Stomach sleepers, back sleepers, and side sleepers — we all have a favorite sleeping position. Still, research shows that adults spend about 55% of their sleep period on their side. Sleeping on your side can help maintain optimal spinal alignment, reduce snoring, and alleviate sleep apnea and acid reflux. As it is the sleep position favored by most adults, it's also subjectively cited as being the most comfortable by most adults.
However, even your preferred sleeping position is only genuinely comfortable if you have a good mattress. The best mattresses for side sleepers contour to the shape of the body so that they cradle your body to keep the spine optimally aligned while relieving pressure on the shoulders and hips. Side sleepers can experience shoulder and hip pain if a mattress is too firm or may suffer from low back or neck pain if the mattress is not supportive enough.
That said, the ideal mattress firmness for side sleepers is somewhat a matter of personal preference. It is affected by additional factors such as body weight and size. In general, heavier people and large frames need a firmer mattress than people with a lighter build. Suppose you suffer from chronic shoulder or hip pain. In that case, a softer mattress with more give will provide more significant pressure point relief for these areas.
In terms of the best type of mattress for side sleepers, hybrid and foam mattresses tend to afford the combination of body contouring support and pressure point relief needed for sleeping on your side. Finally, it's also essential to buy a mattress manufactured from high-quality materials that promote temperature regulation and consistent support. A high-quality mattress will also minimize motion transfer so you have an undisturbed restful night of sleep night after night.
We sourced the best mattresses for side sleepers. They were evaluated on their overall comfort, value, support, pressure relief, quality, construction, and reputation. Please keep reading for our recommendations for the best mattresses for side sleepers. And we also rounded up the best mattresses for back pain if you suffer from strain or stiffness on your back.
Best Overall
DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid
The DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid Mattress is aptly named since it's as comfortable as sleeping on a heavenly cloud. As a hybrid mattress, the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid Mattress combines contouring memory foam with supportive innerspring coils for the optimal balance of both. This 14-inch mattress promotes airflow and keeps you cool due to the combination of materials and engineered design.
There are five distinct layers to the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid Mattress. The cashmere blend cover is super soft yet cooling. Underneath, the pressure-activated high-density gel memory foam adapts to the contours of your body. Below that, low-motion transfer support foam ensures your sleep partner’s movement doesn’t disturb you. The innerspring coil system supports your body, ensuring your spine stays in optimal alignment.
The DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid Mattress is priced reasonably and comes with free sheets. The customer service is fantastic, with a 365-night home trial, free shipping and returns, and a lifetime warranty. The DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid Mattress is compatible with all bed frames and comes in all standard mattress sizes.
Tempur-Pedic Adapt Mattress
The Tempur-Pedic mattress brand is one of the most trusted brands in the mattress industry. True to its name, the Tempurpedic Adapt Mattress series is engineered with side sleepers in mind, with features and materials that adapt and conform to the shape of your body to cradle each anatomical contour and provide even support and pressure across your entire body. The result is a mattress that feels as supportive as it is comfortable, and as stable as it is responsive.
The Tempurpedic Adapt Mattress series is highly customizable for your sleep needs and preferences. For example, the Tempur material used in the mattress can be ordered in Pressure Relief, Motion Control, or Temperature Regulation specialties. Pressure Relief is particularly beneficial for side sleepers, as it enhances the ability of the mattress to relieve the pressure of the shoulders and hips to minimize pain. Moreover, while the 11-inch thick Tempurpedic Adapt Mattress provides fantastic comfort and quality, the 12-inch ProAdapt and 13-inch LuxeAdapt are made with 20% and 40% more Tempur material, respectively, for an even more dreamlike experience.
The Tempurpedic Adapt Mattress was invented by NASA, which points to its cutting-edge technology. The Tempur material has an advanced cellular structure that is precision-engineered to adapt your body weight, shape, and temperature fully. This yields the most personalized sleep comfort and support. It also has fluid-like properties, absorbing and distributing increased pressure on bony prominences like the shoulders. Even if you don't select the Motion Control Tempur material, each Tempur-Pedic Adapt Mattress provides excellent motion attenuation. So, even if your bed companion is tossing and turning, you can rest blissfully unaware.
You can further customize your Tempur-Pedic Adapt Mattress by selecting several different firmness options depending on the variety you purchase. A 10-year warranty backs the mattress.
The Helix Midnight Luxe Mattress
The Helix Midnight Luxe Mattress is engineered with side sleepers in mind, featuring pressure relief systems and targeted support to maintain optimal spinal alignment. For example, it incorporates zoned spinal support coils. There's a softer feel with more give under your shoulders and firmer support under the hips to cradle your body and support the spine without letting pressure build up.
The Helix Midnight Luxe Mattress has a plush pillow top layer, which feels luxuriously indulgent as if sleeping in a five-star hotel. The outer cover is made from an ultra-breathable fabric with advanced environmentally friendly, moisture-wicking Tencel fibers. The Helix Midnight Luxe is designed to support airflow and keep you cool, even on hot summer nights.
The mattress has a thickness of 14 inches and features a hybrid design. It is considered of medium firmness (4-6), striking a balance between both ends of the spectrum. Lastly, the Helix Midnight Luxe is made in the USA and comes with a 100-night trial, a 15-year warranty, and free shipping.
The Purple Hybrid Premier 3 Mattress
The Purple Hybrid Premier 3 isn't cheap. Still, it's one of the best mattresses for side sleepers, offering excellent pressure relief for hips, shoulders, and neck. The 3-inch gel grid just under the surface of the mattress is made from a unique temperature-neutral, hyper-elastic GelFlex material. It's designed in a grid configuration to support the body while flexing directly under pressure points. This reduces pressure buildup and ends up making the mattress supremely comfortable for side sleepers. Your body feels buoyant yet cradled.
The coil system in the Purple Hybrid Premium 3 Mattress is also uniquely supportive and offers dynamic pressure relief. Moreover, each coil is enshrouded in a noise-reducing fabric to promote undisturbed sleep. The mattress is 12 inches thick. The Purple Hybrid Premier 3 Mattress has a 100-night trial, a 10-year warranty, and free shipping.
The Layla Hybrid Mattress
The Layla Hybrid Mattress not only combines the memory foam and innerspring system of other hybrid mattresses, but it is also a hybrid of soft mattresses and firm mattresses. In a unique design, the Layla Hybrid Mattress is flippable and allows users to select their desired firmness: one side is soft (4 out of 10), while the other is firm (7 out of 10).
The Layla Hybrid Mattress has superior edge support due to the unique coil system, making getting out of bed easier. We particularly like a few additional features, including the copper-infused memory foam and pocketed coils, which work together to support the body, regulate your temperature to prevent overheating, and limit motion transfer for a more sound sleep. The Layla Hybrid Mattress also has a removable, washable cover, making cleaning the mattress much more accessible than most standard mattresses. It also comes with two comfortable memory foam pillows. The Layla Hybrid Mattress comes with a 120-night trial and a 10-year warranty.
The Nectar Mattress
The Nectar Mattress is likely the best value mattress for side sleepers. It is a surprisingly high-quality memory foam mattress with a price point that's significantly lower than competitors in its class. The standard Nectar mattress is 12 inches thick and composed of five layers manufactured from premium materials. For example, the outer quilted excellent cover is made from a soft, breathable poly-blend with heat wicking, cooling technology to promote airflow and prevent nighttime sweating. The Nectar Smart Layer is a 3-inch layer of gel-infused memory foam featuring phase-change material that auto-adjust to your body temperature. Below that, layers of supportive foam are both comfortable and responsive to your body.
Overall, the Nectar mattress is supportive while relieving pressure on your shoulders and hips. Little motion is transferred across the mattress — a welcomed perk for anyone with a sleep companion. Moreover, the customer service is fantastic, with a 365-night home trial, free shipping and returns, and a lifetime warranty. The Nectar mattress is compatible with all bed frames and comes in an impressively compact box, making it a great option for a mattress-in-a-box.
