Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers – 2021 Reviews and Buyer’s Guide

The Layla Mattress is a flippable model, meaning the top and bottom sides feature sleep surfaces. One side has a medium soft (4) feel and offers close contouring, which can be especially helpful for side sleepers and people with back pain. The opposite side is firm (7) and best suited to back and stomach sleepers. The mattress weighs 80 pounds in a queen size, so we recommend enlisting in a partner whenever a rotation is needed.

Both sides are constructed with memory foam comfort layers infused with copper, which has antimicrobial properties and also helps the mattress sleep cool. A shared support core of high-density polyfoam stabilizes the entire mattress and prevents people who weigh 230 pounds or less from sinking excessively – especially side and back sleepers.

The Layla Mattress also offers great motion isolation. This can be attributed to the memory foam layers, which absorb movement quite well and prevent transfer across the surface. As a result, the mattress is a good option for couples – especially those who have found other coil mattresses too disruptive.

The sticker price for this mattress is very reasonable, and customers can bundle their purchase with pillows, sheets, or foundations to save some money. Shipping is also free throughout the contiguous U.S. The mattress is backed by a 120-night sleep trial and a lifetime warranty.

The Bottom Line.

The reversible Layla Mattress offers two sleep surfaces in one and is suitable for anyone who wants a softer feel one night and a firmer feel the next. Copper-infused memory foam layers also provide precise contouring and help the mattress sleep cool.

Finding a comfortable mattress can be tricky because most models are more suitable for some sleepers than others based on factors like body type and sleep position. The Nolah Signature 12 is a rare exception thanks to a flippable design. One side of the mattress has a medium soft (4) feel and contours very closely to the body, making it optimal for side sleeping, while the other side is firm and supportive enough for back and stomach sleepers.

Each sleep surface is constructed with a comfort layer of adaptive AirFoam, a proprietary polyfoam material that not only provides even contouring but also sleeps fairly cool. A shared support core of high-density foam is located in the Nolah Signature 12’s midsection. Due to its all-foam design, the mattress absorbs movement and prevents this motion from transferring across the mattress. As a result, sleepers shouldn’t experience sleep disturbances when their partner moves in bed. The Nolah Signature 12 is also completely silent.

Shipping is free for all orders within the contiguous U.S., and Nolah backs the Signature 12 with a 120-night sleep trial and a lifetime warranty.

The Bottom Line.

The flippable Nolah Signature 12 offers two distinct surfaces in one, making the mattress suitable for a wide range of body types and sleep positions. It also sleeps fairly cool for an all-foam model and excels at motion isolation.

The WinkBed is a deluxe hybrid mattress sold in four different firmness levels. The standard design is available with medium soft (4.5), medium firm (6.5), and firm (7.5) feels. These models are constructed with two comfort layers of adaptive polyfoam and a transitional layer of pocketed minicoils, creating a comfortable balance of contouring and responsiveness.

The fourth option is the WinkBed Plus, a firm (8) model specifically designed for heavier individuals. This model swaps out the transitional minicoils for 2.5 inches of supportive latex. All WinkBed mattresses feature support cores of pocketed coils divided into zones based on gauge. Thicker coils line the perimeter to prevent sinkage along the edges while thinner coils are placed beneath the sleeper’s body for added comfort.

All versions of the WinkBed sleep quite cool. For standard models, both coil layers promote steady airflow to help maintain a comfortable core temperature. The WinkBed Plus also sleeps cool thanks to its latex layer, which doesn’t absorb as much body heat as foam.

The WinkBed is competitively priced for a hybrid, but all orders in the contiguous U.S. qualify for free ground shipping. Customers receive a 120-night sleep trial and a lifetime warranty.

The Bottom Line.

The WinkBed stands out thanks to a supportive design and excellent temperature control. Customers can select from four firmness levels based on their body type, sleep position, and general comfort preferences.

SpineAlign is a mattress and bedding brand specializing in products that correct alignment and reduce pressure in the lower back and other areas along the spine. The SpineAlign Luxury Hybrid is constructed with two comfort layers of adaptive polyfoam that contour evenly to distribute the sleeper’s weight and alleviate discomfort, while transitional polyfoam and pocketed coil layers stabilize the mattress to prevent excessive sinkage.

Customers can choose between three firmness levels for their Luxury Hybrid. The soft (3) option is best suited to people who weigh less than 130 pounds – side sleepers in particular. The firm (7) option will probably be more comfortable for heavier individuals, those who sleep on their back or stomach, and anyone else who needs extra support from their mattress. The medium (5) option offers the most balanced feel, and is ideal for anyone who weighs 130-230 pounds.

The coil layer promotes steady airflow to help the mattress maintain a comfortable temperature. Another cooling component is the cover, which is infused with phase-change material that draws heat away from the sleeper’s body. Edge support is another strength of the Luxury Hybrid thanks to its thick coil system.

SpineAlign ships the mattress free of charge to all customers in the lower 48 states. The Luxury Hybrid is backed by a 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty.

The Bottom Line.

The SpineAlign Luxury Hybrid lives up to its brand’s name by contouring evenly along the spine to improve alignment and reduce pain. For added comfort, customers can choose from three distinct firmness levels.

The Nectar is a great value option because its price-point is significantly below-average. However, the mattress provides the same comfortable body conforming, pain and pressure relief, and improved spinal alignment as many of its more expensive competing models. With a medium firm feel, the mattress is optimal for sleepers in any position weighing between 130 and 230 pounds, as well as lighter or heavier sleepers who prefer a balance of cushioning and support.

The Nectar bed is constructed with two memory foam layers, including a top quilted gel memory foam layer. These materials provide moderate contouring and good weight distribution. The mattress also sleeps fairly cool, thanks in part to a breathable cover made of cotton and Tencel lyocell.

Two layers of high-density polyfoam reinforce the bed, resulting in minimal sagging and good edge support. And because the Nectar isolates motion well and doesn’t make any noise, it is a great option for couples.

Nectar provides free shipping anywhere in the contiguous U.S. The mattress is backed by a 365-night sleep trial and a lifetime warranty, both of which are much longer than average.

The Bottom Line.

Due to its quality construction, The Nectar mattress offers cushioning and support on par with more expensive models, but for a significantly lower price point. Side sleepers on a budget will appreciate this bed’s conforming yet cool sleep surface.

Side sleepers who weigh less than 130 pounds usually prefer mattresses with a softer feel. This ensures adequate padding beneath the shoulders and hips, which can help align the spine and prevent pressure points from developing in sensitive areas. Our pick for side sleepers in this weight group is the Leesa memory foam mattress.

The Leesa is a standout because of its balanced medium feel that offers consistent body conforming and stable sleeper support. Most side sleepers who weigh 130 pounds or less experience improved spinal alignment as a result.

The mattress is optimal for couples because it reduces nighttime sleep disruptions by isolating motion transfer and not making any noise. Its high-density polyfoam support core also reinforces the sleep surface very well, resulting in minimal sagging and less sinkage along the edges.

Compared to other memory foam mattresses, the Leesa’s price-point is significantly below average. The company also offers free shipping to all 50 states. The mattress is backed by a 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty.

The Bottom Line.

Fundamental to a good side sleeping mattress, the Leesa Mattress has the right amount of give, cradling, and support that side sleepers in lighter weight groups can’t always access in firmer beds. As a universally enjoyed medium firmness bed with a dense support core, we can recommend the Leesa to most every sleeper, save those who weigh more than 230 pounds.

Featuring a classic memory foam feel and a substantial support system, the Layla Hybrid is another excellent choice for side sleepers with a reversible design.

This hybrid bed features a different firmness on each side of the mattress. One side is considered medium (5 out of 10 on the firmness scale) and the other is firm (7). Both sides feature comfort layers of copper-infused memory foam, which conforms closely to the body for pressure relief and sleeps cooler than regular memory foam. In between the two comfort layers is a pocketed coil support core that’s zoned to support different parts of the body. This support core provides a significant amount of support and allows for more airflow throughout the bed.

The Layla Hybrid’s flippable design makes for a more versatile bed, as the medium side is ideal for side sleepers under 200 pounds and the soft side is recommended for those over. The soft side comforms especially close to the body, easing pressure points and reducing aches and pains.

The Layla Hybrid comes at an average price point for hybrid mattresses. Layla offers a 120 night sleep trial, a 10 year warranty, and ships free to the contiguous US.

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

This innerspring bed 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.

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 11.5-inch and 14.5-inch 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.

The Bottom Line.

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 is a notable exception.