I feel like I used to have a satisfactory layout for years but haven’t since found a consistently comfortable arrangement. I like to have a fairly thick pillow or two under my head to accommodate my bad shoulder, a pillow between my thighs to avoid chafed skin, and a pillow for hugging - also mostly for my shoulder.
The head ones tend to get distorted really quickly and it’s really difficult to find a good hugging pillow.
Interesting, I don’t think I’ve encountered someone using a towel long term.
I use a CPAP, too, but toss and turn so much that I think the arm flick to adjust the air hose during the turn has become reflexive.