How To Use Side Sleeper Pillow

A good dark of sleep starts with getting comfortable. Everyone has different mattresses, pillows, sheets, preferred temperature — the list goes on.

What stays consistent, though, is a person's sleep position.

There are dorsum sleepers, stomach sleepers, and side sleepers. Side sleepers make upward 74 pct of the population — by far the nigh archetypal sleeper.

While there are pros and cons to each position, side sleeping is particularly interesting. Human beefcake plays a big role in which position is healthiest. With side sleepers, it all depends on which side y'all sleep on.

Nosotros swoop into specifics below on what the benefits and drawbacks are of sleeping on your side.

If you like to snuggle up on your side, you'll want a mattress that supports y'all through the night. At Casper, we have the perfect mattress for you.

A person sleeps happily on their side with their hands tucked under a pillow. Illustration.

What Is a Side Sleeper?

A side sleeper is someone who sleeps on either the left or right side of their body. These sleepers volition often tuck a pillow in betwixt their shoulders and head. A lot of side sleepers volition hug a pillow as well.

An easy way to tell if you lot're a side sleeper is to wait at your bedhead when you wake upwards. Flattened hair on one side means there'south a skilful chance you're role of these ranks.

You can also check to see if there's any drool on your pillow. Gross? Maybe, just many people drool slightly while comatose, and then if information technology's going sideways, you lot're sleeping on your side.

It'southward important to note that excessive drool while sleeping can be linked to sleep disorders, and so it'southward important to monitor this closely. Consult a doctor should excessive saliva be present night after night.

A woman sits on the edge of her Casper mattress. Illustration.

Best Mattresses For Side Sleepers

Side sleepers should find a medium-firm memory foam mattress. Once more, a side sleeper's main concern is that there can be a major strain on the neck, hips, and shoulders.

In addition, a main function of any mattress is to support the spine.

A medium-firm mattress helps support these areas because it provides a skilful ratio between sink and back up. To make sure your back and cervix are supported, a medium-firm mattress morphs to the curvature of the back — creating minimal blank space between the dorsum and bed.

Likewise firm of a mattress will put pressure level on parts of your body and can exacerbate the hurting of side sleeping. The shoulders and cervix are peculiarly susceptible to pain and pressure on a business firm mattress as a side sleeper.

On the other mitt, an exceedingly soft mattress will shrink the body. Sinking into a mattress tin beat out pain points, provide little support in empty areas and curve the spine.

Size should too be considered, as side sleepers can have up more space than stomach or dorsum sleepers. For couples, we'd recommend going with a queen mattress, if not something bigger.

To figure out the correct combination, try a mattress out before purchasing ane. You need to understand how your trunk volition mold to the firmness and make up of the pad because each person has a different body blazon and sleep position. Thankfully, Casper'south Original Mattress and Nova Hybrid were uniquely designed to provide the perfect balance of soft coziness and great support for side sleepers.

Pros and Cons of Side Sleeping

As mentioned, there are pros and cons to side sleeping. These nuances are classified even further depending on if you slumber on your right or left side. Certain organs are located on each side of the body and tin exist affected by hours of compression (i.e. when you lay on them for a night's sleep).

Nosotros've separated the benefits and drawbacks beneath. However, a expert night's sleep will usually trump all of these minor issues associated with sleeping positions. Every bit long every bit you lot aren't snoring or experiencing day-altering side-effects from your sleeping position — like chronic back hurting or neck aches — at that place'southward no demand to panic. If you lot're concerned with any issues, contact a medico.

Correct Side
Sleeping on your right side tin can make y'all more susceptible to acid reflux and other gastrointestinal distress. Heartburn can also be a side result of sleeping on your correct side. This is because if in that location is any fill-in, inflammation or general discomfort in the expanse, sleeping on your correct side inhibits the natural period of your right intestine.

This adds to the discomfort and can eventually cause heartburn. Both occur considering your stomach is going against gravity, which aggravates breadbasket acrid.

Generally, there are no pros to sleeping on your right side over your left. But, over again, don't worry if yous're getting a good nighttime'due south sleep on your correct side without any noticeable side effects — information technology'southward safe to keep snoozing this way.

A woman sleeps on her right side. A popup diagram shows the contents of her stomach sitting correctly. Illustration.

Left Side
Sleeping on your left side is recommended for side sleepers. This helps digestion and reduces heartburn. This happens because gastric fluids stay below the esophagus, which makes it more than comfortable to sleep.

Meaning women, in full general, are encouraged to sleep on their left side. This helps ensure that the uterus stays off of the liver.

Types of Side Sleepers

Within the subsect of side sleepers, there are even more than types. All types are generally considered relatively healthy, every bit long as you're getting a full night of slumber.

Fetal Position
A man sleeps curled in the fetal position. Illustration.

Just equally the name suggests, this type of side sleeper will gyre up into a fetal position for sleep. When you wrap your hands around your legs and crunch your legs to your chest, yous're in the fetal position. This tin can be done to stay warm, then if you lot wake upwards in this position frequently, it may exist worth investing in more blankets.

The Prayer Position
A person sleeps slightly curled with their hands together on the pillow. Illustration.

The prayer position is mutual for those who tend to have neck pain. This position involves sleeping on your side and placing your hands together, equally if in prayer. So, someone in the prayer position will identify their hands under their head or under the pillow.

This position helps elevate the head which could point your pillows are old and need to be switched out with firmer choices.

The Eternal Snuggler
A person sleeps while holding onto a large pillow with an arm and both legs. Illustration.

Y'all're an eternal snuggler if you tend to grab pillows and blankets and hug them close to your stomach every night. While you may kickoff out in this position, it'southward too common to wake up similar this. Generally, this is due to a lack of warmth or a need for extra support.

The Log
A man sleeps with arms and legs straight down. Illustration.

Log sleepers slumber almost completely on their side. With their arms along their torso and laying horizontal, it'southward no wonder how they get their proper noun. Going to bed in this position and then waking up in the same i tin can indicate that you lot were in a deep sleep and got a expert nighttime'due south rest.

The Reacher
A person sleeps on their side with their arms reaching past their pillow. Illustration.

Reacher side sleepers are the most sprawled out of the grouping. In this position, sleepers will take their arms stretched out in front of them, and naturally, this can make it and then their legs sprawl out besides.

Tips for Good Sleep as a Side Sleeper

The all-time way to meliorate your sleep every bit a side sleeper is to ensure your pillow gives your neck proper support. Many traditional pillows are meant solely for back sleepers. The extra infinite created between your pillow and your cervix when you turn on your side can cause bug.
Some other style to slumber well on your side is to invest in a body pillow. These pillows are trunk-length and typically firmer than a traditional pillow.

Body pillows tin can assist ensure you don't constantly roll from side to side. They're also great for pregnant women and those with digestive problems, as they stop you from rolling onto your right side.

Side sleepers should also remember to keep a neutral spine while sleeping. Regardless of pillows or mattresses, a neutral spine volition assistance mitigate back pain in the morning.

To neutralize your spine, relax while on your side, but make sure that your trunk isn't twisted in whatever way. Your head should be between your shoulders (similar to how information technology would be when you're walking). You'll probably move during the dark, but starting in this position tin aid kick the night off right.

When in doubt, use more pillows! If y'all're set on side sleeping, use pillows to minimize strain on parts of your body that aren't getting plenty support. Depending on body blazon, this tends to exist your cervix and shoulders.

Positioning pillows in a way that takes the strain off these areas can dramatically increment your quality of slumber. Remember, you're asleep for hours at a time, which can cause constant pressure to strained areas.

A Person sleeps on their side cuddling a large pillow in front of them with two smaller pillows supporting their back. Illustration.

How to Switch Your Sleeping Position

You should only feel similar you demand to switch your sleeping position if you're unable to sleep at night or wake up with pain in the morning. While objectively back sleeping is the healthiest option, as long equally you lot feel well-rested and don't snore, you should be fine.

That being said, if y'all practise experience any issues, it could exist a adept idea to switch your sleeping position. The process is different depending on what you're trying to achieve.

Switch to a Back Sleeper
The all-time way to switch to being a back sleeper is to utilize pillows — lots of pillows. Before you get to bed, set pillows around you lot to keep you from rolling over. Sometimes it can exist helpful to stick a pillow in between your legs, as this can help you prevent from rolling even more.

You may have to ease into dorsum sleeping. If this is the example, place pillows wherever your body "caves in" (e.m. lower dorsum, neck, behind the knees, etc.). By doing this you alleviate unneeded stress on your untrained back-sleeping body.

Switch from a Right Side Sleeper to a Left
If you wake up with a stomach anguish or heartburn, yous could be sleeping on your correct side. If you don't want to get a back sleeper, there are unproblematic steps that tin assist you lot switch to your left side.

To switch sleeping sides, simply sleep on the couch for a few nights. Sleep on your left side with your back confronting the back of the couch. This will make information technology harder to flip to your right side during sleep.

It shouldn't take much time to switch your sleep position while training your trunk like this. Inside a week, endeavour moving back onto your bed. Utilise pillows to keep you lot in place and gradually remove them equally time goes on.

This process is especially useful for pregnant women. Back sleeping can be painful for meaning women and right side sleeping can put pressure on internal organs.

A person naps on their right side on a couch. Illustration.

All-time Pillows for Side Sleepers

A skilful mattress and a quality pillow go hand in hand. Like yin and yang, pillows and mattresses balance each other out to create a wonderful night's sleep — if paired right.

Side sleepers should expect for pillows that are supportive, yet can mold to their trunk type. Proper support should brand your cervix experience like information technology's "floating." Some other manner to view information technology is your body should be in a walking position. This typically means it's at a abiding 180-caste bending. Your neck volition be subject field to immense pressure if it'southward crooked. With The Original Casper Pillow, you'll become a malleable pillow that tin can not just mold to your body type, but provide you with the support you lot need for side sleeping.

Whether y'all're a side, dorsum or even stomach sleeper, getting a good night'due south sleep is essential to everyday life. If you lot wake up feeling rested, there isn't much to be concerned virtually when it comes to sleeping position.

It's when you wake up in pain and unrested that you should be concerned.

Yet, don't fret. Switching your sleep position is a unproblematic process that doesn't take much time. Quality pillows and a pristine mattress are your first steps to a good nighttime's sleep — y'all utilize them every day, they should be acme quality.