Best Mattress for Side Sleeper
Contents
When selecting a mattress, a side sleeper should be aware of a few key features, including firmness. Soft, medium, and firm mattresses all provide support to the back and shoulder region. A medium-soft mattress has enough give to reduce pressure points and keep the spine in proper alignment. A firmer mattress may be too soft and may cause pain in the neck, shoulders, and hips. Fortunately, there are some great models available.
The most important aspect of a mattress for a side sleeper is its support. A memory foam mattress is ideal for side sleepers, and one with springs is better suited for back pain. A hybrid will offer a supportive base while promoting airflow. Using memory foam will reduce pressure points and reduce back pain. Many brands also feature special materials such as coir or bamboo, which will help relieve tension from the spine and joints.
A firmer mattress is better for side sleepers because it contours to the shape of the body. A mattress with memory foam will contour to the side sleeper’s curves, reducing pressure points and preventing backaches. Besides being firmer, memory foam also provides gentle contouring and reduces back aches associated with sleeping on your side. The perfect mattress is one that will meet your specific needs and preferences.
The best side sleeper mattress in 2022
There are a number of benefits to sleeping on your side, including better digestion, which is why 74% of people sleep on their sides. The best mattress for a side sleeper is a medium-firm bed with plenty of cushioning at the hips, knees, and shoulders (the main pressure points when sleeping on your side). A great side sleeper mattress should support and cradle you on either side, regardless of whether you sleep on your left or right.
One of the most popular materials in the best mattresses for side sleepers is memory foam, because it conforms to the shape of your body and provides high levels of pressure relief. As you press down into the mattress when you sleep on your side, this relieves shoulder and knee pain. In addition to easing lower back pain, these beds also relieve side sleepers’ discomfort if they aren’t snoozing on a properly supportive mattress.
The Nectar Mattress is the best mattress for side sleepers because it is unbeatable value for money and all of our testers found it to be comfy, contouring and supportive. In addition, the Nectar sleeps a little cooler than other all-foam side sleeper mattresses, improving overall sleep comfort. Some of the top-rated brands to look out for include Avocado Green, Nolah, GhostBed, and Helix, which many of which are included in our memory foam mattress guide. Here we have selected a good mix of affordable and luxury options, with starting prices from under $200, so you are sure to find something that’s right for you. We’ve included a trial option in our best mattress for side sleepers guide, so you can try yours out at home first. Should you not like it, the manufacturer will refund the money and pick up the mattress. You may also want to consider adding one of the best pressure relief mattress toppers to further enhance your sleep comfort. Let’s start with our picks of the most comfortable side sleeping mattresses…
Things to avoid
Avocado Green Mattress is an excellent choice for side sleepers seeking a natural bed. Our best organic mattress guide ranks this latex hybrid high for its organic materials and handmade construction. The top layer of this bed is organic cotton followed by a layer of natural Dunlop latex. The latex is antimicrobial and breathable, so side sleepers prone to overheating should be fine here.
The next layer contains 1,414 steel coils, which have been arranged to relieve pressure on your shoulders, hips, and back in five different ergonomic zones. You’ll enjoy improved edge support as well. What are the benefits of this design? It means that the Avocado Green Mattress is supportive right up to the edge, increasing your actual sleeping surface as you are able to sleep safely up to the edge.
In addition to reducing motion transfer and keeping your spine aligned, Avocado’s innerspring system alleviates pressure point pain, especially on major impact points like your hips and shoulders. For side sleepers, we recommend the European-style button-tufted pillowtop as it has an additional 2″ of latex rubber foam for a total height of 13″. Those of you looking for top-tier pressure relief with a luxurious feel will appreciate this addition.
Avocado Green’s mattresses also come with a 25-year warranty, which covers a full replacement within 10 years, followed by 15 years of prorated coverage. You will pay more for a natural mattress since they use a higher volume of organic and sustainably sourced materials, which are not cheap. Therefore, a queen size Avocado Green mattress will cost you $1,499, but you will have to spend an extra $400 for the attached pillowtop. It is good to know that Avocado mattress sales and deals lower that price regularly.
At first, some reviewers found the Avocado Green Mattress too firm, requiring a pillowtop. In addition, some users complained of a high rate of motion transfer, but that’s to be expected when latex is involved, since it’s not as dense as something like memory foam. As a result, if you share a bed with someone who has trouble sleeping, look further up this guide instead. However, if you’re looking for an organic mattress for side sleepers with a generous 25-year warranty and a full year’s mattress trial, Avocado is the right choice.
What to look for in a side sleeper's mattress
The hips and shoulders of side sleepers place an increased force on the mattress. For people in this position, it’s also important to get a mattress that supports the spine and keeps your spine in a neutral position when you sleep. All of the products in this guide to the best mattress for side sleepers meet or exceed those requirements.
A soft mattress is not recommended for side sleepers as it could compress the spine and cause pain. Alternatively, a mattress that’s too firm may put too much pressure on the body parts that hit the mattress the hardest – such as the shoulders and hips. Furthermore, if you’re a side sleeper who prefers to sleep on the edge of the bed, you need a mattress with solid edge support so you are always supported and don’t feel as though you’re falling out of bed.
Be sure to get a mattress that has a 100-night trial period so you can see how it feels as a side sleeper before making a purchase you’ll be stuck with for years to come. All the best mattress-in-a-box brands offer trials, with the average being 100 nights and the longest being 365 nights. Also, don’t forget to get a good mattress protector since you may not be able to return the mattress if you change your mind if you don’t cover the side sleeper mattress properly.
If you are looking for new bedding, then consider one of the best pillows for sleeping as well as a soothing comforter made from either down or an alternative to down.
Our Product Selection Process
Using proprietary analysis and hands-on testing, our team of sleep specialists evaluated more than 140 mattresses to establish easy-to-understand ratings. Our overall score includes subscores for support, edge support, cooling, motion transfer, durability, trial period, and warranty.
Whenever we talk about side sleepers, the first thing that comes to mind is pressure relief, as they have a tendency to need it a lot at the shoulders and hips. Additionally, they need adequate support so that they don’t sink too deeply into the mattress. Due to this, we only included beds that scored at least 3.5 out of 5 on support in this roundup. Six of our ten selections scored at least a 4 out of 5, with the WinkBed scoring a perfect 5.
When positioning an all-foam bed on a steel frame, you should make use of a box spring, as we clarify in our feature answering do memory foam cushions need a box spring. If you have a solid wood bed frame with carefully spaced slats, or a system bed, then you won’t need one.