When it comes to side-sleeping, flat pillows can be a pain in the neck- literally! Sleeping laterally with or without your arms under the pillow presents some potential issues. Supporting your head and neck are the most important things your pillow does for you, whether you realize it or not. If your neck is in a position that irritates other joints, you may experience headaches, shoulder tension or pain, and back pain. "A medium loft/height and firmness pillow that provides temperature control is highly recommended for side sleepers," says Dr. Religioso. Pillow loft, or thickness, tells you how much space the pillow will put between you and your mattress. Stomach sleepers typically choose pillows with a low loft, and back sleepers prefer high lofts. It only makes sense that side sleepers find a medium loft pillow one of the most comfortable pillows. Loft affects the way your neck and head feel as you sleep.
If your pillow is too short and unsupportive, your head and neck will sink, forcing you to adjust the pillow, your Derila Sleep Support position, or both all night. Conversely, if your pillow is too firm or thin, you could wake up with aches and pains all over. Medium loft pillows usually fall between 3 and 5 inches thick. Anything lower or higher than that may be troublesome for side-sleepers. Some pillow models have gussets for extra loft, which are simply fabric panels sewn onto the sides of the pillow. In addition to loft, neck support is often forgotten. While you don’t need a pillow with a supportive roll built in, if changing the loft doesn’t help, try finding a pillow that fills the space between your neck and shoulders. Side and stomach sleepers are more likely to press their faces into their pillows and because of that, they will need to take special care in choosing a pillow with a breathable, soft cover.
If you suffer from allergies, consider a hypoallergenic pillow made using latex, memory foam, Kapok, Tencel, or bamboo. That numb, tingly feeling you get when you’ve put too much pressure on a limb is known as paresthesia. It’s harmless as long as you readjust and prompt circulation to flow again. Side sleepers are prone to pins and needles in their arms and sometimes legs, especially if they sleep with their arm or arms under the pillow. This is when loft comes into play again- a medium loft pillow will keep the pressure the pressure from your head off your arm(s), thus avoiding waking up with sleeping, numb limbs. Paraesthesia can also come from neck or spine issues. If you find waking in the morning or worse, the middle of the night with this feeling, a change in sleep position or pillow/mattress may be required. For side sleepers avoiding pain, choose a pillow made with supportive materials like foam, latex, or buckwheat.
We only suggest side sleepers use down or down alternative pillows if they are marketed as medium or medium-firm, since this will feel a bit more comfortable and offer extra support. Shoulder pain may also be referred from the neck, or could be the position of your arm. Side sleepers should sleep with the bottom arm in front of them, try hugging a pillow with your arm lower than 90 degrees at the shoulder. This minimizes strain on the shoulder joint. Also, find a pillow that keeps your neck close to neutral and supports the hollow between your head and shoulders. Nope, we’re not talking about wrinkles on your pillowcase (although that might be a concern for you, too!). Side and stomach-sleepers are more prone to facial wrinkles than back sleepers, and while a pillow can’t necessarily prevent this, the pillowcase can. Try using a silk pillowcase to potentially avoid premature wrinkling. Side-sleeping is one of the healthiest sleep positions for a multitude of reasons.
If you sleep on your stomach or back, try teaching yourself to sleep on your side by practicing it a few times a week or when taking naps. Reduces acid reflux: If you suffer from GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) or acid reflux, sleeping can stir up the symptoms because you’re lying down. During the day, you’ve got gravity to keep the stomach acid at bay, but at night, it’s much trickier. Sleep on your side to ensure your esophagus is higher than your stomach, keeping acid down where it belongs. Reduces snoring: If you sleep on your back, this can cause the base of your tongue and the soft palate to collapse against the back wall of your throat, leading to snoring. Sleeping on your side can prevent this from happening. More comfortable if you’re pregnant: As we mentioned earlier, sleeping on the side is not only more comfortable for pregnant women, but it’s also healthier for the baby, depending on which side you choose and how far along in the pregnancy you are.