Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers – 2020 Reviews and Buyer’s Guide

Editor's Pick Overview

The ideal mattress for most side sleepers will provide close body conforming that cushions the shoulders and hips, resulting in pressure relief throughout the body and better spinal alignment. Our Editor’s Pick is The Casper, a memory foam mattress with a Medium feel that cushions the body and alleviates discomfort for side sleepers.

The Casper mattress is constructed with three foam comfort layers, including a middle memory foam layer, for a good balance of body conforming and sleeper support. The Casper is also a good option for couples because it absorbs motion transfer very well and doesn’t make any noise. And because the bed retains a minimal amount of body heat from sleepers, it maintains a cooler temperature than many of its all-foam counterparts. A high-density base reinforces the bed to prevent excessive sagging, as well.

The Casper’s price-point is slightly above-average compared to other memory foam beds, but the company offers free shipping anywhere in the contiguous U.S. and Canada. The mattress is backed by a 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty.

The Bottom Line.

The Casper mattress checks all the boxes for side sleepers. It offers superior pressure point and pain relief, regulates temperature fairly well, and sleeps virtually silent due to an all-form construction.

Best Value Overview

The Nectar earns our Best Value pick in part 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.

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 blood flow in sleepers with poor circulation. Good airflow through the pocketed coil layer also helps the bed stay temperature-neutral.

Another strong point is the Aurora’s edge support; the 8″ coil layer provides strong reinforcement to the entire bed and helps minimize sinkage around the perimeter.

The Aurora has a higher price-point than the average mattress, but it’s still relatively affordable for a hybrid. 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.

The Bottom Line.

The Aurora mattress offers side sleepers a top-of-the-line, premium sleep experience. Side sleepers can enjoy the contouring relief of foam, but still sleep cool thanks to quality materials that promote breathability and circulation.

Best for Lightweight Sleepers Overview

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 over 230 pounds.

Best for Average Weight Sleepers Overview

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.

Best for Heavyweight Sleepers Overview

The Helix Midnight is one of many base hybrids offered by Helix. It is considered ‘Medium’ (5.5) in terms of firmness, and offers solid conforming and better spinal alignment for heavier side sleepers. While also coming in a thicker luxe design, that measures 14″ thick, the base model at 10″ in height is the most popular version.

Both models 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 includes a Euro-top cushion for side sleepers who like extra padding.

The Helix Midnight also has a high-density polyfoam transitional layer and a zoned 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 Midnight also sleeps quite cool due to its soft-touch cover, specially designed to produce strong airflow throughout the support core. The absorbing foams further minimize motion across the surface of the bed, which makes it great for not disturbing your sleeping partner.

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

The Bottom Line.

The different firmness options available with the Helix Midnight make it a good pick for sleepers of any weight. However, the thicker 14-inch Luxe stands out for providing the dense support heavier-set side sleepers need, while still being responsive and cushiony.