I sleep on my side, alternating left and right. I quit using pillows years ago. Instead, I use small rugs, about 24” x 16”. I used to use fabric rugs, but a while back I discovered that memory foam rugs are excellent for my purpose. Currently I’m using these:
https://a.co/d/09TfqX7T

They’re well made, thick, and the dense microfiber nap is luxuriously soft. Many color choices. I wash them in cold water and dry at low temperature.

I doubt that I’ll ever go back to pillows.

Hmm

I sleep mostly on my left side, I have a side sleeper memory foam pillow that I use. Your idea would probably work as you can fold it to get the perfect height

Pipe Smoker: Do you roll it up or fold it?

^^^^^
No folding or rolling. Just flat on the bed.

While flat it covers about the same area as an ordinary bed pillow.

Perhaps I should’ve mentioned that I have a firm foam mattress.

Is your neck aligned straight with your spine when you're side sleeping?

and when you get up in the morning, if it's chilly you can put it on the floor to walk on and keep your feet warm

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:
Is your neck aligned straight with your spine when you're side sleeping?

An interesting point. Of course the answer is “no”.

So last night I tried an experiment. I rolled the rug up to form a pillow 16” long x 6” wide x 3” high. Because of its panels it was surprisingly stable. I slept well, but I usually do. Clear conscience.

Thanks to your nudge I began looking on Amazon and discovered that buckwheat-filled pillows are available. This one, for example:
https://a.co/d/0bUlaXNz

It appears that they’re soft, but don’t collapse to negligible height. I might try one.

I read your description and it looked like it'd be good for a back sleeper, but lead to a sore neck for a side sleeper.

I've been having neck pain since July. Near as I can tell, my favorite pillow of all time (firm, tall tallalay latex) pillow apparently had broken down and become soft after 10 years. I'm a side sleeper about 70% left side, and 20 to 30% right side (i.e. randomly on my back). My neck wasn't getting better with stretching, massage, and chiropractor so I started looking root cause and it was my neck not being aligned with my back while I slept.

I got "lucky." In February 2025, I had purchased a highly recommended pillow from Amazon designed for side sleeper as my research had indicated it was even better than my favorite pillow of all time. It was natural talalay latex, was adjustable by adding more talalay latex, and had a gel cooling top cover. A few comments on Amazon about smell, but it was the minority. The sumbitch stunk! I tried cycle after cycle no heat air dry in dryer as suggested but nothing. I stuck it in the closet and forgot about it.

Two weeks ago, I remembered the pillow, the smell was gone, and I've been sleeping on it ever since. My neck pain is 95% gone and improving every day.

I can't recommend the exact pillow due to the smell and that Amazon stopped selling it. I do prefer talalay latex to memory foam as it's a little firmer and sleeps cooler. It was the $70 version of this $170 pillow.

That rug looks like a horrible pillow. No thanks.