On the Hunt for the Best Mattress for Side Sleepers? Here are 8 of Our Favorites
Looking for the perfect night’s sleep? The most important first step is finding a mattress that matches your sleeping position. For example, are you someone who prefers sleeping on your side? If so, you’ll want a mattress that promotes spine alignment, helping you maintain a healthy posture and avoid waking up stiff or creaky. And, you’ll want a mattress specifically designed to offer pressure relief and support to side sleepers.
The good news is that a majority of people are side sleepers, which means there are many mattresses that accommodate this sleeping style. The question is, which of these mattresses offer the best blend of pressure relief, motion isolation, cooling and edge support? Which one is most durable? And which offers the biggest bang for the buck?
In this mattress review, we’ll take a closer look at some of the best online mattresses available today — specifically for side sleepers. Every option on this list scored high marks in the comprehensive testing conducted by the experts at Mattress Advisor in partnership with SPY. The goal is to help connect you with a new bed that’s just right for your body type, comfort preference and sleeping position.
More: Sleeping With Your Partner? Shop the Best Mattresses for Couples
What Are the Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers?
Looking for the right mattress type to match your sleeping position? Whether you prefer a memory foam or a hybrid mattress, a softer mattress or a firm mattress, there’s something on this list for side sleepers of all stripes.
- Helix Midnight Luxe — Best Mattress for Hot Sleepers
- Saatva — Best Luxury Mattress
- Nolah Original 10″ — Best for Couples
- Bear Mattress — Best for Athletes
- Cocoon Chill Mattress — Best for Memory Foam Lovers
- Puffy Lux Mattress — Best for Pressure Relief
- Capser Mattress — Best All-Around Mattress
- Nectar Mattress — Best Value
1. Helix Midnight Luxe
BEST COOLING MATTRESS FOR HOT SLEEPERS
Nobody likes waking up with night sweats. If you tend to feel hot while you sleep, you’ll want a mattress that helps cool you down. The Helix Midnight Lux is an excellent option for anyone looking for a mattress to help draw away body heat. Thanks to its unique cooling technology, including a cool pillow top and breathable materials, the Helix Midnight Lux delivers the right combination of features to help a hot sleeper cool off. Our reviewers with back pain also liked the supple polyfoam layers, which make the Helix Midnight Lux the right mattress for pressure point relief.
Courtesy of Helix
2. Saatva Mattress
BEST LUXURY MATTRESS
Looking to settle into the lap of luxury? Nestle down on the supple comfort of the Saatva. We consider this mattress to be a first class experience, and it just happens to be ideally suited for side sleeping. A few things that make the Saatva feel truly elegant and high-end: Free white-glove delivery and setup. Layer upon layer of hotel-quality comfort, including foam and innerspring coils. Highly durable materials that will withstand the test of time. And three firmness levels for you to choose from (side sleepers will probably prefer soft plush; back sleepers and stomach sleepers may opt for a firmer option).
Courtesy of Saatva
3. Nolah Original 10″ Mattress
BEST MATTRESS FOR COUPLES
What’s the top mattress for couples who share a bed together? If you both sleep on your side, we’d heartily recommend the Nolah 10” original. This AirFoam mattress offers a cushioning support system for both partners, and our testing finds that it scores extremely well in motion isolation. In other words, if your partner wakes up before you do, the Nolah will minimize disruption so you can keep snoozing peacefully. Additionally, the mattress features superior spine alignment, responsiveness, and other attributes that side sleepers crave.
Courtesy of Nolah
4. Bear Mattress
BEST MATTRESS FOR ATHLETES
We love spending long summer days biking, hiking or shooting hoops, and if you also have an active lifestyle, you may want a mattress that helps soothe your aching joints. Bear’s memory foam mattress is perfect for anyone who deals with lower back pain or hip pain. It’s made with pressure relief in mind, and also helps with muscle recovery. Plus, the breathable Celliant cover helps minimize heat retention. The Bear is medium-firm and scores well in spine alignment, which helps make it one of our top picks for side sleepers.
Courtesy of Bear
5. Cocoon Chill Mattress
BEST MEMORY FOAM MATTRESS
As a matter of personal preference, some sleepers just like the cushioning feel of gel memory foam. A good memory foam layer helps you feel like you’re being hugged to sleep at night, which is especially soothing for those who sleep in the fetal position. The problem is that most foam beds retain heat. Our advice? Get the Cocoon Chill, which combines all the best characteristics of foam with advanced cooling properties. It’s a great buy for anyone, regardless of sleep position, but scores especially well among side sleepers.
Courtesy of Cocoon
6. Puffy Lux Mattress
BEST MATTRESS FOR PRESSURE RELIEF
In our testing, we found that the Puffy Lux does an exemplary job of evenly distributing body weight, keeping the burden off sensitive joints. In fact, we give it near-perfect marks in the pressure relief category. Also note that this memory foam mattress is designed with cooling technology to help you avoid the night sweats. As an added bonus, there’s a lifetime warranty to help you feel real peace of mind about your investment (combined with a 101-night trial period).
Courtesy of Puffy Lux
7. Casper Mattress
BEST MATTRESS FOR COMBINATION SLEEPERS
We’ve been talking about the best mattresses for side sleepers, but what if you share a bed with someone who sleeps on their back or their stomach? Or, what if you’re really a combination sleeper at heart (that is, you tend to change position during the night)? You may need a type of mattress that fits all sleep preferences. That’s the Casper. With four layers of high-quality memory foam, it offers the contouring feel and pressure relief needed to support all kinds of sleepers.
Courtesy of Casper
8. Nectar Mattress
BEST VALUE MATTRESS
Looking for an online mattress brand that will help you maximize your bang for buck? Check out the Nectar, one of our go-to picks for value. This mattress is available at a budget-friendly price point, and it also comes with a generous sleep trial and a lifetime warranty. And yet, it doesn’t skimp on quality. This gel memory foam mattress scores high marks in edge support, motion transfer, and responsiveness. A quilted top layer is soft to the touch, making it so appealing to just fall into bed at the end of a long day. Not bad for a value price point.
Courtesy of Nectar