a doctor first if your neck pain lasts more than a week or two, spreads into an arm, or comes with numbness, tingling, weakness or headaches, or if it started after an injury. MedlinePlus lists these as reasons to contact a doctor. Loud snoring with gasping or pauses in breathing also needs a doctor, since these can be signs of sleep apnea. If a doctor says your snoring is worse on your back, side sleeping can help some people, and a pillow can make side sleeping comfortable.

Never put a pillow in a baby’s sleep area. Safe to Sleep advises keeping it bare.

How often should you replace a pillow, and what do hotels use?

Replace a pillow when it no longer gives you comfortable support, and follow the maker’s care guidance.

Signs of wear

Your pillow is worn out when foam doesn’t spring back, fill turns lumpy, it smells even after airing, or the stains won’t come out. Here’s a quick check: fold a fiber pillow in half. If it stays folded, it’s done. To make a pillow last, wash the cover often, air the core in a dry room and use a zippered protector.

Five-star hotel pillows

Hotels commonly use down or down alternative pillows with a medium loft, so they suit back sleepers and some side sleepers. They feel lovely for a night or two. Side sleepers with broad shoulders often end up stacking two, which tells you a single hotel pillow is too low for them.

Price, trials and returns: what to check before buying

Price per pillow and the return terms matter as much as the sticker price. Here’s how they compare:

• Derila Ergo: $59.99 for one, $49.99 each in a pair, $37.49 each in the 3+1 pack. The 60-day return period starts when you receive the order. Non-defective items must come back in the manufacturer’s condition, in the original undamaged packaging. To return, fill in the contact form, wait up to 3 business days for the RMA number, then ship it with tracking. Shipping costs are not refunded, and the refund is issued within 14 days of inspection.
• Coop: $98.75, 100 days, with a pre-paid return label described as free.
• Saatva: $165, 45 nights, free returns, and no restocking or penalty fees.
• TEMPUR-Neck: $114, no trial, and a 5-year limited warranty against defects.

Quick tip: Keep the box and packaging until you’re sure about a vacuum-packed pillow.

How we chose: we picked by shape, loft, adjustability, cover, price per pillow and return terms, using each maker’s published facts. We didn’t run lab tests. Some links on this page may earn us a commission, at no extra cost to you.

Where this fits in our pillow guides

This buying guide is one part of our practical guide to pillows and neck comfort. That guide covers sleeping positions, pillow care and when a sore neck needs a doctor. If Derila Ergo is on your shortlist, our full review of the Ergo memory foam pillow covers who it suits, how to set it up and the return steps in more detail.

Our pick for most side sleepers

Derila Ergo is the best pick for most side sleepers who also sleep on their back. It has a contour shape made for both positions, a 4.7-inch height that fits many average shoulders and the lowest price per pillow of the four compared here. You also get 60 days to return it, as long as you keep the original packaging. If your shoulders are very broad, the Saatva High Loft may suit you better. If you fall between sizes, try the Coop adjustable. Measure your shoulder gap first, then compare.

Check current Derila Ergo bundle prices and return terms on the official site.

See Derila Ergo on the official site60-day money-back guarantee