When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Heres how it works.

What are the four main sleeping positions?

Before finding the right pillow for you, it is crucial to identify your sleeping position.

A woman with dark hair stacks pillows on a bed to sleep upright

Typically, the four main sleeping positions are: back, side, stomach, and combination.

The pressure points in this position are your head, shoulders, pelvis and heels.

The pressure points in this position are your ear, shoulder, hip, knee and ankle.

A woman wearing blue pyjamas sleeping in foetal position hugging a pillow on bed with white sheets.

Combination sleepers use one or more of the above positions throughout the night.

It is perfectly normal to switch between positions during sleep.

If you are the former, it’s worth considering a high-loft and extra firm pillow.

The image shows a woman with dark curly hair sleeping on her side, her face clenched in discomfort

Memory foamis usually the most popular fill material among side sleepers.

It’s combination of foam and microfibers provides soft, yet cushioning comfort.

How to choose a pillow for back sleepers

Finding the right loft is essential for back sleeping.

Casper Hybrid Pillow with Snow Technology:from $149 at Casper

One with low loft will help you achieve this.

The fill material, support and comfort also should complement your posture while sleeping on your back.

It comes with a washable 100% polyester knit cover that is hypoallergenic.

A woman lying on her back in bed stretching as she wakes up smiling

A queen size currently has $5.26, making it $83.74.

But the real savings come if you buy two.

Another ‘don’t’ is stacking pillows, one thin pillow is ideal for stomach sleepers.

Tempur-Pedic Tempur Cloud:was from $89now from $83.74 at Tempur-Pedic

You should be looking for a soft, plush pillow that will mold to your body.

their position changes during sleep.

The key idea is to find a pillow that will enable a smooth transition from one position to another.

Woman with black curly hair wearing a white vest top sleeping on her front in bed with white sheets.

That’s why the right pillow needs to be responsive, supportive and provide superior comfort.

It comes with a 5-year warranty, 100-night trial period and free returns and delivery.

Brooklyn Bedding Premium Shredded Foam Pillowwas from $54now from $37.80 at Brooklyn Bedding

A woman with dark curly hair sleeps with a smile on her face

Coop Original Adjustable Pillow:was from $79now from $63.20 at Coop Home Goods

Two women sit on the Helix Midnight Elite mattress as they look for the right mattress for their sleep position, a Tom�s Guide Sleep Awareness Week deals graphic (right)

Two women sit on a Leesa Legend Hybrid Mattress in a bedroom, testing the feel of the mattress.

A side by side comparison of a Nectar Memory Foam mattress and a Saatva hybrid pillow-top mattress

Brooklyn Bedding 3" Latex Mattress Topper

Our sleep deals writer and sleep features editor sit and chat on the Saatva Classic mattress during a testing panel session at our sleep studio

A person lies in a stomach sleeping position on the Extra Firm side of the Plank FIrm mattress

The image shows the Casper Hybrid with Snow Technology pillow on the left and the Coop Cool+ pillow on the right in a side by side comparison

A woman laying awake at night with arms overhead

The Tempur-Pedic Temur-Cloud Pillow at the head of.a bed, resting upright in front of two other pillows that are propped against the headboard.

A woman sleeping on a curved white pillow in a brightly lit room

The image shows the white Coop Sleep Goods Adjustable Latex Pillow against a white background

Woman changing bedding

MacBook Pro 2021 (16-inch) on a patio table

Bed bugs

Apple iPhone 16 held in the hand.

Ninja Air Fryer

Christopher Meloni as Det. Elliot Stabler in "Law & Order: Organized Crime" season 5

John Cena confronts Cody Rhodes ahead of their WWE WrestleMania 41 match.

You; Andor