How does your sleep style affect your loft choice?

Your sleeping position determines the pillow firmness and loft (height) you need to sleep comfortably and maintain healthy spinal alignment. Your pillow shouldn’t be so tall it makes your neck curl inward, nor so thin your head and neck curve backward. Let’s look at the different sleep positions.

Side sleepers: For side sleepers, the head and neck should be equally supported while the spine should follow an ideal horizontal curve to avoid awkward bending. Side sleeper heads are far from their beds, so they need a high loft pillow (5 to 7 inches) to fill the gap between their head and their mattress. For side sleepers, medium firmness with plenty of breathability is a must, to ensure your head is properly cushioned but still kept in line with your spine. 

For the Sidney Sleep owners, especially those with preexisting issues of shoulder or hip pain — a higher-loft pillow tends to work best by providing nice pressure relief in your shoulder, and holding your head in neutral alignment. Try the pillow out the box or remove a modest amount of fill.

Back sleepers: Back sleepers need a medium loft pillow (4 to 5 inches) and between a medium to medium-firm firmness to keep their head and neck in line with their spine. Once you have sufficient support under your head, neck, and shoulders, your body muscles will feel more relaxed and less stressed. Memory foam, shredded memory, polyester, and latex pillows are ideal for most back sleepers. These offer great support and are easily conformable.

For Sidney Sleep owners who sleep on their backs, aim for a “happy medium.” To ensure that they have a pillow that is ideal to help maintain the proper alignment or curve of their neck and head.

Stomach sleepers: Compared to other sleep positions, sleeping on the stomach may put pressure on the back and neck. For that, a flat pillow that is firm with thin loft (3 inches or less) that doesn’t strain the head and neck is essential. Stomach sleepers can also use medium loft pillows and only rest their forehead against the pillow so sleepers can lay face-down and prevent neck stains.

Polyester and Buckwheat pillows are comparatively flat in shape so they’re ideal for most stomach sleepers.

For Sidney Sleep stomach sleepers, who keep their face very close to the mattress, a thinner pillow works well to keep neutral alignment and support the natural curvature of your spine. Too much loft could leave your neck sore, so remove a large amount of fill.

Combo sleepers: A combo sleeper changes sleeping positions all night long. Since combination sleepers sleep in two or more positions, it’s difficult to determine an exact loft and firmness suited for them. Instead, combo sleepers should try an adjustable pillow, such as shredded memory foam or latex pillow, because their firmness and loft are moldable.