Pain in both shoulders at night: choosing a pillow
If both shoulders hurt at night, you lose the usual fix of lying on the good side, so the aim changes to spreading the load evenly. For most people that means sleeping on their back with a fairly low head pillow and a small pillow or folded towel under each elbow. If you can only sleep on your side, use a head pillow tall and firm enough to keep your head level with your spine, hug a second pillow, and expect to swap sides during the night. A very firm mattress can push into whichever shoulder is underneath, and sometimes a softer topper helps more than any pillow. None of this fixes the cause. Pain in both shoulders together is worth taking to a GP or physiotherapist, especially if it came on suddenly.
Why two sore shoulders changes the advice
Most guides to shoulder pain assume one bad side. You lie on the healthy shoulder, put the sore one on top and support it with a hug pillow. With both shoulders sore, each side position puts one painful shoulder under your body weight and leaves the other rolling forward across your chest.
So the setup has to do three jobs at once: keep your head level, give the shoulder underneath somewhere to sink, and stop the top arm hanging forward. On your back, the job is simpler, because neither shoulder takes your weight. That is why back sleeping comes up so often for people with pain on both sides, even if it feels odd at first.
When to see a GP before buying anything
One sore shoulder is often a strain or overuse. Pain and stiffness in both shoulders at the same time can have different causes, some of which need treatment rather than better bedding. Book a GP appointment if the pain started over a few days or weeks without an obvious reason, if your hips or neck are stiff too, or if you feel generally unwell. Stiffness in both shoulders that is worst first thing in the morning, particularly in people over 50, is one of the patterns the NHS lists for polymyalgia rheumatica. A pillow can make you more comfortable while you wait for an answer. It shouldn't replace one.
What to look for in a head pillow
Height that matches your shoulders
Side sleepers with broad shoulders need more loft than people with narrow ones. A soft mattress lets your shoulder sink, so you need less height; a firm mattress needs more. Back sleepers need noticeably less height than side sleepers, because a tall pillow pushes the chin towards the chest. If you switch between back and side, look for a shape that gives you a lower and a higher area.
Firmness that lasts until morning
A pillow that measures 12 cm in the shop and squashes to 5 cm under your head at 3am gives you a pillow that's too low by morning. Memory foam holds its height through the night better than loose polyester fibre, which flattens and needs plumping.
Cover
A removable, washable cover is useful on any pillow you plan to keep for years. And if you sleep warm, a cooler fabric means less tossing about, which matters when every turn lands on a sore joint.
Pillow and bedding options compared
| Option | Suits | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Contoured memory foam pillow | Back sleepers and people who change between back and side but don't move much | The shape can feel strange for a week or two, and there's no fill to add or remove |
| Adjustable fill pillow | People unsure what height they need | Getting the fill right takes some trial and error |
| Body or hug pillow | Side sleepers whose top arm drops forward | Takes up room, and you need to move it when you change sides |
| Small cushions under the elbows | Back sleepers whose arms drift down and back | Easy to knock off the bed; a rolled towel stays put better |
| Softer mattress topper | Side sleepers on a firm mattress whose lower shoulder feels jammed | Changes the whole bed, so a partner will feel it too |
| Wedge or reclined sleeping | People who can't lie flat after an injury or operation | Changes your whole position, so follow your surgeon's or physio's advice |
Setups by sleeping position
Back sleeper
This is the easiest position for two sore shoulders. Use a lower head pillow so your neck rests in its natural curve, then put a small pillow or folded towel under each elbow so both arms rest level with your body or slightly in front of it. Without that support, the arms tend to fall back and stretch the front of both shoulders for hours.
Side sleeper
Check the head pillow first. Lie on your side and ask someone to look at whether your nose lines up with the middle of your chest; if your head tips towards the mattress, you need more height. Then hug a firm pillow (any spare from the linen cupboard will do) so the top arm has somewhere to rest. Changing sides during the night shares the load between the two shoulders, which is better than spending eight hours on one of them.
If the shoulder underneath still aches with the right pillow height, the mattress is the likely problem. A firm mattress gives the shoulder nowhere to go.
Stomach sleeper
Lying on your front usually means one or both arms end up under the pillow, raised above your head. That position is hard on sore shoulders. A very low pillow helps your neck, but moving towards back sleeping is usually the more useful project.
After an injury or operation
Some people find lying flat painful and sleep propped up for a while. Follow the position your surgeon or physio gives you, because it may be specific about which arm goes where.
Where Dosaze fits, and where it doesn't
Dosaze doesn't sell body pillows or adjustable fill pillows in the UK, so for an arm to hug, use a firm pillow you already own or a body pillow from another retailer.
For the head pillow, the Dosaze Contoured Orthopaedic Pillow is memory foam shaped to cradle the curve of your neck and help keep your spine aligned. It works for side, back and stomach sleepers, which suits people with two sore shoulders who are trying to spend more of the night on their back. The fabric is naturally cooling and anti-microbial, the cover comes off for washing, the memory foam is CertiPUR-US certified, and it now ships locally within the UK. The trade-off is the fixed shape: if its height doesn't match your shoulder width, you can't take fill out the way you can with an adjustable pillow.
If your mattress is the problem, a topper may be the better buy. Dosaze sells the DreamAlign Pressure Point Relief Mattress Topper and the DreamAlign Side Sleeper Mattress Topper; check each product page for the materials and depth before you choose. Whatever you change, give it a week or two, since your neck and shoulders need time to settle into a new setup.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best sleeping position when both shoulders hurt?
Lying on your back usually puts the least pressure on both shoulders, because neither one carries your body weight. Rest each elbow on a small pillow or rolled towel so your arms don't fall back. If you can only sleep on your side, hug a pillow and swap sides during the night.
Why do both my shoulders hurt when I wake up?
A pillow that's too high or too low, a mattress that's too firm, or sleeping with your arms above your head can all leave both shoulders sore. If stiffness in both shoulders is worst in the morning and has come on recently, especially if you're over 50 or your hips are stiff too, see your GP to rule out conditions such as polymyalgia rheumatica.
Can a mattress topper help shoulder pain at night?
It can if your mattress is very firm. Side sleepers need their lower shoulder to sink in slightly, and a hard surface presses into it instead. A topper won't help if the main problem is pillow height or the cause is an injury that needs treatment.
How long does it take to get used to a contoured pillow?
Many people need one to two weeks, particularly if they're moving from a soft fibre pillow to memory foam. Some stiffness early on is common. If the pain keeps getting worse after that, the height probably doesn't suit you.
