Choosing the Best Mattress for Side Sleeping

Side sleepers require a mattress that provides the support and contouring needed to keep their spine aligned throughout the night. To find this mattress, you’ll need to take into account three things:
- Firmness level
- Mattress type
- Any other considerations that may impact your sleep quality
We review each of these below.
Selecting Your Firmness Level
Firmness is one of the most important factors for choosing a mattress. Firmness is assigned using a 1 to 10 scale, with 1 being the least firm and 10 being the firmest. Most mattresses sold today range from 3 (‘Soft’) to 8 (‘Extra Firm’).
For most side sleepers, a ‘Medium’ or ‘Medium Firm’ mattress will be most comfortable (around a 5 or 6 on a scale of 1 to 10). These surfaces provide even support, which is necessary for proper spinal alignment, while also having enough “give” to conform to the sleeper’s body, alleviating pain and pressure points as they sleep.
To find your ideal mattress firmness rating, you can use your body weight as a guide. Lighter sleepers typically require a softer mattress, while heavier sleepers require a firmer mattress. Please check out the table below for more information.
The diagram below illustrates the most preferred firmness settings for side sleepers in all three weight groups.

Selecting Your Mattress Type
In addition to firmness and sleeper weight, the material composition of a mattress is also important for side sleepers. A mattress with steel coils in the support system will provide a much different sleeping experience than one with foam, latex, or air chambers.
Which mattresses are best (or worst) for side sleepers? Generally, side sleepers find foam, latex, and hybrid mattresses to be the most supportive. Although, some sleepers prefer the traditional feel of an innerspring mattress. The Saatva mattress is an innerspring bed, and it’s our top pick for side sleepers of average weight!
Ultimately, it’s a matter of weighing the pros and cons and finding the mattress that makes you feel the most comfortable. Below we review the five most common mattress types and explain which ones are best for side sleeping.
Top Memory Foam Beds for Side Sleepers:
Mattress Reviews
Leesa Mattress Review
Mattress Reviews
Nectar Mattress Review
Mattress Reviews
Casper Mattress Review
Foam mattresses feature a high-density polyfoam support core, with at least one layer of polyfoam or memory foam in the comfort layer. Higher-density foams speak to a higher-quality, more durable mattress. Side sleepers can benefit from mattresses with plush memory foam comfort layers, which hug their pressure points and provide stabilizing, comforting pressure point relief.
Average price (Queen): $1,044.16
Expected lifespan: 5 to 6 years
Benefits for side sleepers:
- Close conforming and good pressure relief
- Excellent motion isolation and no noise
- Widely available
Drawbacks for side sleepers:
- Sleeps hot for some
- Some sagging reported
- Minimal edge support
Latex mattresses feature a latex or high-density polyfoam support core, with at least one layer of natural or synthetic latex in the comfort layer. Latex mattresses have a bouncier feel than memory foam, but still provide good contour. They’re often preferred by those who sleep hot, or sleepers who have allergies or environmental concerns, as these mattresses are often (but not always) made from organic, naturally more breathable materials.
Average price (Queen): $1,970.51
Expected lifespan: 7 to 8 years
Benefits for side sleepers:
- Close conforming and good pressure relief
- Above-average motion isolation and no noise
- Sleeps cooler than foam
Drawbacks for side sleepers:
- Above-average price
- Some sagging reported
- Minimal edge support
Top Hybrid Mattresses for Side Sleepers:
Mattress Reviews
Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Mattress Review
Mattress Reviews
Helix Mattress Review
Hybrid mattresses feature a support core of individual pocket coils, surrounded by base polyfoam, along with at least 2 inches of latex and/or memory foam in the comfort layer. They’re an updated take, or hybrid, that combines features from various mattress types: the bounce of an innerspring, with the contouring comfort of foam and latex.
Average price (Queen): $2,076.70
Expected lifespan: 6 to 7 years
Benefits for side sleepers:
- Strong edge support
- Better conforming than innersprings
- Sleep cool for most
Drawbacks for side sleepers:
- Above-average price
- Noise potential
Top Innerspring Mattress for Side Sleepers:
Mattress Reviews
Saatva Mattress Review
Innerspring mattresses feature evenly spaced steel springs in the support core, plus base polyfoam layers and a polyfoam comfort layer. Traditionally, due to the uniform nature of the coil grid, innerspring beds don’t provide sufficient contour for side sleepers. However, modern mattress manufacturers, like Saatva, incorporate plush comfort layers and different coil configurations to counteract this and provide more give and pressure point relief.
Average price (Queen): $1,037.97
Expected lifespan: 4 to 6 years
Benefits for side sleepers:
- Strong edge support
- Inexpensive
- Widely available
- Sleep cool for most
Drawbacks for side sleepers:
- Minimal conforming and pressure relief
- Shorter-than-average lifespan
- Noise potential
Airbeds feature individual, adjustable air chambers in the support core that can be manually or remote-controlled, allowing sleepers to fit the mattress to their desired firmness level. Topped with a foam comfort layer, these beds can provide good contour for side sleepers, but they’re typically expensive and require a bit more hands-on adjustment than some sleepers prefer.
Average price (Queen): $2,282.75
Expected lifespan: 7 to 9 years
Benefits for side sleepers:
- Close conforming and good pressure relief
- Adjustable firmness settings
- Highly durable
Drawbacks for side sleepers:
- Above-average price
- Temperature neutrality issues for some
- Noise potential
Other Considerations for Side Sleepers
Finally, there are a few more considerations side sleepers may want to keep in mind when buying a mattress. Review the following questions. If you answer yes to any of them, expand the section to learn more about the best mattress options for you.