Box pillows have walled sides and are increasingly popular. They can come with a variety of fillings including memory foam and synthetic fibres. Knowing I definitely wanted to use my Sleeper Hold on our flight from Detroit to Incheon, I attached the strap to my seat’s headrest soon after boarding. I also elected to put the pillow itself under the strap, regardless of whether or not this is how it was intended (honestly, I’m not sure but it worked). I then tested attaching the eye mask portion but decided to leave that off until I was really ready to sleep.

At SleepFoundation.org, we conduct extensive first-person experience tests on all but a select few products. This hands-on approach allows us to provide accurate, data-driven recommendations for mattresses, pillows, sheets, and other sleep essentials. Pillow covers also come in a variety of materials. Most pillow covers are made of cotton, polyester, or a cotton-poly blend. Some are made of other materials, such as bamboo-derived fabric or satin. A boxwall or memory foam pillow can be a good bet here as they both provide a more structured pillow that offers height but prevents your head from sinking too much. Or, a pillow with adjustable fill – like the two on our shortlist – can help you to create just the right height pillow for your body frame.Hypoallergenic means that the actual material and filling of the pillow isn't made of a known potential allergen, such as feathers, wool or latex. But other allergens like dust mites can still develop on these types of pillow. We're so confident that the Sleeper Hold is the best travel pillow ever created that we'll give you a full 100 days to try it out. Initially, the Sleeper Hold was only intended for airplane use, but then the inventors realized it also works on trains, buses, cars, and even office/gaming chairs! Sarah Silverman, Psy.D., a licensed psychologist and holistic sleep wellness consultant who treats patients in New York and Florida. If you prefer pillows that feel exceptionally soft and sink deeply beneath your head, you’re a prime candidate for a model containing down and feathers. The Luxe Pillow is affordably priced compared to its competitors, and a chambered design ensures a plush feel without sacrificing support. You can also rest easy knowing the pillow holds a Responsible Down Standard certification, meaning all birds providing the fill are humanely treated, housed, and fed.

The good news is that we've tried and tested multiple pillows from multiple brands – including Simba, Panda, Woolroom, Tempur, and many more – to curate this shortlist of the best pillows for side sleepers. verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ However, you'll also want to take the pros and cons of different pillow materials into account when you shop. The fill didn’t retain too much heat during our temperature control tests and the cotton-blend cover is highly breathable, so we recommend the pillow to hot sleepers and those who reside in warm or humid climates. We also found that the pillow provides above-average support compared to adjustable models with foam fill. The latex has some springiness to keep your head aloft and prevent uncomfortable sinkage.During our tests, thermal mapping technology revealed little to no heat buildup on the pillow’s surface — a rare quality for a solid foam model. The GlacioTex cover gets most of the credit for this pillow’s above-average temperature control. Shape retention is another major strength. Since the core contains a single piece of foam, you should never need to fluff the pillow for shape recovery. Overheating is one of the most common reasons for disrupted sleep or night-time waking. If you regularly flip your pillow over at night looking for the cooler side, it’s likely you need a ‘cooler’ more breathable option. You may wash the pillow in cold water on a gentle cycle and tumble dry on a low setting. Note that it may take several cycles to dry your pillow completely. Tempur is the brand widely accredited with creating the very first memory foam as-we-know-it after it adapted 'viscoelastic'–a material invented by NASA for use as cushioning in its spacecraft – for use in mattresses. It remains the only sleep brand to hold NASA's Certified Space Technology® license.