Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers – 2019 Reviews and Buyer’s Guide

Editor’s Choice Overview

Side sleepers need a mattress that can cushion their pressure points but that won’t give way entirely. A mattress that falls between ‘Medium Soft’ and ‘Medium Firm’ ensures the sleep surface will provide some body conforming and pain/pressure relief without sagging too deeply beneath their weight. The Nectar is our top pick for side sleepers because it offers these benefits at a price-point that is significantly below average for a quality memory foam mattress.

The Nectar is designed with comfort layers of gel memory foam and standard memory foam, which provide a consistent hug throughout the sleeper’s body and can help improve spinal alignment. The Nectar also features a dual-layer support core with high-density polyfoam layers; these materials reinforce the bed to help maintain an even surface. Unlike many of its competitors, the Nectar also sleeps fairly cool, due in part to its breathable cotton/lyocell cover. Other benefits include great motion isolation and no noise when bearing weight.

Nectar offers free shipping anywhere in the contiguous U.S., as well as White Glove delivery for an additional charge. The mattress is backed by a 365-night sleep trial – one of the longest trial periods available anywhere – as well as a lifetime warranty.

Good for:

• Every type of sleeper (side, back, stomach, combination)
• Sleepers in the average and heavy weight groups
• Back pain sufferers
• Those who tend to sleep hot on all-foam beds

Best Value Overview

With quality materials, an effective design, and an accessible price point, the original Tuft & Needle mattress stands out as our Best Value pick for side sleepers. It makes use of the company’s specialty Adaptive Foam that offers noticeable contouring while keeping a meaningful amount of bounce. This material compresses in response to body weight to ensure that the sharpest pressure points get the cushioning that they need to keep the spine well-aligned.

The Adaptive Foam layer is 3” thick and is infused with gel and graphite, both of which work to keep the foam from accumulating heat during the night. It effectively isolates motion to prevent being disturbed by a partner moving in the bed, and it is virtually noiseless, further avoiding potential sleep disruptions. This 3” comfort layer rests on top of a 7” polyfoam support core that contributes a strong base of stability and a barrier against excessive sinking into the bed.

The comfort feel of the Tuft & Needle is about a 6.5, which is a Medium Firm level that fits the preferences of the majority of side sleepers. It can appeal to sleepers of all weights but usually is the best match for people of average weight and above. With a price point far below most foam beds, it delivers excellent performance for the cost.

Tuft & Needle provides free standard shipping along with a 100-night sleep trial to try out the mattress risk-free. A 10-year warranty provides a remedy if the mattress has any defects in materials or workmanship.

Good for:

• Value seekers
• People who tend to sleep hot
• Sleepers who prefer moderate contouring
• Couples

Best Luxury Overview

Our Best Luxury pick is the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora, a hybrid mattress that offers a cool, comfortable experience for side sleepers who are willing to spend a little extra. The Aurora is available in three firmness settings: ‘Soft’ (3), ‘Medium Firm’ (6), and ‘Firm’ (8). This range is suitable for most side sleepers regardless of their weight; the softer option provides deep conforming and improves spinal alignment for lighter individuals, while the firmer options offer sturdy support and moderate yet consistent conforming for heavier people.

The Aurora also sleeps exceptionally cool, even by hybrid standards. This is due in part to its cover made of phase-change material (PCM), which absorbs body heat until the sleeper’s body reaches a certain temperature and allows the bed to remain cool and comfortable for most. The PCM is also infused with copper, which can promote bloodflow in sleepers with poor circulation. Good airflow through the pocketed coil layer also helps the bed stay temperature-neutral. Another strong point is edge support; the 8″ coil layer provides strong reinforcement to the entire bed and helps minimize sinkage around the perimeter.

The Aurora has a current price-point of $1,699 in a Queen size; this is higher than the cost of the average mattress, but a relatively low price-point for hybrid models. Brooklyn Bedding offers free shipping in the contiguous U.S., and backs the Aurora with a 120-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty.

Good for:

• Every type of sleeper (side, back, stomach, combination)
• Sleepers in all weight groups (light, average, heavy)
• Couples
• Those with poor circulation

Best for Lightweight Sleepers Overview

Many side sleepers have firmness preferences that change from night to night. The Layla Mattress addresses these needs with a flippable design that features a different firmness on each side. One side is ‘Medium Soft’ (4 on the 1-10 firmness scale), and the other side is ‘Firm’ (7).

Having two choices lets lightweight sleepers find just the right fit based on their comfort preferences while knowing that either option will cushion their pressure points. Most side sleepers under 130 pounds find the Firm side to be just right, but people who like a more plush feel can opt for the Medium Soft side.

Both sides of the mattress have copper-infused memory foam comfort layers. This material conforms closely to the sleeper’s body in order to improve spinal alignment and minimize pressure points. The copper element also helps improve circulation for sleepers, and the ‘Medium Soft’ side has an additional layer of convoluted polyfoam for extra cushioning. The shared middle layer made of high-density polyfoam ensures an even, supportive sleep surface.

The Layla Mattress also minimizes and reduces motion transfer to a significant extent, and is virtually silent when bearing weight. For these reasons, the mattress is suitable for couples – particularly if one or both of the sleepers awaken easily due to movement or noise. The mattress is also quite light, making it easy to flip for most people.

Layla Sleep ships mattresses anywhere in the U.S. and Canada, and customers in the contiguous U.S. qualify for free delivery. The mattress is backed by a 120-night sleep trial, which is longer than average, as well as a lifetime warranty.

Good for:

• Side and back sleepers
• Back pain sufferers
• Couples
• People who want flexibility in choosing the firmness level

Best for Average Weight Sleepers Overview

Innersprings are notoriously hard on side sleepers. Most are constructed with thin foam comfort layers that do not conform very closely, and this can result in poor spinal alignment and added aches and pains. The Saatva – our pick for the Best for Average Weight Sleepers – is a notable exception. This innerspring is constructed with comfort layers of memory foam, polyfoam, and pocketed coils that cradle the body and target pressure points in the sleeper’s most sensitive areas. A Euro-top layer is also included for extra padding. The support core contains bonnell coils, which help reinforce the bed and prevent sinkage around the edges.

Because of its double-layer of coils, it excels in providing both the stability and responsiveness that most sleepers need. It has enough conforming to appeal to average weight sleepers but not so much as to risk sinking deeply into the bed.

The Saatva also offers multiple designs to accommodate different preferences. The bed is available in three firmness settings: ‘Medium Soft’ (4), ‘Medium Firm’ (6), and ‘Firm’ (7.5), and the Medium Firm works best for most average weight sleepers. . The bed also comes in 11 1/2? and 14 1/2? profiles. Additionally, the Saatva offers strong airflow through the coil layers that helps cool off the surface of the bed, making it optimal for those who tend to sleep hot.

Saatva offers free White Glove delivery – including in-home mattress assembly and old mattress removal – to all customers in the contiguous U.S. The Saatva is backed by a 120-night sleep trial and a 15-year warranty, both of which are longer than average.

Good for:

• Sleepers in the average and heavy weight groups.
• Side and back sleepers
• Back pain sufferers
• Couples

Best for Heavyweight Sleepers Overview

The Helix Midnight is one of nine luxury hybrids released by Helix in 2018. It is considered ‘Medium’ (5.5) in terms of firmness, and offers good conforming and better spinal alignment for heavier side sleepers. Two versions of the Helix Midnight are available: the Standard design, which measures 10″ thick; and the Luxe design, which measures 14″ thick. Both versions have memory foam comfort layers that conform comfortably to the sleepers body without sagging excessively (a common issue among heavier people with memory foam mattresses). The Luxe also has a Euro-top cushion for side sleepers who like extra padding.

The Helix Midnight also has a high-density polyfoam transitional layer and a pocketed coil support core reinforced with a dense foam base. The coils have a multi-gauge configuration, with thicker springs beneath areas of the sleeper’s body where more weight is centered (such as the shoulders and midsection), while thinner coils support the spine, legs, and other lighter areas. This zoned system results in targeted pain and pressure relief for many heavier side sleepers. The mattress also sleeps fairly cool due to strong airflow throughout the support core and minimizes a fair amount of motion isolation, which can be helpful for couples.

The Standard Helix Midnight is backed by a 10-year warranty while the Luxe is backed by a 15-year warranty. Both mattresses also come with a 100-night sleep trial and Helix offers free shipping throughout the contiguous U.S.

Good for:

• Side and back sleepers
• Sleepers in all weight groups (light, average, heavy)
• Back pain sufferers
• Hot sleepers