How do you pick a mattress for a side sleeper?

The best way is to find a softer mattress. Soft mattresses will help relieve pressure on the shoulders and hips when you are side sleeping. At the same time, you don’t want something extremely soft as this will not give you the proper amount of support.

What kind of firmness is best for side sleepers?

Side sleepers should be looking for a mattress that is softer-than-average; on a scale of 1-10, a good side sleeping mattress should be between a 5 and 6.5. A mattress with this firmness should relieve pressure on the shoulders and hips so that one can sleep through the night without any pain in those areas. A medium firmness may even be too much.

Are innerspring mattresses good for side sleepers?

Innerspring mattresses with pocketed coils may be a decent fit for side sleeping if they are soft enough. We recommend looking for an innerspring mattress that has a thicker comfort layer on top or even consider a hybrid mattress that incorporates some type of soft foam in the comfort layer.

Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers (2024)

Written by Marten Carlson, Lead Mattress and Sleep Product Reviewer

Methodology

Our team of Certified Sleep Science Coaches have reviewed 600+ mattresses and accessories for over seven years using proprietary analysis and hands-on testing. We assess each bed for support, cooling, firmness, pressure relief, and more.

Learn more.

In This Roundup

We’ll be discussing our top picks for the best mattresses for side sleepers with special consideration for softness, pressure relief, and spinal alignment.

I’ve tested over 600 mattresses over the course of five years, so I can tell when a mattress isn’t ideal for side sleeping. While sleeping on your side can feel fantastic, not every bed is made for side sleepers, as they usually need a softer mattress that provides exceptional pressure relief. That’s why I and my team of experts have taken a look at the many online mattresses out there and compiled a list of the best mattresses for side sleepers.

There’s something here for everyone, from those who prefer super-soft memory foam to folks who love something a little firmer.

Our Verdict: What’s the Best Mattress for Side Sleepers?

Our expert reviewers chose the Helix Midnight as the best mattress for side sleepers due to its thick memory foam comfort layer. It relieves pressure on the shoulders and hips, while the coils keep the spine in neutral alignment.

Best Mattress for Side Sleepers: Our Top Picks

Helix Midnight – Best Overall Mattress for Side Sleepers
Nectar – Best Medium-Firm Mattress for Side Sleepers
Saatva – Best Innerspring Mattress for Side Sleepers
WinkBed – Best for Side-Sleeping Couples
Bear Elite Hybrid – Best Mattress for Side Sleepers and Muscle Recovery
Titan Plus Luxe – Best Mattress for Heavy Side Sleepers
Nolah Evolution Comfort+ – Best Cooling Mattress for Side Sleepers
Brooklyn Bedding Sedona Elite – Best Soft Mattress for Side Sleepers

Best Mattress for Side Sleeper 2024: Video Roundup

Compare the Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers


	Helix Midnight Mattress	Nectar Mattress	Saatva Mattress	WinkBed Mattress	Bear Elite Hybrid Mattress	Brooklyn Bedding Titan Plus Luxe	Nolah Evolution Comfort+	Brooklyn Bedding Sedona Elite Mattress
Rating
Firmness	Medium-firm: 7/10	Medium-firm: 6.5/10	Multiple firmness options	Multiple firmness options	Multiple firmness options	Medium-firm: 6.5/10	Medium-firm: 6.5/10	Medium-firm: 6.5/10
Material	Hybrid	Foam	Innerspring	Hybrid	Hybrid	Hybrid	Hybrid	Hybrid
Cooling	--	--	✓	✓	✓	--	✓	✓
Sleep Position	Back & Side	Back & Side	Back & Stomach	Combination	Back & Stomach	Back & Side	Back & Side	Side

How We Chose Our Top Picks for Side Sleepers

When we talk about side sleepers, pressure relief often comes to mind, as they tend to need a lot of it at the shoulders and hips. But it’s also important that they get adequate support to keep them from sinking too far into the mattress. That’s why, for this roundup, we only included beds that scored at least a 3.5 out of 5 on support.

To put together this list of best mattresses for side sleepers, our Certified Sleep Science Coaches spent time actually lying down on each mattress, performing hands-on testing, and evaluating the factors above to determine which would be the best fit for each ranking. For example, we test the motion isolation of each mattress by placing a glass of water on it and pressing on the layers around it.

Hands-on mattress testing in our sleep lab

We also test the edge support to see how much the bed collapses and look at a pressure map of the mattress to understand where there is built up pressure while laying on it. Rather than simply saying “this mattress is great” or “this mattress is terrible,” we recognize that this is a fairly subjective process. As a result, we simply try to point people in the right direction by categorizing each mattress and differentiating its qualities from others.

Best Overall – Helix Midnight

Best Overall

Helix Midnight Mattress

The Helix Midnight is the brand's most popular model. It has a balance of comfort and support and should be an excellent match for side sleepers.

Clarity Score 4.1/5

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Material

Hybrid

Trial Period

100 nights

Shipping Method

Free shipping

Firmness

Medium-firm: 7/10

Warranty

10-year warranty

Price Range

$$$$$

We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:

Couples

This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.

Back Sleeping

Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.

Side Sleeping

Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.

Financing Options

Financing options are available for this mattress.

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Average Customer Rating

4.5/5

Watch Our Video Review

Best Overall