Without thinking, you roll onto the same side every night. Always the left, or always the right; it feels so natural that the other side almost feels like someone else's bed. Until your partner wants to switch places or you find yourself facing the wrong wall on holiday, and you suddenly realise how ingrained that habit is. Time for the question every side sleeper eventually asks: does it actually matter which side you sleep on?
The short answer
For your comfort, sleeping on the left or right makes little difference: choose the side where you feel most comfortable and fall asleep most easily. Your preferred side is mainly habit, shaped by your bed, your partner and where the door and window are located. What applies to both sides, however, is that your pillow must have the correct height, because your shoulder bears the same amount of weight on each side. If you often switch sides, this counts double.
Does it matter which side you sleep on?
For normal sleep comfort, the honest answer is: hardly. Your body is quite symmetrical for lying down, and a good night on your left side feels the same as a good night on your right. So primarily choose the side on which you fall asleep fastest; that is the only measure that matters at night.
All kinds of health stories also circulate about sleeping on the left and right. There is a grain of truth in this for specific situations, but that is the domain of your GP or midwife, not of a pillow brand. For anyone without a specific reason, the rule is: the side that feels good is the right side.
Why do you have a preferred side?
Your preferred side is rarely a conscious choice; it has evolved. The side of the bed you sleep on, your partner's position, the door you want to keep an eye on, the window where the light comes from: all of them push you towards one side. Do that for a few years and your body calls it home.
Some side sleepers consciously alternate, for example, because a shoulder demands variety after half a night. That's also fine: alternating distributes the pressure over two shoulders. Those who notice that they often turn over halfway through the night will find what such a pillow should meet in the guide about a pillow for those who often switch sides, and those who want to protect their shoulder can read the tips about shoulder comfort as a side sleeper.
What is the same on both sides: your pillow
Whichever side you choose, one thing does not change: the space between your shoulder and your head. That space is equally large on the left and right, and your pillow must fill it equally well on both sides. This is precisely why a symmetrical, rectangular pillow is so practical: there is no right or wrong side, no shape that only works in one way.
SidePillow is consciously designed this way: rectangular, dimensionally stable and in three heights (10, 11.5 and 13 cm), so that turning from left to right does not change your support. You can see which height suits your shoulders within a minute with the height check.
Conclusion
Sleeping on your left or right side is primarily a matter of habit and comfort, and you can certainly keep that habit. There is no wrong side; there is only a side where you fall asleep fastest and deepest.
So don't focus your attention on the question of which side, but on what both sides need: a pillow at the right height that maintains its shape throughout the night. Then every side of the bed is the right side.
Sleep well, both left and right?
The height check indicates the SidePillow height that works on both sides.
Frequently asked questions
Is it better to sleep on your left or right side?
For normal sleep comfort, it makes little difference: choose the side where you lie most comfortably and fall asleep most easily. Only in specific situations may one side be preferred; you should discuss this with your GP or midwife.
Why do I always sleep on the same side?
Preferred sides grow out of habit: the layout of your bedroom, your partner's position, and years of repetition. Your body gets used to one side and considers it home.
Is it bad to switch sides at night?
No, switching is actually normal and distributes the pressure over both shoulders. It is important, however, that your pillow provides the same support with each change; a dimensionally stable, symmetrical pillow makes turning effortless.
Do you need a different pillow for each side?
No. The space between the shoulder and head is the same on the left and right, so one pillow at the correct height works on both sides. Choose a symmetrical model without a prescribed sleeping side.
Photography: Kampus Production, RDNE Stock project via Pexels.
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