Best Body Pillow Covers

If sleeping on your side is your go-to sleeping position, back, shoulder and neck pain are all too common downsides you can experience. A body pillow helps minimize this as it gives you something to cradle between your legs as you sleep, and improves your spinal alignment, relieving pressure points at the same time. It goes without saying, these pillows are a must for most side sleepers – but they can also be a hassle to maintain.

As body pillows are not standard sized and come in many different shapes, you’ll have to get special body pillow covers. They keep the pillow protected from stains and dirt (prolonging its lifespan) and make sure your skin is in contact with a fabric of your choice. It could be soft Egyptian cotton, plush microfiber, cooling bamboo, etc. The choice is yours!

Best Body Pillow Covers

What Is A Body Pillow?

As the name suggests, body pillows don’t just support your head and neck – they support your entire body. They’re popular with side sleepers and pregnant women as they make sleeping more comfortable for both categories, and also reduce the possibility of back, neck and shoulder pain. People recovering from injury or surgery might also benefit from sleeping with a body pillow due to their therapeutic properties. These pillows are designed to relieve pressure from key points in the body and ensure proper spinal alignment, which contributes to the comfort factor and the significant improvement of chronic pain.

While all body pillows have the same role, they come in different shapes and sizes that are tailored to the unique needs of every person. These are the body pillow types you’re able to choose from:

– I shape

By far the most common kind of body pillow, the “I shape” or straight body pillow will support your head, neck, spine and knees. While they can vary in size, most are around 20 by 54 inches and can be filled with everything from polyfill and down to buckwheat and microbeads. Their versatility is both their biggest advantage and downside: you’ll easily find a cover for one, but you might want something that offers customized support rather than being a universal fit.

– U shape

Most popular with pregnant women (although they offer benefits for all side sleepers), these body pillows completely embrace your body from front and back. The “U shape” makes sure you feel like you’re being hugged and offer support for all pressure points. The cradling effect also makes these a good choice for people recovering from surgeries who shouldn’t move much and need to feel more comfortable as they sleep. These are also the biggest body pillows out there – from 60 inches long with a width that can vary between 40 to well over 50 inches.

– C shape

As the name indicates, this type of body pillow has two curved arms and offers unparalleled versatility in terms of support. You can fold, rotate and adjust it to offer support for all pressure points or more specific ones. The length of the “C shape” pillow varies but is mostly over 60 inches, with a width between 25 and 30 inches.

– J shape

With just one curved arm instead of two, the “J shape” body pillow is great for both full body support and simultaneous support of the neck, head, shoulders and knees. You can adjust it to be a head pillow (the curved part) with the straight part offering support for the knee, or rotate if you prefer to use your regular pillow as a head rest but want the same body support. The dimensions of these pillows are about 80+ inches in terms of length (including the curved end), with a width of 20 to 30 inches.

Body Pillow Covers: What To Look For?

Considering how diverse body pillows are, it’s clear that there are various factors to consider before buying body pillow covers to go with your new purchase. In addition to some more obvious features, such as the shape of the pillow, you’ll also have to pay attention to some less apparent features, such as the way the pillowcase closes or how easy the fabric is to clean. Before you start browsing body pillow covers, be sure to read on and learn what features to look for to get the best bang for your buck.

– Shape and dimensions

Of course, the place to start with is the most logical one: for a body pillow cover to fit, it has to match the shape and the size of the actual pillow. If you bought a body pillow that doesn’t have a removable washable cover (which is often the case), you should definitely check if the manufacturer offers separate body pillow covers for purchase, as they’ll be tailored for your own pillow. If that’s not possible, make sure to thoroughly measure your pillow length (total length, regardless of the shape) and the width to ensure that the pillowcase will be an exact fit. Luckily, most body pillow covers are made for standard body pillows, so finding a match shouldn’t be too difficult.

– Closure type

Easy to overlook but actually important to the overall comfort, closures for body pillow covers usually come in one of two options: envelope closure or zippered. Some people dislike zippers because they can protrude and bother them during sleep, while others think that envelope closure is not as protective as a zipper. Both options essentially work great, so it all boils down to your preference.

– Materials

The fabric of body pillow covers is extremely important – it’s essentially the same as when you choose sheets or pillowcases in general. The fabric should be easy to clean from stains, machine washable and dryable for convenience, and have a pleasant feel on your skin. Many prefer cotton for their body pillow covers as it’s crisp and cooling for all seasons. In this case, you can choose between a variety of finishes (sateen, damask, percale, flannel, etc) and thread count ranges that will impact both the softness and durability of the pillow cover. Alternatively, if you want an inexpensive, stain-resistant option that feels plush, you can also consider microfiber covers. Finally, you might want to go for satin, sherpa or fleece pillow covers if you want an option that’s either suited for summer or winter specifically.

Conclusion

Body pillow covers keep your pillow protected from external damage so that stains and dirt won’t reach the pillow or its fill. This prolongs the lifespan of the pillow and ensures that you’re getting your money’s worth. Body pillow covers serve another purpose, which is obviously to keep you more comfortable. Whether you prefer sleeping on a plush fabric or need something breathable to keep you cool, a body pillow cover made from the right kind of fabric will meet your demands and ensure you truly get a good night’s rest.

Recent Updates

July 13, 2021: A fifth product has been added to round out our top 5 list: the NTBAY Body Pillow Cover. An Additional Resources section has also been included to refer readers to related content about body pillows and their covers.

Additional Resources

• What Size is a Body Pillow? 
• Types of Pillows: Your Guide to Pillow Comfort 
• The Best Decorative Pillow Covers