The Best Body Pillows for Side Sleepers
Being a side sleeper can be challenging. You have to constantly flip and flop for the right position and often use several pillows to support your body’s pressure points. Body pillows are the most obvious solution, long enough to cuddle fully while still supporting your limbs.
I chose body pillows in a range of shapes and styles, from traditional, long, rectangular body pillows to pregnancy pillows in a variety of shapes to see which style worked best for a strict side-only sleeper like me. I tested each of the pillows for a week while sleeping and lounging to see how the fill changed and moved over time and which pillow worked best for a side sleeper’s unique needs. There are tons of choices—including different fill, firmness, and shape—but these are our picks.
Check out our many other sleep-related guides, including the Best Mattresses, Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers, Best Organic Mattresses, and Favorite Pillows.
Updated February 2025: We've added the Bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow and Pillow Cube Side Cube and updated links and prices throughout.
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What to Look For
As a side sleeper, you’ll want a pillow that’s long enough to provide support between your arms and pressure points like between the 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 for the limbs that rest underneath the pillow. If you’re just looking for a pillow to hug while you sleep, something lighter and softer is best. But if you have joint or spinal pain, something a bit more firm with more support is best. You’ll also want to think about which pillow shape will support which part of your body best, depending on your needs. I’m a strict side sleeper, but I toss and turn between both sides, so pillows with support on either side were tested too. I also tend to curl into a more fetal position, so I wanted something that had enough width to fully wrap my legs and arms around.
While many head pillows and mattresses favor memory foam, depending on the foam's denseness, it can feel too heavy for a side sleeper whose limbs go underneath the pillow. Polyester or other synthetic filling is often the most plush and malleable but may not provide enough support. Many have a mixture 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 fill type is something to be aware of when looking for the perfect side-sleeper body pillow.
A standard body pillow that's long enough to provide full-length support for the body is ideal, giving enough room to stretch out or cuddle in various positions. Body pillows in U or C shapes can provide more overall support and are ideal for pregnant people or those with back or leg issues, but can often make the sleeper run hot because of all of the surrounding material. But ultimately, the preferred shape is largely dependent on what parts of the body you want most supported in the side-sleeping position.
- Photograph: Molly Higgins
Best Cooling
Bedgear Body PillowThis U-shaped body pillow from Bedgear has the best of both worlds—one side is soft and cozy, while the other is cool to the touch. The cover has a hidden zipper, is machine washable, and is hypoallergenic and antimicrobial to ensure a healthy sleep. One side features a soft, cozy, T-shirt-like material with Bedgear’s Air-X fabric, designed to help with breathability and airflow. The other side is literally cool to the touch with a silky feel; this Ver-Tex material is specially engineered with heat-deflecting fibers to create a cooling sensation. The fill is a shredded blend of foam with silklike fibers for a soft, plush feel that holds its structure while still being plush. (It also comes in an adorable zippered protective carrier.)
It's 54 x 15 inches and can be used to cuddle in the spooning position, supporting it between your limbs, or you could use this behind your back to prop up your arms while reading a book in bed. The pillow feels sufficiently long, and the fill is malleable and dense, providing pressure relief and support in the areas side sleepers need most. This was by far the most cooling pillow I’ve tested, and the fill was perfectly balanced. I usually don’t like oddly shaped body pillows as much as traditional rectangular body pillows, but this one made me a believer. I’d especially recommend this to anyone who sleeps hot or needs extra limb or joint support while sleeping.
- Photograph: Molly Higgins
Another Great Cooling Option
Sleep Number Cool Comfortfit Body PillowSleep Number’s body pillow touts itself first as cooling, and the giant 54 x 18-inch pillow is filled with 25 percent polyester and 75 percent foam. Unlike some of the other body pillows tested, the Sleep Number didn’t feel too big or too dense in the bed. The filling is soft and not too compactly tight, so the pillow can more easily contort to body shape. The cooling pillow cover is made of 35 percent polyethylene and 65 percent polyester, meaning it's moisture-wicking and breathable, which helps with the cooling effect. The pillow also comes with a 100 percent polyester cover that zips easily on and off if the pillow needs to be cleaned. The pillow is made in the US (although it uses imported materials) from CertiPUR-US certified foams, a certification that shows contemporary standards are met, including those of emissions and durability. The pillow has a one-year limited warranty, 100-day trial, and free shipping.
Overall, this pillow was one of my favorites and I think it would work for most side sleepers’ needs—it’s soft enough to cuddle closely and contorted between my arms and legs while still providing support. I slept comfortably and coolly every night during the week I tested, and I’ve kept coming back to this pillow.
- Photograph: Molly Higgins
Best Budget Cooling
Arctic Sleep Sleep Medium Comfort Cool Gel Memory Foam PillowThis 52 x 15-inch body pillow from Arctic Sleep is medium-firm, hypoallergenic, and filled with small pieces of memory foam that provide the perfect balance of stability and structure with softness. The gel memory foam provides a cooling effect by helping with airflow, plus it has a removable quilted rayon cover that can be unzipped and machine-washed.
Despite being nearly the same width as the other memory foam pick by Wayfair on this list, this pillow is 9 inches deep and perfectly filled—it was thick enough to hold without my knees or limbs knocking into each other (which was my only complaint with the White Noise Memory Foam Body pillow). After taking it out of the box, this pillow fluffed up almost immediately and the filling was evenly distributed. This body pillow is comfy and structured, remains cool throughout the night, and has become one of my favorite cooling budget picks.
- Photograph: Molly Higgins
Best Budget
Utopia Bedding Full Body PillowThis 20 x 54-inch body pillow by Utopia Bedding is one of the most rated on Amazon and is a cheap option for its relatively large size. It’s filled with a plush fiber filling of “100% virgin polyester”—which means it’s created using fossil fuels, whereas recycled polyester is made from postconsumer plastic. The polyester filling feels like the typical stuffing associated with pillows and is very plush and malleable—it’s soft enough that it can be contorted into many shapes and isn’t overstuffed, making it super easy to wrap your arms and legs around. The pillow refills back to shape without the filling getting bunched in one area or just going flat after a few weeks like some cheaper body pillows. I really liked this super-soft pillow but could see people having issues with it if they are bigger or want a pillow with more structure or firmness.
- Photograph: Molly Higgins
Best Plush
Alwyn Home Polyester Medium PillowMade from wrinkle-resistant hypoallergenic microfiber with an airy polyester fill, this medium, odor-resistant pillow from Alwyn Home has a breathable, ventilated design to help you stay cool. The 20 x 48-inch body pillow is super soft while having just enough fill to keep your limbs supported. It's long and wide enough to support both your legs and arms, and keeps them cradled in support while still being flexible.
This pillow is listed as medium for firmness, but I’d describe it as soft and fluffy. The cover is not removable, so I’d get a pillow case for easier cleaning, although I struggled to find a case that fit it well, as it’s pretty wide around. It is safe to wash, but I hesitate to wash and dry pillows—especially super-fluffy ones like this—because the batting gets clumped during the cycle and is never quite as comfortable as before. The pillow also has a small zipper opening if you want to access the inside fill. This affordable body pillow lacks structure, but is the softest on our list, so if that’s what you’re looking for in a body pillow, I’d recommend this one.
- Photograph: Molly Higgins
Best Firm
Tempur-Pedic BodyPillowThis highly rated, pricey Tempur-Pedic body pillow touts itself as especially designed for side sleepers and expectant mothers. It's one of the most expensive on the list, with a five-year warranty (only covering manufacturer’s defects) and free shipping. The body pillow features trademarked TEMPUR-Material filled with shapeable “microcushions”—essentially it's packed with Tempur-Pedic’s super-dense memory foam. It’s a behemoth: 4 feet by 2 feet and weighing nearly 9 pounds but feels heavier because of its density. It has the feel and weight of a bag of sand. It’s a medium-firm pillow, according to Tempur-Pedic, rating a 2 out of 5 from firm to soft. Although the foam does very slowly sink and contort to your body’s shape, it feels quite hard when you first cuddle it. The pillow comes in the box folded in half, which makes the long body pillow feel more like two pillows separated rather than a long memory foam pillow, and it didn’t fully come together as one cohesive pillow until around my fifth night of sleeping with it.
Many people online said they placed this pillow horizontally along the headboard for support because of its density, which I did too when I wasn’t sleeping, and it worked excellently for that. A lot of online reviewers with back, hip, or shoulder pain really appreciated the density of the pillow, since it cradled and supported them without the insides moving too much while keeping their spine aligned. However, the pillow didn’t have enough give for my personal taste.
- Alternative: Eli & Elm Side Sleeper ($116): The Eli & Elm Side Sleeper pillow is one of the firmest pillows right out of the box of any we've tested. You can remove some of the excess fill if you want to reduce that firmness, but if you're the type of person who likes feeling like they're sleeping on a very soft rock, this is the pillow for you. It's not quite big enough for multiple people to cuddle up with, like our Honeydew pick, but for a single person, it's a great option. —Eric Ravenscraft
- Photograph: Molly Higgins
Most Adjustable
Bbhugme Pregnancy PillowLike many on this list, this adorable adjustable pillow from Bbhugme is marketed toward pregnant people but works excellently for any side sleeper. It separates itself from others on the list by being super adjustable—the pillow arrives pretty flat and long, and you can change how filled and squishy it is with silicone disks at either end (called “pebbles”). It’s filled with super-tiny pressure-relieving microbeads that easily contort to your body.
As you push the disks (or pebbles) on each end, the microbeads consolidate and the middle becomes fatter and squishier. If you like a longer, thinner pillow, leave the disks at the very end of both ends so the microbeads are spread out. If you like a firmer, more full-feeling pillow, push those suckers as close as you can to one another. The microbead filler hugs the body and supports pressure points like your stomach, pelvis, knees, and ankles when side-sleeping. This is perhaps the most versatile body pillow on the list, because you can mold it into various positions, like C, U, I, or L shapes. The pillow comes in a reusable, sturdy cotton carrying case, as well as a 95 percent cotton and 5 percent spandex jersey cover that comes in a myriad of colors and is removable and washable. The pillow is 55 to 57 inches long and 7.5 inches wide. The combination cover and the loose filling keep this pillow cool to the touch, so I’d recommend it for any hot sleeper who likes to sleep on their side.
- Photograph: Molly Higgins
Best Not-Body Pillow for Side Sleepers
Pillow Cube Side CubeThis isn’t technically a body pillow, but it's specifically designed for side sleepers (and I love it), so it’s included in this list. For Pillow Cube’s Side Cube pillow, the name says it all—it’s a cube shape that’s designed for the side sleeper. It’s supposed to help with headaches and back and shoulder pains through its unique shape and soft yet structured filling. It has a breathable, soft-and-stretchy quilted side case that's removable with a zipper, and a dense yet soft foam filling. The AeroPluff foam core is not only structured but comfy, and it regulates temperature to truly keep you sleeping coolly.
I can sleep only on my side, and one of the problems I regularly have is a sore neck from the gap between my shoulder and my head. This square, 90-degree-angled pillow perfectly fills that gap and sits at a manageable head pillow size of 24 inches long, 12 inches wide, and 5 inches deep. The breathable cover and soft density even helped with ear pressure. I’ve had an expensive cooling-gel, memory-foam pillow as my go-to head pillow for years, and this pillow has surely but slowly taken its place as my number one pick.
- Photograph: Molly Higgins
Best for Pregnant People
Momcozy Huggable U-Shaped Maternity Body PillowThis 57-inch Momcozy pregnancy body pillow provides total support for the body in any side-sleeping position. The Momcozy pillow combines popular body and pregnancy pillow U and C shapes for a unique shape that provides all-around support to your back and stomach, no matter which side you're lying on. It’s like having three pillows in one: conforming to both sides—back and belly—while supporting the head, and the bottom part is long enough to support the legs, knees, and hip joints. This unique shape even curls for ankle support, ensuring that no joint goes unsupported. The body pillow is filled with polyester, but unlike some on the list it strikes a perfect balance between softness and support, and throughout the week of testing it retained its shape without too much fill movement. Although this pillow is marketed as being for pregnancy, Momcozy claims it also helps those with pain like sciatica, fibromyalgia, and more.
While I’m not pregnant, this was my favorite of the uniquely shaped body pillows—I always felt cozy and supported. The bonus is that it comes in multiple cover types, so you can opt for a lighter cotton fabric cover if you sleep hot.
- Photograph: Molly Higgins
Most Versatile
Leachco SnoogleThis Snoogle versatile body pillow from Leachco is marketed for pregnant people because of its versatility and belly, hip, and knee support; due to its unique shape it can be contorted into many figures. With a removable cover made of a polyester/cotton blend and a polyester filling, this pillow is a lot more breathable than similar large body pillows on the list. It can be shifted into a myriad of shapes for all kinds of sleepers. The longer side can cradle the back or belly, but it can also be twisted to swirl around the belly when sitting upright, or curled into itself as a back or neck rest. Because of its unique shape for many positions, the pillow isn’t overstuffed, and I found that the fill tended to sink to the lower foot portion of the pillow when sleeping on it. I prefer to use a regular pillow for my head and found that the head portion of the pillow wasn’t as supportive as I’d like (partly because the fill moved downward). This pillow is breathable and extremely customizable in shape, although I would’ve preferred something with a little more filling.
Other Body Pillows We Liked
White Noise Memory Foam Body Pillow With Hypoallergenic Zippered Protector for $44: I absolutely love the fill of this 50 x 14-inch pillow—the shredded foam is the perfect mix of structure and softness. If it were wider, 20 or so inches rather than 14 inches, this pillow would be perfect. But because I’m a side-only sleeper, I like to hold the body pillow and wrap my arms and legs around it. Since it is so narrow, my knees knock together on the other side. I may be able to overlook the flaw of its narrowness because the pillow has a super-comfy fill, but I wouldn’t recommend it for bigger people with longer limbs.
Eli & Elm Memory Foam Body Pillow for $130: In my home, we call this one “the 7 pillow” because … well, take a guess. This long, L/7-shaped pillow is marketed as a pregnancy pillow, but it's great for anyone who sleeps on their side. The short section fits neatly under your head, while the long end can reach down to fit between your legs. It comes with its own custom pillow case, which is great, because it's not like you'll have a ton of spares in this shape in your linen closet. —Eric Ravenscraft
Ones to Avoid
Bearaby Cuddler for $199: Bearaby is best known for its weighted blankets, eye masks, and stuffed animals, but it makes other sleep products like heated pads and throw blankets, as well as its body pillow, the Cuddler. At 75 inches long and 8 inches in diameter, and with a filling of plant-based Melofoam, the Bearaby sticks out on this list, but not for the best reasons. The Melofoam, an all-natural foam made from rubber-tree sap, is unlike any other pillow fill I’ve slept on. It's heavier than a stuffed pillow but lighter than memory foam and has a rubbery, bouncy quality. Its springy fill and skinny body made for an awkward, if not uncomfortable, side sleep. It claims to support joints, neck, and back to relieve pressure, but it wasn’t thick enough or dense enough to provide any real support. And its extraordinary length made it fit awkwardly on the bed; I was never sure of how to contort it to best fit my sleeping body.
Alwyn Home Butcher Fiber Plush Pillow for $44: This 90 x 19-inch pillow disappoints. It’s egregiously long, which could be helpful for people who are taller or those who like more all-around body support. However, it just doesn’t have enough stuffing to fill 90 inches. The batting inside feels like typical fluffy batting found in homemade pillows, but it bunches throughout the pillow in clumps, leaving gaps where no filling reaches. These gaps often happen where your limbs rest, thus defeating the purpose of having a body pillow for support. The pillow is only about 2 inches deep and didn’t seem to ever spring up after I took it out of the box. I had to shake and knead the fiber to help make it more uniform throughout the inside of the pillow, but it did little to help.
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