- Based on over 1,000 hours of testing, the Saatva Classic is HelpGuide’s top mattress for side sleepers in 2024, thanks to its high-quality materials and exceptional pressure relief.
- Side sleepers need a mattress with ample cushioning around the hips and shoulders to keep pressure point pain at bay, along with sufficient support to ensure a neutral spine.
- Mattresses for side sleepers can cost around $750 to over $2,300, depending on size, construction, and materials.
While there are a number of ways you can address poor sleep, ensuring you find the best mattress for your sleeping position is an important consideration and can improve your sleep quality.
If you’re a side sleeper, you’ll need a mattress that offers plenty of body contouring and pressure relief to prevent aches and pains in the shoulders and hips. Side sleepers also need enough support to maintain a neutral spine. But with so many mattresses on the market, it can be difficult to find the perfect fit.
Fortunately, the Handbook Team has personally tested hundreds of mattresses and rounded up a list of the 10 best mattresses for side sleepers in 2024. No matter your body type and personal preferences, you should be able to find a side-sleeper mattress that will work for you.
Best mattress for side sleepers overall
The Saatva Classic is the best side-sleeper mattress because it cushions joints and offers ample pressure relief—side sleepers are especially prone to pressure on their shoulders, hips, and other joints. The Saatva Classic is a luxury innerspring mattress made with high-quality materials, like organic cotton and zoned coils, so it should last at least 10 years. It also comes in a choice of firmness options to accommodate different sleep styles and body types, and it’s backed by a lifetime warranty.
Our pick of the best mattresses for side sleepers
- Saatva Classic: Best overall
- Helix Midnight: Best mattress for side sleepers with shoulder and hip pain
- Nectar Hybrid: Best hybrid mattress for side sleepers
- The WinkBed: Best mattress for side sleepers with lower back pain
- Nolah Hybrid: Best mattress for side and back sleepers
- Titan Plus Luxe: Best mattress for heavy side sleepers
- Puffy Cloud: Best memory foam mattress for side sleepers
- Leesa Sapira Chill: Best cooling mattress for side sleepers
- Bear Elite Hybrid: Best mattress for couples
- DreamCloud Premier: Best mattress for combination sleepers
Quality sleep supports emotional well-being, cognitive function, and resilience to stress. During sleep, the brain undergoes critical restorative processes, such as memory consolidation and emotional processing, fundamental for maintaining optimal mental health.
Ryan Sultan, medical director of Integrative Psych and a psychotherapist and research professor at Columbia University
What you need to know about the best mattresses for side sleepers
Here’s five things you should know about the best mattresses for side sleepers:
- We chose the Saatva Classic as the best mattress for side sleepers overall.
- Side sleepers need softer mattresses that offer pressure relief and body contouring. If a mattress is too firm, it could cause joint pain.
- Most brands run sales and promotions that significantly lower the price.
- All of the mattresses on this list have sleep trial periods, which give customers several months to try out the mattress and see if it’s a good fit. If the mattress doesn’t work out during the trial period, customers can return it and get a refund.
- Consult your doctor if you have a specific concern, such as lower back or hip pain. Our recommendations should not replace medical advice.
Compare the best mattresses for side sleepers in 2024
| Price | $1,295–$2,790 | $936.30–$1,748.80 | $749–$1,998 | $1,149–$2,049 | $999–$2,398 | $899–$1,948 | $1,949–$4,198 | $1,499–$1,919 | $1,893–$3,920 | $1,169–$2,998 |
| Firmness | 6/10 (Plush Soft model) | 6/10 | 6/10 | 6/10 (softer model) | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 | 6/10 | 6/10 | 6/10 | 7/10 |
| Material | Innerspring hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid | Memory foam | Hybrid | Memory foam | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid |
| Warranty | Lifetime | 10 years | Forever warranty | Lifetime | Lifetime | 10 years | Lifetime | 10 years | Lifetime | Lifetime |
| Trial period | 365 nights | 100 nights | 365 nights | 120 nights | 120 nights | 120 nights | 101 nights | 100 nights | 120 nights | 365 nights |
| Best for | Sleepers who like bouncy beds | Side sleepers with shoulder and hip pain | Side sleepers who like hybrid mattresses | Side sleepers with lower back pain | Side and back sleepers | Higher-weight side sleepers | Side sleepers who like memory foam mattresses | Side sleepers who overheat at night | Side sleepers who share a bed with a partner | Combination sleepers |
The best mattresses for side sleepers reviews
Best mattress for side sleepers overall: Saatva
The Saatva Classic mattress is available in three firmness options: Plush Soft, Luxury Firm, and Firm. The Plush Soft model is a great match for side sleepers because it’s designed to cushion joints and support the spine. Side sleepers shouldn’t feel any pain along pressure points while resting on this mattress.
Key product features
- Brand rating: 9.8/10.
- Material: Innerspring-hybrid.
- Cost: $1,295–$2,790.
- Warranty: Lifetime.
- Trial period: 365 nights.
- Shipping: Free shipping.
- Firmness: 6/10.
- Height: 11.5 inches or 14.5 inches.
- Sizes available: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, split king, California king, split California king.
Our final verdict
Our team loved the Saata Classic mattress because it’s made with high-quality materials. During testing, its tufted pillow top, made with organic cotton, made our tester team feel like we were resting at a five-star hotel. The Plush Soft model cushioned our hips and shoulders—an important consideration for side sleepers—and helped alleviate joint pain. We also liked the strong coil system—it helped support our spines and keep them in the proper alignment. The coils also help distribute body weight evenly, which helps eliminate pressure point pain.
From our tester
“The Saatva Classic mattress is a great match for side sleepers, thanks to its pressure-relieving pillow top. If you like responsive mattresses, this is a great option.”
The Saatva Classic mattress has a classic innerspring mattress feel, making it quite bouncy. We didn’t sink into the comfort layer, so moving around on top of this bed was easy. That said, it doesn’t isolate motion as well as other beds on the market. In our seismograph tests While seismographs are instruments used to test the motion of the ground during an earthquake, we use a similar tool to measure movement across mattresses. , we saw quite a bit of motion after dropping a steel ball on the mattress surface. If you share a bed with a partner, you may want to consider the DreamCloud mattress instead.
The Saatva Classic mattress has a classic innerspring feel, making it quite bouncy.
We also found that this mattress doesn’t trap a lot of body heat. The breathable cover and airflow-promoting coils helped dissipate heat and keep us cool throughout the night.
If you are interested in Saatva, consider their adjustable beds. Read our in-depth Saatva adjustable bed review to learn more.
Pros and cons of the Saatva mattress
Best mattress for side sleepers with shoulder and hip pain: Helix Midnight
The Helix Midnight mattress feels softer than average, coming in at six out of 10 (with 10 being the firmest) on our firmness scale. This plush feel is great for side sleepers because it helps alleviate shoulder and hip pain. Its hybrid A type of mattress made with both foam layers and spring layers. construction gives it a balanced feel—making it easier to move around on top of the mattress—but it isn’t as bouncy as classic innerspring beds.
Key product features
- Brand rating: 9.2/10.
- Material: Hybrid.
- Cost: $936.30–$1,748.80.
- Warranty: 10 years.
- Trial period: 100 nights.
- Shipping: Free shipping.
- Firmness: 6/10.
- Height: 11.5 inches.
- Sizes available: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, short queen, king, California king, RV king.
Our final verdict
Helix sells a wide variety of mattresses, and many work well for side sleepers. But we really liked the Helix Midnight, which is specifically designed for side sleeping and cushioned our testers’ shoulders and hips. It feels slightly softer than average, while still offering plenty of lumbar support.
From our tester
“I really like the Helix Midnight’s balance of comfort and support. I got the pressure relief I needed when I slept on my side, and I got plenty of lumbar support when I rested on my back.”
When we tested this mattress, we found it had a balanced hybrid feel. The comfort layers provided gentle contouring, while the coils made the surface feel responsive Good responsiveness means the mattress has a bouncier surface that responds to pressure or the sleeper’s movements, making it easier to move around and switch positions. . Our testers found it easy to move around on top of this bed, and we didn’t feel “stuck inside” it.
We found that the Helix Midnight has a balanced hybrid feel.
There’s a lot to love about the baseline Helix Midnight mattress, but you can also opt for some upgrades to enhance your sleep experience. If you’re a particularly hot sleeper, you may want to consider purchasing the GlacioTex Cooling Cover as an extra. And if you sleep in multiple positions throughout the night, you may want to choose the Helix Luxe mattress instead. This model has zoned support, which means it feels firmer toward the center of the mattress. This is meant to help promote proper spinal alignment and alleviate lower back pain in many sleeping positions.
Pros and cons of the Helix Midnight mattress
Best hybrid mattress for side sleepers: Nectar Hybrid
Hybrid mattresses are great for many reasons: They tend to sleep cooler and are typically responsive and highly durable. The Nectar Hybrid mattress is no exception. This mattress has a classic medium-firm feel, coming in at 6.5 out of 10 on our firmness scale. This makes it a great option for lightweight and average-weight side sleepers.
Key product features
- Brand rating: 9/10.
- Material: Hybrid.
- Cost: $749–$1,998.
- Warranty: Forever.
- Trial period: 365 nights.
- Shipping: Free shipping.
- Firmness: 6.5/10.
- Height: 12 inches.
- Sizes available: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king, split king.
Our final verdict
Our testers loved how the Nectar Hybrid mattress’s comfort layer is plush and responds slowly to movement, and we didn’t feel like we were sleeping “inside” the mattress. The coils supported our lower backs and helped us maintain the correct spinal alignment, making it a great pick for side sleepers.
From our tester
“When I slept on my side, I felt the luxurious comfort layer hug my shoulders and hips. Unlike many all-foam beds, the Nectar Hybrid didn’t make me feel hot at night. ”
For a hybrid mattress, the Nectar isolates motion quite well. To test for motion transfer, one of our testers rolled around on one side of the mattress while another rested on the other side. The second tester didn’t feel much movement on their side of the bed, so this should be a nice option for couples.
For a hybrid, Nectar isolates motion well.
This mattress is another great cooling option. The comfort layer is made with gel-infused foam, which helps pull heat away from the body. While not all mattress cooling technology is as effective as advertised by the brand, our testers reported staying cool when they slept on this mattress.
Read more in our Nectar mattress review.
Pros and cons of the Nectar Hybrid mattress
Best Mattress for side sleepers with lower back pain: The WinkBed
The WinkBed mattress has a zoned support system, which means it feels softer near the head and the foot. If you’re a side sleeper with lower back pain, this mattress may be able to help you maintain the proper spinal alignment.
Key product features
- Brand rating: 9.3/10.
- Material: Hybrid.
- Cost: $1,149–$2,049.
- Warranty: Lifetime.
- Trial period: 120 nights.
- Shipping: Free shipping.
- Firmness: 6/10 for the Softer model.
- Height: 13.5 inches.
- Sizes available: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king.
Our final verdict
This mattress is available in three firmness levels: Softer, Luxury Firm, and Firmer (it’s also available in Plus for higher-weight people). But side sleepers should opt for the Softer model. When our testers used our pressure mapping A mat rolled across a mattress that uses color-coded thermal imaging to show how much pressure someone puts on the bed when they lie down on it. system on the Luxury Firm model, we saw some pressure along the shoulder and hip region. The Softer model should give side sleepers proper support without sacrificing cushioning around the hips and shoulders.
From our tester
“The WinkBed mattress works well for a variety of people, because it’s available in many firmness levels. I really liked the softer version when I slept on my side. I felt plenty of lumbar support and pressure relief. ”
The Winkbed mattress has a traditional bouncy feel with a tufted pillow top. It’s similar to what you may find in a hotel room. We found it easy to move around on top of the mattress, and surprisingly, it isolated motion quite well too. If you share a bed with a partner or a pet, you shouldn’t feel any movement on your side of the mattress.
The WinkBed’s traditional bouncy feel is similar to what you’d feel in a hotel room.
Pros and cons of The WinkBed mattress
Best mattress for side and back sleepers: Nolah Original
With a classic medium-firm feel, the Nolah Original mattress offers the comfort and support that side and back sleepers need. Even though it’s an all-foam mattress (foam is known for holding onto heat), it sleeps quite cool at night. The proprietary AirFoam is more breathable than traditional memory foam, which helps dissipate body heat.
Key product features
- Brand rating: 9.3/10.
- Material: Memory foam.
- Cost: $999–$2,398.
- Warranty: Lifetime.
- Trial period: 120 nights.
- Shipping: Free shipping.
- Firmness: 6.5/10.
- Height: 10 inches.
- Sizes available: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king, split king.
Our final verdict
If you prefer a mattress that responds slowly to movement, the Nolah Original is a great option. This all-foam bed is made with three layers of foam. The top comfort layer offers good body contouring, which is particularly helpful for side sleepers who need pressure relief. Beneath that sits two firmer foam layers, which offer the lumbar support back sleepers need.
From our tester
“The Nolah mattress is a great all-foam bed. I really like how the top layer hugs my body. It’s also an affordable option that’s great if you’re on a budget.”
The Nolah Original is a great option if you like a slow-moving mattress.
Like many all-foam mattresses, the Nolah mattress isolates motion well. To test this, we placed a seismometer tool on one side of the bed and dropped a steel ball on the other side. The motion waves weren’t high, which tells us this mattress could work well for couples.
Pros and cons of the Nolah mattress
Best mattress for heavy side sleepers: Titan Plus Luxe
Best memory foam mattress for side sleepers: Puffy Cloud
Best cooling mattress for side sleepers: Leesa Sapira Chill
Best mattress for couples: Bear Elite Hybrid
If you share a bed with a partner and you’re both side sleepers, you’ll want to make sure your bed isolates motion well. If it doesn’t, you might feel your partner’s movements on your side of the bed. Also, you’ll want to find a bed that has good edge support. That way, both people can utilize the full surface area of the mattress. And finally, the mattress should offer plenty of pressure relief and lumbar support.
The Bear Elite Hybrid mattress ticks all of these boxes, which makes it our pick for the best mattress for couples who are side sleepers.
Key product features
- Brand rating: 9.4/10.
- Material: Hybrid.
- Cost: $1,893–$3,920.
- Warranty: Lifetime.
- Trial period: 120 nights.
- Shipping: Free shipping.
- Firmness: 6/10.
- Height: 14 inches.
- Sizes available: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, split king, California king.
Our final verdict
The Bear Elite Hybrid mattress is available in three firmness levels, but we’re focusing on the medium model for this review. Our testers thought the medium model was a six out of 10 on our firmness scale, which makes it more of a medium-soft mattress, slightly softer than average. The balance of firmness and softness means the Bear Elite Hybrid is a great option for side sleepers who benefit from cushioning around the hips and shoulders.
The Bear Elite Hybrid performed well in our motion isolation seismograph tests. And when we tested it in person, we didn’t feel a lot of movement transfer throughout the mattress. This bed also has good edge support, which means couples should be able to sleep close to the sides without feeling like they will roll off.
From our tester
“As a side sleeper who sleeps next to her partner (and several pets), I appreciated how well the Bear Elite Hybrid mattress isolated motion. It’s rare to find a responsive hybrid bed that cuts down on motion transfer like this one does.”
Thanks to its zoned support system, the Bear Elite Hybrid works well for back and side sleepers. This bed offers lumbar support where sleepers need it most, so that means couples won’t have to make as many compromises.
Thanks to its zoned support, the Bear works well for back and side sleepers
Pros and cons of the Bear Elite mattress
Best mattress for combination side sleepers: DreamCloud Premier
If you switch from your side to your back or stomach throughout the night, you may need a mattress that’s a bit more supportive. The DreamCloud Premier feels like a seven out of 10 on our firmness scale, so it offers the comfort and support combination sleepers People who sleep in multiple positions throughout the night. For example, a person might be a back-and-side sleeper or a stomach-and-back sleeper. need.
Key product features
- Brand rating: 9.2/10.
- Material: Hybrid.
- Cost: $1,169–$2,998.
- Warranty: Lifetime.
- Trial period: 365 nights.
- Shipping: Free shipping.
- Firmness: 7/10.
- Height: 13 inches.
- Sizes available: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, split king, California king.
Our final verdict
The DreamCloud Premier is a luxurious mattress with thick coils, a tufted pillow top, and a cashmere-blend cover. Even though it’s a bit firmer than average, it still offers the cushioning that side sleepers need. Plus, the thick interior coils help support the lower back and hips to ensure a neutral spine.
And because it’s designed to be so supportive, the DreamCloud Premier can work well for average-weight and higher-weight sleepers. People who weigh less than 130 pounds may not compress the mattress much, though, which could make them feel like the bed is too firm.
From our tester
“As an average-weight person, the DreamCloud premier helps me maintain the correct spinal alignment when I rest on my back and side. I really like the high-end pillow top and soft cover.”
People who weigh less than 130 pounds may not compress the bed enough, making it seem firm
The DreamCloud Premier mattress earned nearly perfect scores from our testers. Despite its bouncy feel, this mattress isolates motion quite well. Our testers said it also has great edge support. Plus, the breathable cover and coils are designed to help keep sleepers cool at night.
To learn more, read our in-depth DreamCloud mattress review.
Pros and cons of the DreamCloud Premier mattress
4 factors for side sleepers choosing a mattress
Understanding the way you sleep is key to finding the right mattress. Side sleepers tend to put most of their pressure on their hips and shoulders, so a softer mattress may feel better initially, but over time, a mattress that’s too soft may cause issues with your spinal alignment. It’s important to find a mattress offering the right balance of cushioning and support.
Here are the four key factors a side sleeper should consider when choosing a mattress:
1. Pressure relief: To minimize pressure in the hips and shoulders, look for pressure-relieving materials and a cushioning top layer.
2. Mattress firmness: Side sleepers benefit from a mattress that’s soft enough to contour around their hips and shoulders. Something in the medium-soft to medium-firm range is generally a good choice.
3. Spinal alignment: Regardless of sleep position, a mattress that’s supportive enough to maintain a neutral spine is key.
4. Trial period: It takes time to decide whether a mattress is right for you, so look for brands that offer reasonable trial windows and return policies.
Our testing experience
How we chose the best mattresses for side sleepers
Purchase mattress as mystery shoppers.
Set up mattress in testing lab.
Lie on mattress and rank firmness.
Lie on back, side, and stomach to find the best sleeping position.
Place 10-pound ball in mattress center and measure sinkage.
Find biggest pressure points using pressure map reading.
Evaluate cooling capabilities by recording temperature differences.
Drop 10-pound ball onto mattress to measure bounce score.
Test motion isolation.
Test edge support.
Calculate composite “sex” and “family” scores.
The Handbook Team hand-tests every mattress we review. We evaluate brands and models by recording our findings on a 42-question standardized testing form to identify standout features and services, document issues with each product, and describe our personal experience lying on each mattress. For example, we record:
- Firmness score and specific features that make the mattress suitable for the needs of side sleepers.
- Starting temperature of the mattress and how much it heats up after two testers lie on the mattress for five minutes.
- How many times a 10-pound ball bounces on the mattress after dropping from a height of 2 feet in order to arrive at a mattress bounce score.
We paid close attention to specific considerations that sleepers of all ages seek, as identified by respondents in our survey of 600 mattress owners. This included price, features, and the set-up process. We also interviewed real people to better understand the motivations behind shopping for a new mattress as well as the benefits of purchasing one.
According to our survey
According to our survey, about 80 percent of all respondents said their new mattress helps them sleep better, and 65 percent reported improved mental health.
As our testers evaluated each brand and its features, we considered why many people choose a new mattress in the first place. Of our respondents, 42 percent decided to purchase a new mattress for “improved comfort and support for better sleep,” while only 7 percent did so for “pain relief and targeted support.” The most common pain respondents wanted relieved was lower back pain.
Despite only 42 percent of respondents prioritizing comfort and support for better sleep when shopping for a new mattress, 68 percent reported they sleep longer on their new mattress and 49 percent and 45 percent, respectively, said their stress and anxiety had improved after switching to their new mattress. Almost all mattress owners we surveyed (95 percent) were at least somewhat satisfied with their new mattress. We consulted sleep experts, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and pain specialists to understand what mattresses offer that make an overwhelmingly positive impact.
In order to focus on the mattresses themselves, we structured our test designs to objectively rank each one based on a range of criteria. For example, we tested things like bounce, edge support (the sturdiness of your mattress edge), and cooling capabilities the same way on each mattress and compared the results. That way we can accurately compare each mattress’ score in an unbiased way while also sharing our subjective point of view as mattress testers and experts.
Lastly, we compared warranty lengths, trial periods, and white glove delivery (in-home delivery and setup) options. While most brands offer warranties, not all are comprehensive. And many brands on the market don’t have free white glove delivery. This could be a deal-breaker if you’re nervous to invest in a new mattress because you’re worried the bed won’t get set up properly or offer what you need.
From our tester
“During our research, we realized that the brand’s firmness scale and perceived firmness aren’t always the same. We decided to report how firm we thought the mattress felt so that you can gain a different perspective, but more importantly, feel confident about what you’re purchasing.”
A note on our testing
We acknowledge that every body is different, and what feels comfortable to one person may not feel comfortable to another. Throughout our reviews, we refer to weight categories as light (below 130 pounds), average (130 to 250 pounds), and heavy (above 250 pounds) to distinguish between body weights.
Typically, lighter sleepers perceive mattresses to feel firmer than they are, and higher-weight sleepers perceive mattresses to feel softer than they are. Keep in mind that most mattresses are designed for the average-weight person.
Frequently Asked Questions
Side sleepers should look for mattresses with thick comfort layers that will contour around the hips and shoulders. It doesn’t matter if the bed contains coils or layers of foam for support, as long as the top layers offer enough pressure relief for the shoulders and hips. Side sleepers also need a mattress with enough support to maintain proper spinal alignment.
Soft and medium-firm mattresses work best for side sleepers. Look for something that falls between 5.5 out of 10 and 6.5 out of 10 on our firmness scale. This ensures gentle cushioning around the hips and shoulders, which will help reduce pressure. Firm mattresses could put pressure on the shoulders and hips, which can cause joint pain over time.
Memory foam is a great material for side sleepers because it cushions joints and alleviates pressure. In fact, memory foam is known for its pressure-relieving benefits, and latex mattresses offer the same benefit. That said, you don’t need to get an all-foam mattress if you’re a side sleeper. Hybrid mattresses with coils at the bottom and foam on top can also work well. They deliver the balance of comfort and support that all sleepers need, including those who rest on their sides.
Side sleepers with back pain should look for a medium-firm mattress with a zoned support system, such as the Saatva Classic or The WinkBed. Mattresses with zoned support feel firmer toward the center of the bed, which helps keep the spine in the proper alignment. This, in turn, can help alleviate back pain over time. Zoned support can also help evenly distribute body weight, which can help reduce pressure point pain.
The best mattress for heavy people is the Titan Plus Luxe mattress. This bed was made specifically for people who weigh more than 230 pounds. It has a strong coil system that won’t sag as time goes on, and it has a plush comfort layer that helps cushion joints and contours around the hips and shoulders.
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