Best Pillows For Side Sleepers – UK 2022

Choosing The Right Type Of Pillow For Side Sleepers

Side sleeping is the most common sleeping position in the UK. Having a good mattress is probably the most important factor in getting a good night’s sleep. Your pillow is a close second though. There are a few key things to look for in a pillow for side sleepers. A firm, high lofted pillow will give plenty of support and is key for keeping the spine in correct alignment. Keeping the spine in good alignment relieves pressure from the key joints such as the shoulders and hips.

A high lofted pillow provides support by filling the gap between the mattress and your head, which can be quite big when side sleeping. If your pillow/pillows are too low or high then spinal alignment is not maintained and can prevent you from sleeping comfortably. Choosing a pillow that is not designed for side sleepers can make it tricky to keep in the optimal sleeping position and may prevent you from making the most of your sleep.

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The Best Pillows For Side Sleepers

1. Misiki Orthopaedic Pillow

2. ON1S Contour Memory Foam Pillow

3. Cosi Home® Luxury Memory Foam Pillow

4. Snuggledown Side Sleeper Pillow

5. Slumberdown Super Support Pillow

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How To Get The Best Sleep While Side Sleeping

Sleeping on your side brings many benefits and is considered by many sleep experts to be the healthiest sleeping position. Sleeping comfortably on your side is key to a good night’s sleep and can help prevent acid reflux, pain and help reduce snoring. There are a few key things to make sure you are doing to prevent aches and pains from developing as you sleep.

The pillow needs to be firm enough to keep its position throughout the night. Memory foam pillows are excellent at this and contour around the head as they warm. A specially designed hollowfibre can also do this well but feather and down pillows generally are too soft and will leave the head without enough support. If you find that your pillow does the job well but you’re still getting some hip or back pain then a pillow between the knees can help ease any pain by helping align the spine.

1. Misiki Orthopaedic Pillow

The unique Misiki orthopaedic pillow is a butterfly-shaped cervical pillow. The pillow is  designed to give a good level of support to the neck and back. Inside of the pillow is a memory foam core which gives the pillow a firm feel. Misiki’s primary design goal from this ergonomic, orthopaedic pillow is to promote good spinal alignment and help prevent the development of neck pain. An interesting feature in the design of this pillow is that it features a specific spot for the arms to rest. Collecting a large amount of reviews on Amazon it ranks among Amazon’s best selling pillows.

Construction, Features and Feel

In terms of firmness for the Misiki Ergonomic Orthopaedic pillow, the high-quality memory foam used gives it a firm rating. It provides a high level of support and can help ease neck and shoulder pain. The memory foam core is temperature-sensitive so it moulds and adapts to your needs.
The butterfly design of the Misiki Orthopaedic pillow lets you use it in two different ways. If you have narrow or average width shoulders it can be positioned in the normal sleeping position. If your shoulders are wider than average then this may not give you the support needed. The pillow can be rotated 180 degrees if this is the case and it will provide support much wider.

Side sleepers are well suited to this pillow. The firmness also adds to the high level of support experienced and the loft of the pillow fills the gap between the head and mattress well. It is slightly higher in price than the average pillow but memory foam is very durable and lasts longer than other fill materials. You will only need one of these pillows as well due to its height and unique design.

One of the downsides of contouring orthopaedic pillows is that each one differs slightly. Due to how much personal preference affects our optimal sleeping conditions. This can be seen with a few of the negative reviews this has on Amazon. Some people may love this pillow while others may be better suited to an alternative.

View our full review of the Misiki Ortho pillow here.

2. ON1S Contour Memory Foam Pillow

This pillow from ON1S is 61 centimetres by 31 centimetres of orthopaedic comfort. Its gentle curved design lends itself to anti-snoring while providing the best support. It supports the necks natural curvatures in both the back and side sleeping positons, helping maintain good sleeping posture. It comes with two covers which are bamboo infused, great for helathier sleep. The pillow may take some getting used to as it is not a standard size, it’s only 11 or seven centimetres thick depending on the side you sleep on.

This ergonomic pillow comes recommended by sleep experts to benefit the spine and muscle structure. This is due to the pillow’s luxurious feel, unique contour and medium size. Out of 100 reviews, people give this 4.4 stars. It is great value compared to similar pillows in this category and is highly rated by us. Due to its shape, it is also included in our best pillows to help prevent/reduce snoring. A benefit that many would benefit from, especially in a reasonably priced pillow. This list can be found here.


3. Cosi Home® Luxury Memory Foam Pillow

The Cosi Home® Luxury Memory Foam Pillow is one of the best memory foam pillows on the market. The pillow itself is made from a cooling gel filling, ensuring you don’t get too hot. At the same time, the memory foam pillow is covered with a bamboo pillow cover that is all-natural and machine washable.

What allows this pillow to stand out is that it offers ergonomic support to the head and neck while also being adjustable. This innovative filling allows you to adjust the height to your exact preferences. Just remove foam until you get the height you want.

Plus, this pillow is affordable too. Between its affordability, great materials, and customization, the Cosi Home® Luxury Memory Foam Pillow is one of the best memory foam pillows you can buy.

4. Snuggledown Side Sleeper Pillow

The Snuggledown Side Sleeper pillow gives a well supported and comfortable nights sleep. While the fillings are quite standard, the design is not. It has a firm feel needed by side sleepers. If you sleep in other positions then it may cause some strain due to the higher loft of the pillow but this will depend on your height and build.

You should not worry about overheating with this pillow. The cotton cover does a great job at promoting good airflow within the pillow and hollowfibre has no issues with heat retention.

Construction, Features and Feel

Snuggledown has opted for a relatively simple but effective design for this pillow. The only thing that stands out from a regular is the prominent sidewalls. When first received it will be around 18cm thick. Ideal for side sleepers and it means you will probably only need the one pillow as it feels the same as two. To suit side sleepers better it is quite firm so provides great support to the neck and back.
The Snuggledown Side Sleeper pillow has a firmer than average feel for a hollowfibre pillow. This provides lots of support and helps it have a consistent feel right across the pillow. Helping keep your neck and shoulder have a natural gap between it. Preventing the development of any strains or aches. Keeping the neck well supported also helps promote good spine alignment and allows for a more healthy sleeping position.

One downside is that once it begins to break down then there may be lumpy sections that form in the fillings. This is a sign that it needs to be replaced as soon as possible.

Read more about the Snuggledown Side Sleeper Pillow in our review of it here.

5. Slumberdown Super Support

The Slumberdown Super Support pillows are an affordable pair of pillows designed to provide the support that is needed by side sleepers. It features the inclusion of a foam core block that makes this product unique and helps provide the support needed for good spinal alignment.

The Slumberdown Super Support pillow is one of the most popular pillows currently available on Amazon UK. Reviews praise it for its supportive qualities.

Construction, Features and Feel

The Super Support pillow is rated as a firm pillow. This provides a massive amount of support to the head and neck, keeping your spine in proper alignment. This can help prevent the development of aches and pains and ease existing ones. The design of this pillow is relatively simple but effective. It is made to be effective at its purpose but also easy to maintain. The whole pillow can be machine washed and tumble dried. So keeping it clean is very easy. 

A firmer, higher-lofted pillow is ideal for side sleepers. This is because proper alignment in this sleeping position requires quite a large gap to occur between the neck and shoulders. The pillow’s job is to support this area and prevent straining in the neck or back. The Slumberdown Super Support pillow shines in this sleeping position and provides a great balance between comfort and support, allowing you to relax into a soothing night’s sleep. The added foam core sets this pillow apart from an average pair. 

Read more about the Slumberdown Super Support pillow in our review of it here.

Last update on 2024-04-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API