Best Pillow for Side Sleepers: Fill Types, Loft and Dosaze Picks
The best pillow for most side sleepers is medium-firm to firm, about 4 to 6 inches tall once your head is on it, and able to hold that height all night. An adjustable shredded memory foam pillow is the easiest way to get there, because you can add or remove fill until your neck sits level. Broad shoulders need the top of that range. Narrow frames and soft mattresses need less. In the Dosaze range, the Dosaze Adjustable Pillow and the ThermaCool Adjustable Pillow fit that description, and the Contoured Orthopedic Pillow suits people who prefer a fixed, shaped foam pillow.
If you searched for Dosaze pillow reviews: this is the Dosaze blog, so read it as the maker's guide, not an independent review. We haven't run a test panel. This page covers how side sleeping loads a pillow, how the common fill types behave, and which of our pillows match which sleeper, based on what each one is made of.
Why side sleepers need more height
When you lie on your side, the space between the mattress and your head is roughly as wide as your shoulder. The pillow has to fill that gap. Too flat, and your head drops toward the mattress. Too tall or too stiff, and it gets pushed up. Either way your neck bends sideways for hours, which is how people end up with a stiff neck, a numb arm or an ache between the shoulder blades in the morning.
The target is a neutral line, with ears, shoulders and hips roughly level and your nose in line with the middle of your chest. Back sleepers need a moderate pillow and stomach sleepers need a very low one, so the pillow your back-sleeping partner likes is often too flat for you.
What to look for
- A loft of about 4 to 6 inches under the weight of your head. The height in the box is not the height you sleep on.
- A medium-firm to firm feel. Soft pillows can feel lovely at bedtime and sink until your head has dropped by 2 a.m.
- Fill that stays put without nightly fluffing.
- Some way to change the height, if you don't know your number yet.
- Cooling features if you run warm, since your cheek is pressed against the surface all night and dense foam holds heat.
- Quiet fill and a washable cover, which matter more when you share a bed.
Your mattress changes the number
A soft mattress lets your shoulder sink, which shrinks the gap, so you need less loft. On a firm mattress your shoulder stays high and you'll want the upper end of the range. This is one reason a pillow a friend swears by can feel wrong on your bed. And if your shoulder goes numb whatever pillow you use, the mattress may be the bigger problem.
Best type of pillow for side sleepers: fills compared
| Fill | Holds height overnight | Adjustable | Heat | Weight | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shredded memory foam | Well | Usually | Warmer than latex, cooler than solid foam; gel helps | Medium to heavy | Most side sleepers, and anyone unsure of their loft |
| Solid or contoured memory foam | Very consistently | No | Can trap heat unless ventilated or gel-infused | Heavy | People who like a fixed, shaped feel |
| Latex | Very consistently, for a long time | Rarely | Cool and breathable | Heavy | Firm-pillow fans who run warm |
| Down, down alternative, fiber | Poorly; compresses through the night | Only by folding or stacking | Varies | Light | Occasional side sleepers who mostly lie on their back |
Shredded memory foam
This is where we'd point most side sleepers first. The pieces shift to fill the curve of your neck, and because you can take fill out or put it back, one pillow can be set up for a petite sleeper or a broad-shouldered one. The downsides: it is heavier than a down pillow, it can run warm if the foam has no cooling treatment, and new foam often has a mild smell for the first day or two while it airs out.
Solid memory foam
A solid foam block gives the most predictable height of any fill, since nothing moves around inside it. Some people find it rigid. Traditional dense foam is also known for holding heat, so look for gel infusion or ventilation if that worries you.
Latex
Latex pushes back against your head instead of slowly sinking, which some sleepers find more supportive and others find bouncy. It keeps its loft for years and sleeps cooler than memory foam. But you get the height it comes with, it is heavy to reposition at night, and it usually costs more. Dosaze doesn't make a latex pillow.
Down, down alternative and fiber
These are the softest and lightest options, and fiber fill is usually the cheapest. For dedicated side sleepers they share one problem: they compress as the night goes on and need regular fluffing to get their height back. They work best for combination sleepers who spend most of the night on their back. If you love the feel of down, a firmer pillow underneath it can make up the missing height.
Dosaze pillows for side sleepers
Every pillow below is listed as working for side sleepers. They suit different people, though, and the full range is in our pillows collection.
Dosaze Adjustable Pillow, if you don't know your loft
The fill is gel-infused memory foam (no polyester), and the pillow is moldable and adjustable, with extra foam included in the box. That extra foam is what makes it useful for side sleepers: add it if you have broad shoulders or a firm mattress, leave fill out if you're narrow-framed. It is queen-sized (18" x 26"), made in the USA, with a hypoallergenic cover, and the product listing notes it was ranked Best Pillow of 2021 by a consumer research agency. Expect to spend a few nights adjusting it before it feels right.
ThermaCool Adjustable Pillow, for hot sleepers
Pick the Dosaze ThermaCool Adjustable Pillow if heat is your main complaint. It uses two foams: a ventilated gel core that cycles hot air and helps align your neck, plus an adjustable cooling fill that lets you set the firmness. Like the Adjustable Pillow, the height is yours to change, and it is designed for side, back and stomach sleepers, which helps if you roll between positions.
Contoured Orthopedic Pillow, for a fixed shape
The Dosaze Contoured Orthopedic Pillow is premium memory foam shaped to cradle the curve of your neck and promote spinal alignment. The fabric is naturally cooling and anti-microbial, the cover is removable for washing, the fabric is OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified and the foam is CertiPUR-US certified. You can't add or remove height, so it suits people who want a pillow that feels the same every night and whose build is not at either extreme. If you have very broad shoulders, an adjustable pillow is the safer bet. (The Dosaze OrthoCurve Pillow is listed with the same contoured design.)
Other products side sleepers ask about
- The Therapeutic Cooling Wedge Pillow is for sleeping at an elevated angle, and its listing says it is great for reducing acid reflux and GERD symptoms. It raises your chest as well as your head. It also comes in the Alignment Kit with the Contoured Orthopedic Pillow.
- The Travel Neck Pillow has a chin rest and 360° support for sleeping upright on flights, trains or road trips, when lying on your side isn't an option.
- A pillow between your knees keeps your top leg from pulling your hips out of line. Any spare pillow works for this.
How to check that a pillow fits you
- Lie on your side in your usual position, on your own mattress.
- Ask someone to look at you from the front. Your nose should line up with the middle of your chest, and your head shouldn't tilt toward the mattress or the ceiling.
- If your head tilts down, add fill. If it tilts up, take some out.
- Give each change a few nights before judging it, since your neck needs time to settle.
Dosaze pillows come with a 60-night sleep trial, so there is time to get the height right. Details on shipping, returns and the trial are on our FAQ page.
Who should look elsewhere
Stomach sleepers need a much lower pillow than anything on this page, or they risk bending the neck backward. Very hot sleepers may still feel warm on a cooling pillow if the mattress and bedding trap heat. And if you only like the light, squashy feel of down, a foam pillow of any kind will feel dense to you.
Frequently asked questions
What type of pillow is best for side sleepers?
For most side sleepers, an adjustable shredded memory foam pillow works best, because it holds its height overnight and you can change the loft to match your shoulder width. Latex is a good alternative if you want firm support and run warm, though it usually can't be adjusted. Down and fiber pillows tend to compress through the night, so they suit occasional side sleepers better.
How thick should a pillow be for a side sleeper?
A loft of about 4 to 6 inches, measured with your head on it, fits most side sleepers. Broad shoulders and firm mattresses call for the higher end, while narrow frames and soft mattresses need less. The check is simple: your nose should line up with the middle of your chest and your head shouldn't tilt.
Are Dosaze pillows good for side sleepers?
The Dosaze Adjustable Pillow, ThermaCool Adjustable Pillow and Contoured Orthopedic Pillow are all listed as working for side sleepers. The two adjustable pillows let you add or remove fill to set your height, and the ThermaCool adds a ventilated gel core for hot sleepers. The Contoured Orthopedic Pillow has a fixed shape, so it suits people whose build isn't at either extreme.
Is memory foam or down better for side sleeping?
Memory foam is usually the better choice for side sleepers because it keeps its height under the weight of your head. Down feels soft and light but compresses as the night goes on, which can leave your head lower than your shoulder by morning. Memory foam's trade-offs are extra weight and more warmth, which gel infusion and ventilation help with.
What is the best pillow in the world?
No single pillow is best for everyone, because the right height depends on your sleep position, shoulder width and mattress. For side sleepers, the closest thing to a universal pick is an adjustable pillow, since it can be set up for different builds. The Dosaze Adjustable Pillow was ranked Best Pillow of 2021 by a consumer research agency, according to its product listing.
