The Best Pillow for Side Sleepers in Australia (And Why Most Pillows Are Getting It Wrong)

If you wake up with a stiff neck, a sore shoulder, or that familiar urge to flip your pillow over and over before you finally drift off — your pillow might be the problem.

Not your sleep habits. Not your mattress. Just your pillow.

Most Australians spend years sleeping on pillows that were never designed for the way they actually sleep. And if you're a side sleeper — which the majority of adults are — there's a very good chance your pillow is too flat, too soft, or simply not built with your body shape in mind.

This guide breaks down exactly what to look for in a pillow for side sleeping, why height matters more than most people realise, and what makes a good pillow genuinely work for your frame and sleeping style.

Why Side Sleepers Need a Different Kind of Pillow

When you lie on your side, your head sits much higher off the mattress than when you're on your back. There's a significant gap between your shoulder and your head — and your pillow needs to fill that gap seamlessly.

A standard pillow is typically designed for back sleepers, with a lower, softer profile that works fine for that position. But for side sleepers, the same pillow is often far too flat. When that gap isn't filled properly:

• Your head tilts slightly downward throughout the night
• Your neck loses its natural alignment
• Your shoulder takes on extra pressure to compensate
• You wake up feeling twisted, compressed, or stiff

The frustrating part? Most people don't connect these morning symptoms to their pillow. They assume it's just part of getting older, or that they slept in a bad position, or that their mattress needs replacing.

The real culprit, in many cases, is pillow height.

The Stacking Problem: Are You Using Two Pillows?

If you've ever found yourself folding your pillow in half, or sleeping with one pillow stacked on top of another (or your hands underneath the pillow to make it higher), you've already solved the height problem instinctively — you just didn't have the right single pillow to begin with.

Stacking pillows is a workaround. It's uncomfortable, unstable, and the setup usually collapses by 2am leaving your neck misaligned for the next 5-6 hours. One good higher-profile pillow designed specifically for side sleepers does the job perfectly without the nightly juggling act.

What to Actually Look for in a Side Sleeper Pillow

1. A Higher Profile

Profile refers to the height of the pillow when it's flat on the mattress. For side sleepers, a higher profile is essential — typically 10–14cm depending on your shoulder width. Most standard pillows sit well below this.

2. Size Matched to Your Frame

This is where most pillow brands fall short. A petite person with narrower shoulders needs a different height to someone with a broad build. One pillow does not suit all bodies. Look for brands that offer structured sizing options based on actual shoulder width and frame size — not just 'standard' and 'king'.

3. Support That Holds Through the Night

A pillow that starts firm and slowly deflates is just as problematic as one that's too flat from the beginning. Quality memory foam that holds its shape consistently through the night means you're not constantly readjusting at 3am.

4. Ergonomic Contouring

The best pillows for side sleepers are shaped to follow the natural curve of the neck rather than sitting flat. This distributes pressure more evenly and helps maintain a more neutral spinal position through the night.

5. Arm Accommodation

Many side sleepers naturally tuck one arm under their pillow as they sleep — only to wake up with a numb or tingling arm. A pillow with dedicated arm slots or a design that accommodates this habit makes a meaningful difference to how you actually feel in the morning.

6. Hypoallergenic Pillowcase

When your face is pressed against a pillow for seven or eight hours, the fabric matters. Soft, hypoallergenic materials help reduce facial sensitivity and skin irritation — particularly important for side sleepers whose faces are in direct, extended contact with the pillowcase.

Why Australian Side Sleepers Are Underserved

The Australian pillow market is flooded with options — but most are designed and manufactured without side sleepers as the primary consideration. They tend to be flat, soft, and sized uniformly, because that's what the mass market has historically demanded.

Side sleepers make up the majority of adult sleepers in Australia, yet purpose-built pillows that actually account for shoulder gap height and frame-specific sizing are rare. Most people don't know they need something different until they try it.

Serene Island: Designed Specifically for Side Sleepers

Serene Island is an Australian-owned sleep wellness brand built around one core insight: most pillows are too low and flat for side sleepers, and the solution isn't softer or fancier fabrics — it's higher.

The Serene Island ergonomic pillow range is designed specifically for side sleeping, with a higher-profile ergonomic shape, multiple sizes to match different body frames, and durable, slow-rebound memory foam that doesn't collapse overnight.

Ergonomic Neck Pillow — Available in Small and Large

• Small (56 × 33 × 10/8 cm) — fits narrower frames and lighter builds
• Large (60 × 40 × 13/12 cm) — fits majority of side sleepers (our best seller)
• Dual-height design so you can customise your own best fit.
• Arm slots built into the side to prevent cut in blood circulation
• Soft, hypoallergenic pillowcase to reduce facial sensitivity during side sleeping

Extra Height Pillow — For Broader Shoulders and Larger Builds

The XL pillow takes the same design philosophy further with an extra-high profile (60 × 40 × 16 cm) built for people who've tried everything and still feel unsupported. It features a removable second layer so you can adjust the height to suit your exact needs — or remove back to match our Large Pillow if you wish to compare the fit.

How to Know if Your Current Pillow Is the Problem

Ask yourself honestly:

• Do you wake up with neck stiffness or shoulder tension more mornings than not?
• Do you stack two pillows or fold yours in half for more height?
• Do you adjust your pillow position multiple times during the night?
• Do you wake up with a numb or tingling arm?
• Do you feel slightly 'off' in the morning even after a full night of sleep?

If you said yes to any of these, it is worth investigating your pillow height before you write off the discomfort as something you simply have to live with.

Try Our Pillows Risk-Free for 30 Nights

Every Serene Island pillow comes with a 30-night risk-free trial and free shipping across Australia. If it doesn't feel like the right fit after a month of real sleep, you're not locked in.

Many customers report waking up feeling more supported within the first week. Others take longer to adjust to a higher pillow profile — which is completely normal when your body has adapted to sleeping lower for years.

The point is: you don't have to guess. Thirty nights is enough time to know.

May good sleep be with you