Best Mattress for Side Sleepers

We researched 15 mattresses and found the Loom and Leaf to be the best mattress for side sleepers based on customer reviews and mattress features. The Loom and Leaf memory foam mattress is a luxury memory foam mattress with zoned comfort, breathable cooling features, Euro-top comfort layers, and some of the best features for side sleepers. The mattress comes with contouring foam layers, a zoned support system, excellent lumbar support, perfect spinal alignment, and good edge support with no sagging. The Loom and Leaf mattress comes with Lumbar Zone Quilting and Gel-infused memory foam lumbar crown, providing excellent lumbar support and cooling. Available in Relaxed Firm and Medium Firm options, the Loom and Leaf caters to both side sleepers and back sleepers alike, with the Relaxed Firm option targeted for side sleepers.

One of the biggest problems side sleepers face is spinal alignment issues. The Lumbar Zone Quilting feature, patented by Saatva mattress, addresses this issue with a separate layer dedicated to the lumbar zone, keeping your spine aligned while you sleep. This provides excellent pressure relief for side sleepers without putting excessive pressure on your lower back. The breathable fabric, made of organic cotton, and the gel-infused foam construction keep the mattress cooler for hot sleepers.

The Loom and Leaf mattress provides the comfort of a memory foam mattress. It contours to your body and also has minimal motion isolation and partner disturbance. The Loom and Leaf mattress comes with a lifetime warranty and a generous 365-night trial. It is also compatible with all bed bases, including adjustable beds and frames.

Best mattress for Side sleepers – Our Top Picks

1. Saatva Classic – Best Innerspring Hybrid Mattress for Side Sleepers
2. Nolah Original 10″ – Best cooling for side sleepers
3. Bear Elite Mattress – Budget Mattress for Side Sleepers
4. Helix Midnight – Medium Firm Hybrid Mattress for Side Sleepers
5. Leesa Sapira – Hybrid Luxury mattress for Side Sleepers
6. Nolah Evolution 15 – Luxury Mattress For side sleepers
7. Brooklyn Bedding Aurora – Affordable Mattress for side sleepers
8. Layla Mattress – Hypoallergenic mattress for side sleepers
9. Birch Mattress – Latex hybrid mattress for side sleepers
10. Loom and Leaf – Best Memory Foam Mattress for Side Sleepers
11. Amerisleep AS5 Mattress – Soft mattress for side sleepers
12. Puffy Lux Hybrid Mattress – Memory foam Hybrid mattress for side sleepers

It doesn’t come as a surprise that the Saatva Classic is on the list, but it’s surprising that it’s second on the list and not the first. The Saatva Classic is one of the best-selling mattresses in the US. The mattress has been awarded over the years based on its features and customer ratings. The Saatva Classic mattress comes in three firmness choices and two height profiles. The innerspring hybrid mattress is supportive, pressure-relieving, and contouring for side sleepers. The innerspring hybrid construction helps with spinal alignment. The lumbar zone technology helps with pressure relief for side sleepers and helps keep your spine aligned.

The construction of the Saatva Classic with the coil-over-coil construction, minimal foam, and organic cotton cover ensures that the mattress is breathable and cool to sleep on. The Saatva Classic has one of the best temperature regulations without the use of gel foam or other materials. The mattress features a high-density foam layer for dedicated edge support.

While innerspring mattresses are notorious for being poor in motion isolation, the Saatva Classic’s coil-over-coil design ensures minimal motion transfer, making it a good option for couples. The Saatva Classic is also compatible with a wide range of bases, but it’s noteworthy that the 14.5-inch Saatva Classic is NOT compatible with adjustable bases . Side sleepers are recommended the Luxury Firm option for optimum support and comfort, while the Plush Soft may be suited for those who like a more contouring comfort with a plush soft feel. The Saatva Classic mattress comes with a 365-night trial and a lifetime warranty.

The Helix Midnight mattress comes in three models: the Helix Midnight, Helix Midnight Luxe, and the Helix Midnight Elite, all designed for side sleepers. Helix is one of the best-selling mattress companies in the USA and has a range of mattresses for all demographics. The Midnight range of mattresses is designed for side sleepers. The Helix Midnight mattress is a medium-firm, memory foam hybrid mattress with premium cooling options. The Helix Midnight mattress offers an upgrade to Glaciotex cooling covers and a Glaciotex cooling cover with a pillow-top option.

The Helix Midnight mattresses are pressure-relieving mattresses tailored for side sleepers. The mattress comes with reinforced edges for edge support, innerspring encased coil construction for pressure point relief, and lumbar support. The medium-firm mattress comes with a firmness range of 5-6/10, perfectly suited for side sleepers. The Helix Midnight mattress comes with a 10-year warranty and a 100-night trial.

The Nolah Original 10-inch mattress is a pure foam mattress. The proprietary AirFoam by Nolah is 10-20% cooler than traditional memory foam. Coupled with the Tencel covers, the Nolah Original 10 provides a cool and moisture-wicking sleep surface, perfect for hot sleepers. The zoned AirFoam layers offer a cushioning effect to your shoulders while providing sufficient support to your lumbar region. You can expect full lumbar support with the zoned support system, aiding in spinal alignment. The Nolah Original mattress comes with all the features you would expect from a memory foam mattress, including pressure relief, motion isolation, and body contouring. The medium-firm mattress comes with a firmness rating of 5-6/10.

The Bear Elite Hybrid Mattress is the high-end mattress from Bear Mattress. Awarded the best mattress for side sleepers by Wired, among others, the Bear Elite Mattress comes with zoned support, excellent cooling features, and pressure relief for the back, hips, and shoulders. The Bear Elite Mattress is designed specifically for side sleepers, with zoned lumbar support and plush comfort for your shoulders.

The Bear Elite Hybrid Mattress features a 5-zoned comfort coil system. The mattress provides excellent lumbar support for side sleepers, keeping your spine aligned and providing pressure relief in both the lumbar region and shoulder area. Certified CertiPUR-US and Greenguard Gold, the mattress is fiberglass-free and manufactured in Arizona, USA.

The Bear Elite Mattress uses PCM or phase-changing material for temperature regulation. Paired with the breathable Celliant covers and the hybrid design, you can be sure to sleep cool with the Bear Elite Hybrid Mattress. Copper-infused memory foam adds to the cooling properties of the Bear Elite Mattress while keeping the mattress hypoallergenic and allergen-free. Copper-based foam is also known to be antiviral and antibacterial.

The Bear Elite Mattress comes with advanced center support to ensure more support in the lumbar region, offering four times more support than the head and leg area. Recommended by ACA, the Bear Elite Mattress comes in three firmness choices: Soft, Medium, and Firm.

The Leesa Sapira is a hybrid mattress with excellent cooling properties. The individually wrapped coil system, combined with moisture-wicking, plant-based rayon covers, makes the mattress cool to the touch and suitable for hot sleepers. The pressure-relieving coil system, paired with the memory foam recovery layer, provides the necessary support for side sleepers. The Leesa Sapira comes in a medium firmness and is best suited for side sleepers and combination sleepers. The mattress offers the right bounce with minimal motion transfer. However, the Leesa mattress lacks a dedicated lumbar support system.

The Nolah Evolution 15-inch Luxury AirFoam Mattress comes with three firmness choices and zoned comfort construction for side sleepers. The Nolah Evolution is a hybrid mattress with excellent cooling properties. The mattress offers zoned comfort for lumbar support and spinal alignment. The AirFoam layers provide sufficient cooling and are 20% cooler than traditional memory foam mattresses.

The Nolah Evolution mattress is body-contouring and pressure-relieving, with all the features that a regular memory foam mattress provides, but it is cooler and more breathable with the hybrid construction. The ArcticTex cover provides extra cooling for hot sleepers. At 15 inches thick, the Nolah Evolution mattress is comfortable to sleep on and can handle up to 250 pounds of weight per side. The mattress is designed to be durable with HDMax trizone coils and reinforced edge support. The dense foundation layer is plant-based and eco-friendly. The Nolah Evolution mattress is compatible with a range of bases and is perfect for adjustable beds too.

The mattress also comes with orthopedic support, so if you’re worried about back support and arthritis relief, it’s got you covered.

The Brooklyn Bedding Aurora comes in a range of sizes, including sizes that fit an RV. The mattress features advanced cooling, three firmness choices, and a hybrid design. Designed to be both cool and comfortable, the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora offers an optional Cloud Pillowtop for extra comfort, especially for side sleepers. The cooling features of the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora are its key selling points.

The Brooklyn Bedding Aurora comes with a Glaciotex Cooling cover and cooling-infused foam with a hybrid design for enhanced breathability. The Cloud Pillowtop provides additional contouring and pressure point relief.

Overall, the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora is durable, supportive, pressure-relieving, and cool.

The Layla Hybrid mattress for side sleepers offers hypoallergenic comfort with copper-infused memory foam and an impressive 1041 coil count in their queen mattresses. The mattress is pressure-relieving, supportive, and comfortable. The Layla hybrid mattress is the only reversible mattress in the list for side sleepers to offer both soft and firm options in a single mattress.

The Layla mattress comes with a wrapped coil system to ensure targeted pressure relief and minimize motion transfer. The variable support system in the foam provides optimum lumbar support for deep compression areas, ensuring your spine is aligned.

The hybrid mattress is breathable and cool and comes with antimicrobial odor control. The Layla hybrid mattress is antibacterial, antiviral, and hypoallergenic.

We reviewed the Birch Luxe natural mattress and were impressed by its zoned lumbar support, pressure relief, and support features. The all-natural mattress comes with breathable comfort layers, is cool to sleep on, and is GOTS and Greenguard Gold certified.

When it comes to side sleepers, the Birch Luxe mattress was impressively luxurious. The mattress keeps your spine aligned, providing perfect support for the lumbar region. The Euro-top feel was exquisite, and you could feel the luxury of the mattress. For side sleepers, the Birch Luxe is contouring in the shoulder areas, allowing you to sink in just right without putting pressure on the shoulder areas. The Birch Luxe is a medium-firm mattress.

Being all-natural and very breathable with the hybrid construction, the mattress is hypoallergenic and cool, resistant to allergens, and suitable for people who find memory foam uncomfortable to sleep on.

We weren’t confident when we picked Amerisleep as one of the mattresses for side sleepers until we tried it out. The Amerisleep AS5 is an ultra-soft mattress with supportive ActiveFlex for side sleepers. The medium-firm mattress is surprisingly supportive even with its soft surface. The pressure relief is excellent even when you sleep on your side. When you sleep on your back, the mattress is good but cannot beat the comfort it provides when you sleep on your side. The mattress conforms in the right areas, dipping just right on your shoulders and hips. You will not feel pressure on your shoulder and neck area, and with the right pillow, you can be assured of a pain-free sleep.

The Amerisleep AS5 is refreshingly cool to sleep on with its “Refresh Cover,” and they assure you of a 7-degree cooler sleep than regular mattress covers. The airflow of the mattress is excellent, helping hot sleepers find a comfortable sleep surface. The mattress is designed for faster recovery with its scientifically engineered fabric.

The Puffy Lux hybrid mattress is a memory foam hybrid mattress and is on the list for its affordable price and value for money. The mattress is good for side sleepers and is endorsed by the American Chiropractic Association, recommended for people with back pain .

The Puffy Luxe mattress is breathable and relatively cooler than most memory foam mattresses with its hybrid construction. The cooling-infused layers add to the temperature regulation of the mattress.

Personally, the Puffy mattress is not my first choice when it comes to features because it does lack zoned comfort, which is my personal preference. But when it comes to luxury comfort and value for money, the Puffy does make a good choice for side sleepers.

Understanding sleeping on your sides and its benefits

A lot of research has gone into sleep and sleeping positions. Doctors do agree that sleeping position is a personal choice, and if it helps you achieve proper sleep in your current position, there may be little or no need to change positions, unless you have a medical condition that may benefit from sleep position changes. Dr. Debra Sullivan from Walden University states that sleeping on your back is the best position as it helps reduce pressure and soreness and provides a neutral position for your body to rest. Unfortunately, less than 8% of all people sleep on their back, while 74% of all people sleep on their sides, according to the National Sleep Survey.

Side sleeping has its own set of advantages, though. Side sleepers do not snore, to begin with. They are also less prone to heartburn and back pain issues. Though there are conflicting researches on the effect of how sleeping position affects certain conditions, most researches do agree on certain benefits for side sleepers. So rest assured, sleeping on your side isn’t bad for you.

Mattress Type for Side Sleepers:

Memory Foam Mattresses for Side Sleepers: Memory foam mattresses are widely available with a range of features. For side sleepers, purchasing a memory foam mattress is preferred if you like a contouring feel without bounce. Memory foam mattresses do not have bounce and are not ideal for hot sleepers. If you enjoy the contouring feel and are not concerned about bounce but prefer a cooler sleep, we suggest a gel-infused mattress or a latex mattress. Memory foam mattresses are generally good for people who are on a budget.

Hybrid Mattresses for Side Sleepers: The hybrid mattress is the best choice among all mattress types for side sleepers. They provide targeted pressure relief for people with back pain . Hybrid mattresses are also breathable and cooler than memory foam mattresses. The downside of a hybrid mattress is its cost, as they are typically more expensive than memory foam mattresses. A hybrid latex mattress is considered far better than a memory foam hybrid mattress and is more durable too. For side sleepers, opt for a hybrid mattress with zoned support.

Latex Mattresses for Side Sleepers: Latex mattresses are the second best choice for side sleepers. We found the Zenhaven mattress to be the best mattress for side sleepers. They provide zoned comfort, offering adequate lumbar support. Latex mattresses in general are great because of their durability. They are also natural and hypoallergenic. Latex mattresses provide better bounce than memory foam and contour adequately to the body.

Innerspring Mattresses for Side Sleepers: When it comes to side sleepers, the innerspring mattress is moderately supportive. They provide the bounce required for sex , are conforming, provided they have the right comfort layer, and are usually cool to sleep on. Some side sleepers find the bounce unappealing as it also creates motion transfer if not correctly engineered.

In general, we recommend a hybrid mattress for side sleepers as they provide the right pressure relief and support. But to add to the comfort, consider a mattress with pillow-top or Euro-top comfort layers.

Support and Comfort Features in a Mattress for Side Sleepers

Side sleepers require certain features, specially tailored for their needs. While a medium-firm mattress is usually great, that’s not the end of it for side sleepers. You need to find a mattress that is pressure-relieving, cool to sleep on, and body-contouring. But these are all features you require in a mattress in general. They are not specific requirements just for side sleepers. What makes a mattress great for side sleepers specifically?

For side sleepers, the biggest problem is spinal alignment. Our body is usually heavier in the lumbar region and near the shoulders. For side sleepers, they find firm mattresses put too much pressure on their shoulders, and their neck is strained without a pillow. While a pillow does reduce pressure on the neck, it still does not relieve pressure from the shoulder. A soft mattress is great for shoulders, but then it sinks too deep in the hip area , putting stress on the lower back. A mattress that is zoned is usually the answer to this problem, and that’s the reason why zoned support systems work great for side sleepers. They keep your spine aligned, while the body contouring features, especially in your upper body, are supportive and pressure-relieving.

Yes, you do need to look for other features like cooling technology, breathable and moisture-wicking fabric, hypoallergenic material, temperature regulation, etc., but the most important feature you need to look for in a mattress for side sleepers is the zoned support system.