PSA for side sleepers: Your pillow is probably too flat. These are better.

Pillows are not one-size-fits-all. Anyone who's ever purchased a $3 pillow from the bin at Target on the basis that it was $3 probably found that out the hard way. Sorry about your neck, pal. For side sleepers, "I think I slept on my neck wrong" is a very real thing that could be causing neck pain in the morning, but not in the awkward, twisted, contortionist way that everyone pictures. In reality, the real offender is probably a flat pillow. SEE ALSO: This is the best way to sleep Sleeping in the lateral position takes the pressure off the mattress and puts your body weight on a single shoulder. Because your shoulder is also holding you higher off the mattress, there's now a gap between your neck and the mattress. While a flat pillow is ideal for preventing a stomach sleeper's spine from curving upward, too little loft causes a side sleeper's head to sink below the plane of the neck — causing a gnarly kink that will definitely hurt in the morning. Read more...More about Culture, Sleep, Pillows, Mashable Shopping, and Hit Snooze IMAGE: Purple MOST INNOVATIVE MATERIAL Purple Harmony Say hello to the bouncy hexagonal material that you never knew you needed and a shape that won't flatten. Trial period: 100 nights Loft: 6.5 or 7.5 inches Sizes: One (standard) Adjustable fill: No $159 from Purple IMAGE: Eli and Elm BEST CURVED PILLOW Eli and Elm Side Sleeper Pillow Instead of pulling a rectangular pillow around your neck, a U-shape provides support with a nook for your shoulders. Trial period: 45 days Loft: 5 inches Sizes: Standard Adjustable fill: Yes $99.99 from Eli and Elm IMAGE: Layla Sleep BEST FOR HIGH LOFT Layla Kapok Pillow Once you experience how this kapok pillow molds to your pressure points, you'll never go back to plain memory foam. Trial period: 120 nights Loft: 8 inches Sizes: Queen, king Adjustable fill: Yes $99 from Layla Sleep IMAGE: Coop Home Goods BUDGET PICK Original Coop Home Goods Pillow Your head will stay afloat all night on this sweet balance of foam and fluff, blended inside a bamboo cover. Trial period: 100 nights Loft: 8 inches Sizes: Queen, king Adjustable fill: Yes $59.99 from Coop Home Goods IMAGE: Casper BEST FOR COMBO SLEEPERS Casper Original Pillow A dreamy down alternative pick, Casper's pillow-in-a-pillow design is the best of both worlds for side, back, and stomach sleepers. Trial period: 100 nights Loft: 7 inches Sizes: Standard, king Adjustable fill: Yes $65 from Casper IMAGE: Tempur-Pedic BEST COOLING HIGH-LOFT PILLOW Tempur-Cloud Breeze Experience Tempur-Pedic's famous NASA-designed foam and cooling pads with a loft higher than most gel pillows. Trial period: 90 nights Loft height: 6.4 inches Sizes: Queen, king Adjustable fill: No $169 from Tempur-Pedic IMAGE: Brooklinen BEST DOWN PILLOW Brooklinen Down Plush Pillow Another internet favorite, Brooklinen's 400 thread count down pillow provides a dual-core design for focused head support. Trial period: 60 nights Loft height: 3 to 5 inches Sizes: Standard, king Adjustable fill: No $69 from Brooklinen IMAGE: Tempur-Pedic BEST CONTOURED PILLOW Tempur-Neck Pillow Reinforce that spinal alignment with the ultra-firm Tempur-Neck, which uses uneven lofts to fill gaps and keep your head in place. Trial period: 90 nights Loft: 3, 4, or 4.5 inches Sizes: Small, medium, large Adjustable fill: No $89 from Tempur-Pedic IMAGE: Malouf BEST BODY PILLOW Z L-Shaped Gel Dough Pillow Sticking this L-shaped cooling pillow between your legs takes pressure off your hips and offers a whole new level of comfort. Trial period: N/A Loft height: 5 inches Size: Standard Adjustable fill: No $115.99 from Malouf