Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers – 2019 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 pain and pressure relief throughout the body and better spinal alignment. Our Editor’s Pick, the Leesa memory foam mattress, is a standout because of its balanced, ‘Medium’ feel that offers consistent body conforming and stable sleeper support. Most side sleepers who weigh 230 pounds or less experience improved spinal alignment as a result.

The mattress is optimal for couples because 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.

Good for:

• Sleepers in any position (side, back, stomach, combination)
• Sleepers who weigh 230 pounds or less
• Couples
• People with chronic aches and pains

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, 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 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.

Good for:

• Every type of sleeper (side, back, stomach, combination)
• Sleepers who weigh at least 130 pounds
• Those who tend to sleep hot on all-foam beds
• 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

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 Casper, a memory foam mattress with a Medium feel that cushions the body and alleviates discomfort for most lightweight side sleepers.

The 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.

Good for:

• Side and back sleepers
• Sleepers in the light and average weight groups
• Couples
• People who usually sleep hot on all-foam beds

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 Luxe is one of many luxury hybrids released by Helix in 2018. 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 slimmed down Standard design, that measures 10″ thick, the Luxe model at 14″ in height is an upgrade 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 also has a Euro-top cushion for side sleepers who like extra padding.

The Helix Midnight Luxe 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 Luxe model also sleeps quite cool due an enhanced cover designed to a produce strong airflow throughout the support core. As well, the absorbing foams minimize motion across the surface of the bed, which couples love.

The Helix Midnight 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