How many pillows do you need on your bed?

There is a daily ritual that millions of people perform without ever asking themselves why: stacking seven pillows on the bed in the morning, and throwing those same seven pillows off again at night. Hotel beds cheerfully join in, and so do furniture stores. Somewhere among all that textile lies the only pillow that really matters at night. Time for the down-to-earth question: how many pillows on your bed do you actually need?

Why are beds so full of pillows?

The pillow mountain is mostly aesthetics: a made-up bed with layers of decorative pillows looks full and luxurious, and hotels have elevated that image to the standard. There is nothing wrong with that; a beautiful bed is a lovely sight to come home to.

It only becomes awkward when the show starts interfering with the night. If you fall asleep on decorative pillows or top up your pillow with a random extra one, you are letting decoration do the work of support. And decoration, as the name suggests, was not made for that.

How many pillows do you need to sleep?

The answer is refreshingly short: one. One good pillow that fills the space between your shoulder and your head at the right height all night. Every pillow that joins it at night is either compensation for a pillow that falls short, or functional support for another part of your body.

Stacking two pillows to create height falls outside this list: that is a signal that the one pillow is too low, not a solution. And sleeping without a pillow? For side sleepers almost always a bad idea; you can read why in sleeping without a pillow.

So which one pillow should it be?

If the whole sleeping story rests on one pillow, it pays to choose that one pillow seriously. For side sleepers that means: firm enough to keep its height all night, and in the size that fits your shoulder width. That is why SidePillow comes in three fixed heights (10, 11.5 and 13 cm), with a height test that tells you within a minute which one you need.

If you are wondering whether a body pillow or side sleeper pillow would add anything alongside your pillow, the guide side sleeper pillow, head pillow or body pillow lays the options out side by side.

Conclusion

How many pillows belong on your bed? For the night: one that matters, plus at most a support pillow for knees or back. For the show: as many as you like, as long as they end up on the sofa or in the basket at 11 pm.

So put the budget and the attention not into pillow number six, but into pillow number one. That is the only one doing eight hours of work a night, and the only one whose choice you feel every morning.

Choosing that one pillow well?
The height test turns pillow number one straight into the right SidePillow.

Take the height test

Frequently asked questions

How many pillows do you need to sleep?

One: a good pillow at the right height for your sleeping position and shoulder width. Extra pillows are only useful as support for knees or back, not as a second layer under your head.

Is sleeping on two pillows bad?

It is above all unreliable: two stacked pillows shift and settle during the night, leaving your neck at varying heights. A single pillow at the right height gives the same support, but stable.

What are decorative pillows actually for?

Purely for the eye: a made-up bed looks fuller and more luxurious with a few decorative pillows. For sleeping they serve no purpose; take them off the bed at night and sleep on your real pillow.

Do I need a pillow between my knees as a side sleeper?

It is not a requirement, but many side sleepers lie more comfortably with one: a pillow between the knees keeps the pelvis straight and stops the upper leg from pulling the posture out of line.

Photography: Наталья Маркина, Castorly Stock, Burst via Pexels.