This Square Pillow is a Game Changer for Side Sleepers

We updated this guide in November 2022 to ensure all products are in stock and reflect accurate pricing. Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab pros added new picks from Pillow Cube, Parachute and Casper.

Side sleeping is the most common sleeping position, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's easy to find a side sleeper pillow that will keep you supported. Side sleepers generally need a thicker pillow to fill the gap between their head and shoulders so their spine stays in neutral alignment. The Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab takes the guesswork out of finding the perfect pillow by putting popular styles to the test with all types of sleep styles in mind. We've tested a variety of fills including down, down alternative, memory foam, hybrid, latex and cooling pillows.

We put hundreds of pillows to the test in our Lab and with consumer testers over the years. In the Lab, we evaluate each pillow's ease of laundering and how well it maintains its shape after weights are applied (to mimic real-life use). At home, side sleepers slept on each pillow to give feedback on comfort, support, temperature regulation and more. To pick the best pillows for side sleepers, we considered over 4,000 data points from in-Lab evaluations and tester feedback.

Our top picks:

You can learn more about how we test pillows and tips on how to shop for your perfect pillow at the bottom of this article, but first, here are the best pillows for side sleepers.