Get the sleep of your dreams with the best mattress for side sleepers.
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Forgo the long nights of watching the clock tick as you toss and turn. Forget uncomfortably lying in bed for hours—with your mind racing with questions about how to purchase a new mattress so you can finally get a good night’s sleep. There are a variety of best mattresses for side sleepers that will help you achieve the sleep of your dreams.
Sleeping on your side is healthier than sleeping on your back or stomach. It aids in the potential reduction of heartburn, as well as snoring. Side sleepers know this is the ideal position to sleep in for proper spinal alignment, especially when using one of the best pillows for side sleepers. According to the Sleep Foundation, nearly 60% of people are side sleepers.
“A good mattress is a key component of your sleep system and sets the tone for not only your nights but your days as well,” says David Rubin, a certified sleep science coach and the Director of Product Testing at Sleep Doctor. “We know that a lack of quality sleep can lead to depression, a decline in cognitive function, poor diet choices and increased stress. It’s worth the investment to get the deep and REM sleep you need for a healthy body and mind.”
Luckily, we found the five best mattresses for side sleepers so you’ll finally be able to rest easy.
On Sale
Best Overall
Nolah Evolution 15
Pros:
- Three firmness levels
- Minimal motion transfer; ideal for sleeping next to someone
- Hybrid build includes cushioned foam layers and supportive coils
- Solid edge support all the way around
- CertiPUR-US certified foams and fiberglass-free
- Good pressure relief
- Cooling pillow top upgrade available
- Reasonably priced
Cons:
- Heavy to carry and set up by yourself
- $99 pick-up fee if you decide to return it
The best mattress for side sleepers is the Nolah Evolution 15 Mattress. Why do side sleepers have such sweet dreams on this mattress? The 15-inch Nolah Evolution 15 has three firmness levels to choose from, ensuring you get just the right amount of support to lull the body (and mind) to sleep while keeping spines aligned.
Senior shopping editor Katie Bandurski opted for luxury firm, which Nolah says is a six to seven on the firmness scale. Katie put the mattress in her guest room which doubles as her home office. For nine months, Katie spent time lounging on her Nolah with a book or her computer, napping and sleeping through the night. And while she initially believed that nothing could top her beloved Helix Midnight Elite, Katie was pleasantly surprised by how well the Nolah Evolution 15 supported her head, neck and spine.
“As a side sleeper, I’m already putting a lot of pressure on my shoulders and hips. Without proper support, I’m at risk of misalignment and—aches and pains,” explains Katie in her full Nolah Evolution 15 review. “The luxury firm support offers the Goldilocks of firmness—not too soft, not too hard. It’s also suitable for my husband, who alternates between sleeping on his side and his back. There’s also a substantial weight difference between us and the Nolah does a good job accommodating both of our body types.”
This overall best mattress for side sleepers has gel-infused memory foam to keep you cool while dreaming. It’s available in twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California and split king sizes.
Sizes available: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king, split king| Materials: Memory foam, organic cotton cover or cooling pillow top | Warranty: Limited lifetime | Trial available?: Yes, 120 nights
On Sale
Best Non-toxic
Helix Birch Natural
Pros:
- Non-toxic, organic and natural materials
- GOLS and Greenguard Gold-certified
- Hybrid design with coils and comfort layers (no memory foam)
- Good for hot sleepers and those with joint pain
- Also good for back and stomach sleepers
- Well-built with great edge support
- Nice responsiveness
Cons:
- Took a full 48 hours to expand
- Doesn't minimize motion transfer
- Only one firmness level
Say hello to the Birch Natural Mattress by Helix, the best non-toxic mattress for side sleepers. It’s not uncommon for mattresses (maybe even your current mattress!) to be made with a toxic chemical known as polyurethane foam. Made from petroleum chemicals, this foam can emit toxic gas. That’s why you might want to seriously consider buying an organic mattress, and the Birch Natural is one of the best, especially for side sleepers.
This mattress is made in the USA with nontoxic, organic and natural materials. You’ll also sleep like a baby knowing that it is Greenguard Gold, GOTS, GOLS, Eco-Institute and Fair Trade Certified. The eco-friendly mattress consists of individually wrapped coils, which provide reinforced support under your hips and cradle your body while helping to align your spine. This non-toxic mattress for side sleepers has a medium feel, and comes in twin, twin XL, full, queen, king and California king sizes.
Our tester, Richard Glenn, slept on it for a month and found that it was well-built and supportive. Additionally, it kept him cool and helped alleviate his joint pain.
“The medium firmness is a great balance between support and comfort,” Richard explains in his Birch mattress review. “It’s not a cure-all, but it’s good enough that I don’t even think about waking up achy. When I do sleep on my back, I don’t have any lower back pain because of the support from the mattress.” This can be attributed to the mattress’s individually wrapped coils, which provide reinforced support under your hips and cradle your body while helping to align your spine.
However, Richard points out that you’ll want to wait for the mattress to fully expand before hopping into bed. “I slept on it before it was fully inflated, and it seemed squishy,” he says. “24 hours later, it came to its full firmness and felt much more supportive.” He adds that it took 48 hours for the mattress to fully expand.
Sizes available: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king | Materials: Organic cotton, natural wool, organic latex | Warranty: Limited lifetime | Trial available?: Yes, 100 nights
On Sale
Best for tossers and turners
Beautyrest Black Mattress
Pros:
- Perfect combination of support and comfort for all sleeping positions
- Motion separation technology decreases movement
- Temperature control to fight heat transfer
- Zoned support for pressure point relief
- Beautyrest offers setup and free takeaway of your old mattress
- Undeniably luxurious feel
- Plenty of handles to maneuver it for setup and rotating
Cons:
- Hybrid design may not meet super-specific needs
- Expensive compared to other mattresses on the market
Prepare to feel like you’re on cloud nine with the Beautyrest Black Hybrid Mattress. With four different models and myriad firmness levels to choose from, even tossers and turners will get a comfortable night’s rest. Just ask our tester Morgan Chaney, who slept on this mattress for several months and detailed her experience in a Beautyrest review.
As someone who suffers from chronic back pain, Morgan switches sleep positions depending on how her spine is feeling. Luckily, the Beautyrest Black was the solution she had been dreaming of. ““This mattress is extremely supportive, yet comfy, and has all the features to make sure I sleep soundly all night long,” she raves in her review. “After two months of sleeping like a dog after a day at the beach, I can’t believe it took me this long to get one.”
Morgan has the hybrid model to thank for that. Its firm base and pocket coils make it an excellent choice for back sleepers while layers of contouring gel memory foam provide softness for stomach and side sleepers.
“The hybrid model provides a firmer base with pocket coils that is fantastic for back sleepers while also offering layers of gel memory foam to provide a softness that is much needed for stomach and side sleepers. The foam comfort layers conform to your body and help relieve common pressure points in the hips and shoulders.”
While Morgan was completely satisfied with the Beautyrest, we did find that reviews were mixed overall. In short, buyers either love or hate this mattress. Those who don’t like it say that it’s too firm and never breaks in, while those who love it say it provides exceptional support while still feeling luxurious. Just keep in mind that, as mentioned above, the mattress is available in several models and firmness options. Those who dislike it may have chosen the wrong model for their needs.
Luckily, Beautyrest offers a 100-night trial, so you’ll have plenty of time to see if it works for you. If you’re not thrilled with it, you can return it for free.
Sizes available: Twin XL, full, queen, king, California king | Materials: Cool-to-the-touch cover, gel memory foam | Warranty: 10 years | Trial available?: Yes, 100 nights
Best Innerspring
Saatva Classic Mattress
Pros:
- Firm option supports stomach and back sleepers
- Euro pillowtop adds plushness
- Available in twin to split California king sizes
- Comes in three firmness levels
- 365-night home trial
- Free white-glove delivery and old mattress removal
Cons:
- There's a $99 fee for returns
- Mixed reviews about motion transfer and edge support
- Some customers report issues with sagging and body impressions
The best innerspring mattress for side sleepers, not to mention the best mattress of 2025 overall, is the Saatva Classic. This traditional mattress features a durable base coil unit, high-density foam rails for solid edge support, individually wrapped coils that contour to your body and a gel-infused memory foam lumbar crown all topped by a luxurious pillow top.
This Saatva mattress is offered in three firmness levels: plush soft, luxury firm and firm. Luxury firm is the most popular choice, but plush soft is considered the best for side sleepers, since it offers some firmness with plenty of give for bony points like hips and shoulders.
Our tester Madi Koetting reviewed this mattress and agrees that it’s one of the best on the market. “Over the course of the first few nights, I woke up well-rested and pain-free. As a side sleeper, my neck and shoulders are the biggest culprits of my sleep problems. Saatva is an absolute dream for how firm, yet cozy, the mattress is,” she writes in her full Saatva mattress review. “After a few weeks, my Saatva mattress became slightly plusher by the night. This was a pleasant surprise, considering how firm it was the first few nights.”
Another thing Madi loved about this mattress was the free white glove delivery and in-room setup. Nope. This isn’t a bed in a box! According to Madi, who loves the convenience of boxed beds, having this mattress delivered and set up on her existing bed frame was an extra-sweet treat. Not to mention the fact that they hauled away her old mattress at no extra cost. Talk about service!
Sizes available: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king, split king, split California king | Materials: Organic cotton, Certi-PUR-certified foams, recycled steel coils | Warranty: Lifetime | Trial available?: Yes, 365 nights
On Sale
Best Cooling
Bear Pro Hybrid Mattress
Pros:
- Excellent airflow prevents overheating
- Supports a variety of sleeping positions
- Strong edge support
- Pillowtop upgrade available
- Low motion transfer
- Greenguard Gold and Certi-PUR US certified
- Fiberglass-free
- Affordable price point
Cons:
- Only one firmness level available
- Extra shipping fees for Alaska and Hawaii
- Not as plush as some other choices
- May be too firm for very petite individuals
Looking for a mattress that’s cooling, non-toxic, comfortable and affordable? Yes, it really does exist. Meet the Bear Pro Hybrid mattress. Our tester Emily Way even referred to it as the Goldilocks of mattresses after months of testing.
Emily, who jokingly refers to herself as a human furnace, was amazed by how quickly the quality of her sleep improved thanks to the Bear’s cooling gel memory foam and breathable quilt cover. “I received my Bear Pro right at the end of summer into early fall, meaning that I’ve tried it in a range of temperatures. Even on sweltering nights, I have yet to wake up drenched in sweat—a big win for me,” Way raves in her Bear mattress review. “The cooling gel layer and air-infused coils really do a great job of moving heat out and away from my body at night.”
The Bear Pro Hybrid mattress only has one firmness level that the brand describes as medium-firm. According to Emily, it’s closer to firm. And while she wasn’t thrilled about it at first, she quickly came to appreciate the support it provided.
“I’m a side and stomach sleeper, while my husband is a back and side sleeper. This normally means that at least one of us is unhappy with the firmness of our mattress,” she explains. “With our old mattress, both of us frequently woke up with back and hip pain. However, the Bear mattress surprised us. It’s supportive, thanks to the coils and firmness, yet also offers enough ‘give’ to cradle the body. It’s actually much, much more comfortable than any other ‘firm’ mattress I’ve tried in the past. Now, I’m a true believer in the importance of a little firmness on a mattress for side sleepers!”
And if you’re certain you wouldn’t sleep comfortably on a firmer mattress, you can opt for the pillow-top upgrade for an additional $195.
Sizes available: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, Cal king, split king | Materials: Cooling gel, memory foam, encased coils | Warranty: Limited lifetime | Trial available?: Yes, 120 nights
Types of mattresses for side sleepers
- Innerspring mattresses: As the most common type, innerspring mattresses are constructed with a steel coil support system and layers of cushioning material. They come in a variety of firmness levels and can be customized with different types of padding and cushioning materials. However, some people find that innerspring mattresses can be less supportive and durable than other types, and may develop lumps or lose their shape over time.
- Memory foam mattresses: Memory foam mattresses are made from a type of foam that is designed to conform to the shape of your body and provide support and comfort. The foam is temperature-sensitive, so it will soften and conform to your body when you lie down, and then return to its original shape when you get up. They can be more expensive than other types, but are especially good for people with pain or pressure points.
- Latex mattresses: Latex mattresses are made from natural or synthetic latex foam, which is a type of foam that is derived from rubber tree sap. They are known for their durability, comfort and support. These beds are also hypoallergenic and resistant to dust mites, mold and mildew.
- Hybrid mattresses: Hybrid mattresses are a combination of two or more types of mattress materials, such as innerspring coils, memory foam and latex. They’re designed to provide the best of both worlds, combining the comfort and support of memory foam with the bounce and responsiveness of innerspring coils.
What to consider when buying a mattress for side sleepers
The most important thing to consider when side sleeper mattress shopping is how much support and pressure relief your shoulders, hips and joints need. Typically, side sleepers gravitate toward a softer mattress, which is why memory foam mattresses are an ideal choice. Generally speaking, on the mattress firmness scale, side sleepers should look at the range from plush to medium.
“As a side sleeper, you really want to be focused on pressure relief and support,” says Rubin. “When you sleep on your side, most of your weight is falling to the heavier areas of your body—mainly your hips and shoulders. If you have a bed that’s too firm, you’re likely to wake up with sore joints. However, if you get a bed that’s too soft and lacks adequate support, your hips can sink too low and you risk your spine falling out of alignment which can lead to back pain.”
How we found the best mattresses for side sleepers
To find the best mattresses for side sleepers, we started with the reporting basics—what the products were made of, how they adapted to people on their side and how much they cost. Our goal is to ensure we only recommend the buys that are worth your time and money.
Next, we researched the features that spoke to the mattress’s quality. We took advice from industry insiders and subject matter experts on what made a mattress a smart value or worthy of a splurge. Finally, we combed through user reviews to see how real side sleepers slept on the mattress and if it stood up to the test before enlisting the help of our seasoned product testers.
Our editors and testers slept on each of these mattresses for months in their own homes in order to assess their comfort, cooling properties, longevity and overall value. They provided detailed and honest feedback in order to help determine whether or not each mattress deserved a spot on our “best of” list.
FAQ
What type of mattress is best for side sleepers?
When shopping for a mattress, side sleepers should look for a hybrid or memory foam mattress. These types align the spine and minimize pressure on shoulders, joints and hips. “Hybrid mattresses are often a great choice for side sleepers since they have comfort layers usually made from softer materials like memory foam or latex foam, but support layers made from stronger steel coils,” says Rubin.
Is a soft or firm mattress better for side sleepers?
It’s truly up to your personal preference. However, plush to medium firm mattresses are best for side sleepers.
Are hybrid mattresses good for side sleepers?
Hybrid mattresses are the best of both worlds, offering the support of memory foam with the bounce of an innerspring coil mattress. So, in short, yes, it’s a good choice for side sleepers.
Why you should trust us
I have been a lifestyle, home decor, pets and travel writer for many years. I’ve covered numerous bedding and sleep-related articles for Reader’s Digest, including the best cooling mattress pads, best tufted headboards, best hybrid mattresses and more. I used the research and knowledge gained from writing those pieces to help me curate the best mattresses for side sleepers.
For this piece, I also consulted sleep expert David Rubin. Rubin is a certified sleep coach and the Director of Product Testing at Sleep Doctor. After becoming a father and experiencing sleepless nights, he has extensively researched everything from bedtime routines to the best mattress toppers to achieve optimal sleep.
