The Best Pillows for Side Sleepers in 2024

The Purple Harmony pillow is one of my favorites. It’s not fluffy like a down pillow, but lying on it feels like a light and airy cloud. Purple’s GelFlex Grid spans across the top layer, providing soft and squishy comfort, while the Talalay latex in the pillow’s core provides ample head support and keeps the pillow from falling flat. 

The cover is a soft and stretchy mesh material. Paired with the ventilated latex and GelFlex Grid, the pillow allows air to easily pass through, making it a good option for hot side sleepers. With three loft heights to choose from (low, medium, tall) the Purple Harmony pillow suits side sleepers of all sizes. I recommend the tall option for most side sleepers, and the medium for those under 150 pounds. 

Pros

• Three height options
• Promotes airflow for a cooler sleep
• The cover is machine washable

Cons

• Expensive
• Might feel too unique for people who want a standard foam pillow

Not a down pillow but not a true foam pillow either, the ComfortFit pillow from Sleep Number offers the best of both worlds. The Ultimate ComfortFit model comes with three inserts inside, each stuffed with a memory foam and down-alternative fibers. The filling makes the pillow feel soft and fluffy without ever going flat. It’s also one of the two pillows I sleep with every night; I’ve had mine for months and love it.

Most side sleepers will want to keep all three inserts in, but if it’s too tall for you, you can always make it lower by unzipping the cover and removing an insert. The cover is machine washable. 

Pros

• Removable inserts allow side sleepers to adjust height
• Comes with a removable and machine washable cover

Cons

• Might be too pricey for some shoppers

We had high expectations for a pillow with the name snow in it, and it didn’t disappoint. The Casper Hybrid pillow actually tops our list for the best cooling pillow because of how well its phase-change and other cooling technology works. It’s physically cool to the touch and promotes airflow so you stay more comfortable throughout the night.

The inside of the Casper Hybrid pillow consists of layers of polyfoam and soft fibers, giving it a blended feel that’s more responsive than memory foam and more supportive than down. Not only is the cover cooling, but it’s also removable and machine washable. 

Pros

• Has a removable and machine washable cover
• Effectively regulates temperature and feels cool to the touch

Cons

• High price tag
• Might be too cool for side sleepers who don’t sleep hot

The ergonomically designed Eli & Elm Side Sleeper pillow has a U-like shape that keeps your head and neck supported while nestling around the curves of your shoulder. It’s stuffed with latex shreds that look like little noodles and fluffy polyester fiber, making the pillow soft, fluffy, bouncy and supportive at the same time. And while it’s not cool to the touch, it regulates temperature well. 

Side sleepers can adjust the height and firmness of the Eli & Elm side sleeper pillow by removing the stuffing. The more stuffing that’s inside, the more firm and tall it will be. You can even order a pillow with additional fill if you’re a larger side sleeper or like your pillow extra firm. 

Pros

• Removable filling so you can adjust the height
• Designed specifically for side sleepers
• You can buy the pillow with extra stuffing
• Machine washable cover

Cons

• It’ll cost you over $100
• No king size pillow available

Another adjustable pick on our best pillow for side sleepers list, the Layla Kapok pillow is extra lofty, stuffed with memory foam shreds and soft, eco-friendly kapok fibers. Layla is known for its light and airy memory foam mattresses, and that’s exactly what the foam inside the Kapok pillow feels like. Your head is gently nestled by the foam without sinking too far into the material, and it’s perfectly supportive for side sleepers. 

If you want to make the pillow lower and softer, all you have to do is remove the stuffing. In the case you spill or drool a little too much on the soft cover, no problem — it’s removable and machine-washable. 

Pros

• You can remove filling to adjust the height
• Machine washable cover

Cons

I’ve tested the Nectar memory foam pillow that has been perpetually out of stock. While it doesn’t look like that pillow is coming back, Nectar introduced the Residence pillow. It has the same construction, is made with the same materials and costs the same as the original Nectar pillow. It just got a little redesign. As such, I think it’s the best pillow for side sleepers who want a more budget-friendly pick. 

Its filling is made with different types of memory foam. With a pillow-in-pillow design, the outside is more fluffy and soft, while the inside is firmer for proper head and neck support. It comes stuffed with filling, so a lot of side sleepers will probably want to remove some to make it more accommodating. 

Pros

• The most affordable option on this list
• You can adjust the height by removing fill

Cons

• The cover has to be spot cleaned
• Only comes in one standard size