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Photo: Molly Higgins
Others have been tested
Pillow side cube for $60: This is not so Technically A body pillow, but it’s specifically designed for side sleepers (which I love), so it’s on this list. Designed for side sleepers, this cube pillow aims to help treat headaches, back and shoulder pain with its unique shape and soft, structured filling. It has a breathable, soft, stretchy, removable zippered quilted side pouch, and a comfortable, temperature-regulating AeroPluff foam core to keep you sleeping soundly. I can only sleep on my side, and one of the problems I regularly suffer from is neck pain caused by the gap between my shoulder and head. This 90-degree square pillow fills that gap perfectly and sits on a manageable head pillow measuring 24 inches wide, 12 inches wide, and 5 inches deep. The breathable cover and soft density helped compress the ear.
Lecho Snuggle for $60: Although currently out of stock, this versatile body pillow is marketed toward pregnant women due to its versatility and support for the abdomen, hip, and knee. Due to its unique shape, it can be transformed into many shapes. With a removable poly/cotton blend cover and polyester filling, this pillow is more breathable than similar large body pillows on the list. Due to its unique shape in many positions, the pillow is not overstuffed, and I found that the filling tends to sink into the bottom of the foot of the pillow when sleeping on it. Overall, this pillow is breathable and highly customizable, though I would have preferred something with a little more padding.
White Noise Memory Foam Body Pillow with Hypoallergenic Zippered Protector for $35: I absolutely love the filling of this 50″ x 14″ pillow, the shredded foam is the perfect combination of structure and softness. If it were wider, 20 inches or so instead of 14 inches, this pillow would be perfect. But because I only sleep on my side, I like to grab a body pillow and wrap my arms and legs around it. Since it’s so tight, my knees bump together on the other side. I may be able to overlook the drawback of it being too narrow because the pillow has very comfortable filling, but I wouldn’t recommend it for larger people with longer limbs. Temporarily unavailable.
Eli & Elm Memory Foam Body Pillow, $130: In my house, we call this pillow the “Seven Pillow” because… well, guess what. This L/7″ long pillow is It is marketed as a pregnancy pillowBut it’s great for anyone who sleeps on their side. The short part fits neatly under your head, while the long end can reach down to fit your legs. It comes with its own custom pillowcase, which is great, because you don’t have a lot of spares like this in your linen closet. —Eric Ravenscraft
Not recommended
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Photo: Molly Higgins
Alwin Home Butcher Plush Fiber Pillow for $52: This 90 x 19 inch pillow is a disappointment. It’s quite long, which may be useful for taller people or those who like more overall body support. However, it does not have enough padding to fill 90 inches. The inner batting looks like the traditional down filling found in homemade pillows, but it clumps all over the pillow in clumps, leaving gaps where no filling would reach. These gaps often occur where your limbs rest, defeating the purpose of having a body pillow for support. The pillow is only about 2 inches deep and never seemed to pop up after I took it out of the box. I had to shake and knead the fibers to help make them more even throughout the interior of the pillow, but that didn’t help much.
If you’re a side sleeper, you’ll want a pillow long enough to provide support between your arms and pressure points like between your knees. While firmness and softness are a matter of personal preference, you often want a body pillow that strikes the right balance, to provide support without being too heavy or firm on the edges that rest underneath the pillow. If you’re just looking for a pillow to cuddle into while you sleep, something lighter and softer is best. But if you have joint or spine pain, it’s better to use something firmer with more support. You’ll also need to consider what shape of pillow will support which part of your body best, depending on your needs. I’m a heavy side sleeper, but I toss and turn between sides, so pillows that support both sides were also tested. I also tend to curl up into a more fetal position, so I wanted something with enough width to wrap around my entire leg and arm.
While many head pillows and mattresses favor memory foam, depending on the density of the foam, it may feel too heavy for a side sleeper with their limbs underneath the pillow. Polyester or other synthetic filler is often the most luxurious and flexible but may not provide adequate support. Many have a combination of both or shredded memory foam, which can provide structure while still being soft enough to sink into. This depends on personal preference and need, but the type of filling is something to pay attention to when looking for the perfect body pillow for side sleeping.
A standard body pillow long enough to provide full body support is ideal, providing enough room to stretch or cuddle in different positions. U or C shaped body pillows can provide more overall support and are ideal for pregnant women or those with back or leg problems, but they often make the sleeper feel hot due to all the material surrounding them. But ultimately, the preferred shape depends largely on which parts of the body you want to support most in the side sleeping position.
I tested (slept) each pillow for at least a week while sleeping, lying down, and sitting to see how the filling changed and moved over time. I twisted it into many shapes, measuring how supported I felt in different situations. I removed and added padding if I could, and removed and washed the covers to see how they affected cleaning and tested the differences with or without a cover.
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