The Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers, From Budget-Friendly to Luxury
Are you a side sleeper? Well, then you’re in good company. According to the Sleep Foundation, more than 60% of adults prefer sleeping on their side. This sleeping position is not only the most popular, it’s also one of the healthiest. From helping promote proper spinal alignment and preventing heartburn to helping you breathe better and reducing snoring, the health benefits of side sleeping are immense. However, to make sure you’re really getting the most out of your sleep, you need the right mattress.
What to Consider Before Buying a Mattress for Side Sleepers
When shopping for a mattress as a side sleeper, there are a couple things you should keep in mind:
Choose your material wisely: Side sleepers benefit the most from supportive mattresses designed to cradle the body, so when shopping for a mattress, pay special attention to picks made of memory foam or hybrid picks. Each type is made with multiple layers designed to promote optimal support and relieve pressure, so they’re going to be your best choice.
Be conscious of the firmness level: Overall, side sleepers should opt for a mattress that falls somewhere between soft and medium firm. Why? As you’re spending a lot of time putting pressure on your hips and shoulders, you want a mattress that’s going to contour to your body and provide relief to any pressure points to avoid waking up in pain. However, it’s also important to keep your body type in mind: Smaller sleepers will always benefit from a softer mattress, and heavier sleepers those a little bit more on the firm side for extra support.
Be prepared to invest in your sleep: While you can find mattresses under $500, these options are typically lower in quality and won’t last as long. A good mattress costs around $1,000, and that price will increase depending on materials used and where you buy it. You spend a third of your life sleeping, so a mattress is one thing you shouldn’t cut corners on. Our favorite tip for scoring one at a great price? Keep an eye out for mattress deals around major holidays, including Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day!
The Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers
Below, we rounded up nine of the best mattresses for side sleepers on the market today, ranging from editor-loved picks to mattresses readers (and shoppers) can’t stop raving about. Oh, and don’t forget to pick up a good pillow for side sleeping, too.
Are you a side sleeper? Do you have a mattress you swear by? We want to hear all about it! Tell us about your favorite finds in the comments below!
Pillow Cube Mattress Deluxe, Queen Pillow Cube Mattress Deluxe, Queen
Our top pick for side sleepers? Pillow Cube’s Mattress Deluxe. It’s divided into two zones to keep your hips and spine cradled, which helps relieve shoulder, neck, and back pain. The medium-soft mattress also touts a plush pillow cover and Firm Foundation base layer to maximize comfort and prevent sinking. “I didn’t realize how bad my previous mattress was until trying this one,” said our social media manager, Sam. “It’s so soft, and I love melting into it every day because it’s so comfortable and cozy. It’s the perfect level of softness and makes falling asleep so easy.”
Purple Premium Plus Smart Base Purple Premium Plus Smart Base
Purple’s unique gel grid surrounds your body with comfort as you move throughout the night, making the Purple Plus mattress a great hybrid pick for side sleepers. The edge-to-edge coils respond to every shift your body makes so that you’re cradled from the tip of your head to the bottom of your toes. This mattress will also be a game-changer for couples who could use some pain relief and restoration at night as it offers all the support with limited motion transfer.
The Chill Mattress The Chill Mattress
It takes a lot for a product to win a spot on our Best List, let alone for it to win the "Best Overall" category, but the Chill mattress managed to do just that thanks to its comfy, medium-firm construction and cooling outer layer. “It’s extremely comfortable, doesn’t move or bounce when your partner gets out of bed/moves around, and is very light/easy to move,” said Marisa, our sales research and consumer insights associate director. The mattress's combination of Perfect Fit memory foam and fabric-encased coils also provides shoulder and hip support and relieves pressure points. Sweet dreams await.
Helix Midnight LUXE Mattress, Queen Helix Midnight LUXE Mattress, Queen
A step up from the standard Helix mattress, the Helix Midnight Luxe is a medium-feel mattress made with a dreamy quilted polyform top layer for extra support. Our former real estate editor, Madeline Bilis, was impressed with this hybrid pick, sharing, "My mattress perfectly cradles the side of my body as if spooning me, but without the bad part of spooning — becoming too warm." Made with a blend of memory foam, gel foam, and wrapped coils, this mattress expertly walks the balance between cushy and supportive.
Nectar Memory Foam Mattress Nectar Memory Foam Mattress
Nectar's memory foam mattress is an extremely popular pick online, thanks, in part, to its extremely reasonable price tag, which only gets better when you take into account all of its stellar features. Gel-infused memory foam makes this mattress cozy and cushiony while still providing adequate support, a big part of why The Sleep Foundation ranked Nectar’s memory foam mattress the best in its class.
The Classic Mattress, Queen The Classic Mattress, Queen
Now, we know an innerspring mattress isn’t on the list of materials we mentioned above, but when constructed with modern materials, it provides excellent support and durability. Mark, our director of commerce, has dealt with aches and pain from years of sleeping on sofa beds, cheap mattresses, and sleeper sofas, but after a year of living with this Saatva mattress, he’s found that it keeps him comfortable and well-rested every time. While the top layer is firm, it’s also plush, cushy, and breathable — in fact, Mark says, it’s “kept me comfortable throughout the brutally hot summer months, whether I’m sleeping on my side, back, or stomach,” making this a great pick for combination sleepers.
Aurora Luxe Hybrid Mattress, Queen Aurora Luxe Hybrid Mattress, Queen
After this cooling-infused foam mattress blew up on the internet, I, a fellow side sleeper, simply had no choice but to try it out for myself. Prior to sleeping on its moisture-wicking surface, I would frequently wake up feeling stiff and drenched in sweat. After one night on the Aurora mattress, however, I slept soundly, and comfortably, and finally woke up without a bead of sweat on my forehead. In addition to its heat-repelling properties, the mattress also conforms to the body to provide excellent pressure point relief from head to toe. If you’re a hot, side sleeper, you're sure to love it just as much as I do.
Casper Dream Max Hybrid Mattress Casper Dream Max Hybrid Mattress
Casper is perhaps the most famous bed-in-a-box mattress brand, and in honor of its 10th anniversary, the brand just relaunched every mattress on its roster with updates you won’t want to miss. Case in point: the Casper Dream Max mattress. Featuring three targeted areas of support and a breathable foam construction, it aims to provide a full night of supportive comfort (say goodbye to aches and pain!), making this responsive pick the ultimate choice for side sleepers.
Nolah Evolution 15" Luxury Firm Mattress, Queen Nolah Evolution 15" Luxury Firm Mattress, Queen
If there’s one mattress for side sleepers the internet is raving about right now, it’s the Nolah Evolution Max. Rated 2024's Best Mattress for Side Sleepers by The Sleep Foundation, this mattress features the brand's trademarked coils, Euro topper, and graphite-infused AirFoamICE for a pick that makes it so sleepers never have to choose between supportive comfort and staying cool. The brand said it best: “This seven-layer mattress is a sleep-transforming luxury.”
