Buying guide

Best Mattress for Side Sleepers (2026 Guide)

By MattressDealsOnline Editorial · Updated July 2026 · 13 mattresses ranked

Side sleeping concentrates your body weight on two narrow points - the shoulder and the hip. The right mattress lets those points sink in while holding your waist level, keeping your spine straight. Too firm and you wake with numb arms and sore shoulders; too soft and your hips sink into a hammock.

How we ranked: We ranked for pressure relief at the shoulder, hip support, and spinal alignment in the 5-6.5 firmness range.

#1 · Best Luxury Innerspring

Saatva Classic

4.3/5

★★★★☆ 4.3

The luxury-hotel innerspring that punches well above its price. Coil-on-coil construction with real chiropractor-approved lumbar engineering, an organic cotton Euro top, and best-in-class edge support, delivered free white-glove with old-mattress removal. Comes in three firmnesses (Plush Soft 3, Luxury Firm ~6, Firm 7.5) and two heights. A 365-night trial and lifetime warranty lead the category. Bouncy and responsive rather than hugging; excellent for back sleepers and couples, weaker on motion isolation.

1 · Plush5-6 · Medium10 · Extra firm

Type: Innerspring

Queen Price: $1,904

Trial: 365 nights ($99 return processing fee)

Warranty: Lifetime (non-prorated)

Back SleeperStomach SleeperSide Sleeper Average BodyHeavy Body

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#2 · Best Value Luxury Hybrid

DreamCloud Classic Hybrid

4.2/5

★★★★☆ 4.2

Nectar's sister brand and the value luxury-hybrid pick. DreamCloud labels it Firm but testers land it at medium-firm (6-7): a bouncy, easy-to-move-on coil feel with a quilted cooling top, strong edge support, and low motion transfer. Queen frequently drops to around $649 on sale. Backed by a 365-night trial and a lifetime warranty.

1 · Plush5-6 · Medium10 · Extra firm

Type: Hybrid

Queen Price: $649

Trial: 365 nights

Warranty: Lifetime (Forever warranty; full replacement yrs 1-10, repair/recover after)

Back SleeperSide SleeperCombo Sleeper Average BodyHeavy Body

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#3 · Best Cooling Upgrade Pick

SweetNight CoolNest Pro Memory Foam

4.5/5

★★★★★ 4.5

The 2026 flagship upgrade (launched June): steps the CoolNest formula up from triple- to four-stage cooling, swaps in a cooler-to-touch gradient ice silk cover, and upgrades 5-zone to contour-cut 7-zone precision support with firmer lumbar and softer shoulders. Fiberglass-free, CertiPUR-US and OEKO-TEX certified. Queen and King only; prices shown are the 12" profile, rising to about $829.99 for the 16". For hot sleepers who want SweetNight's best temperature control and targeted support.

1 · Plush5-6 · Medium10 · Extra firm

Type: Memory Foam

Queen Price: $529.99

Trial: 100 nights (30-night break-in recommended)

Warranty: 10 years limited

Side SleeperBack SleeperCombo Sleeper Light BodyAverage Body

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SweetNight CoolNest Pro Memory Foam mattress

#4 · Best Motion Isolation

Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Adapt

3.9/5

★★★★☆ 3.9

The deepest, most conforming memory foam in the business and the benchmark for motion isolation: the proprietary TEMPUR material molds to you slowly and swallows partner movement almost entirely. That comes with a premium price, a warmer sleep than coil or grid beds, and the shortest trial here (90 nights). For dedicated memory-foam lovers and light-sleeping couples who want the true enveloping hug and will pay for it.

1 · Plush5-6 · Medium10 · Extra firm

Type: Memory Foam

Queen Price: $2,499

Trial: 90 nights

Warranty: 10 years limited

Side SleeperBack Sleeper Light BodyAverage Body

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#5 · Best For Side Sleepers

Helix Midnight

4.1/5

★★★★☆ 4.1

Helix's best-seller and their side-sleeper specialist: soft enough at the shoulder, supportive at the hip, with a true medium feel around 6/10. Made-to-order in the USA, with strong edge support and pressure relief. Queen around $999 (the Luxe upgrade runs higher). Note the shorter 100-night trial and 10-year warranty versus rivals offering lifetime terms.

1 · Plush5-6 · Medium10 · Extra firm

Type: Hybrid

Queen Price: $999

Trial: 100 nights (30-night break-in required)

Warranty: 10 years limited

Side SleeperBack SleeperCombo Sleeper Light BodyAverage Body

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#6 · Best For Couples (Motion Isolation)

SweetNight Gloaming Hybrid

4.2/5

★★★★☆ 4.2

SweetNight's motion-isolation specialist, around $400 for a 12" queen on sale (from $499.99), built for light sleepers and couples easily woken by a partner. Uses bamboo charcoal memory foam (known for absorbing movement plus wicking moisture and odor) over pocket springs, for a balanced medium-firm feel that contours the shoulders and hips while the coils hold the spine. Fiberglass-free, CertiPUR-US and OEKO-TEX certified. The pick when minimizing partner disturbance matters most.

1 · Plush5-6 · Medium10 · Extra firm

Type: Hybrid

Queen Price: $399.99

Trial: 100 nights

Warranty: 10 years limited

Side SleeperBack SleeperCombo Sleeper Light BodyAverage Body

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#7 · Best Budget Cooling Foam

SweetNight CoolNest Memory Foam

4.4/5

★★★★☆ 4.4

The all-foam cooling pick and the cheapest way into the CoolNest line, around $330 for a 12" queen on sale (from $469.99). Independent labs rated it a perfect 10/10 for motion isolation and 9/10 for cooling: rare for an all-foam bed. A responsive PCMflux top keeps it from feeling stuck, over a 5-zone support base. Medium feel (5-6/10, softens with profile height). Best for hot sleepers and couples on a budget; edge support is its weak point. Ships with free pillows.

1 · Plush5-6 · Medium10 · Extra firm

Type: Memory Foam

Queen Price: $329.99

Trial: 100 nights (30-night break-in recommended)

Warranty: 10 years limited

Side SleeperBack SleeperCombo Sleeper Light BodyAverage Body

Check Price at SweetNight → Full review Deal active

SweetNight CoolNest Memory Foam mattress

#8 · Best Balanced Feel

Casper Original Hybrid

4.0/5

★★★★☆ 4.0

The bed-in-a-box original, now zoned: softer foam under the shoulders, firmer under the hips and lumbar, over breathable coils. A balanced, unfussy medium feel (6-6.5) that's easy to move on, with solid back support and cool-sleeping AirScape foam. Best for back and combo sleepers of light-to-average weight; strict stomach sleepers and heavier bodies may want firmer. Frequently discounted well below its list price. 100-night trial, 10-year warranty.

1 · Plush5-6 · Medium10 · Extra firm

Type: Hybrid

Queen Price: $1,499

Trial: 100 nights

Warranty: 10 years limited

Back SleeperSide SleeperCombo Sleeper Light BodyAverage Body

Check Price at Casper → Full review

#9 · Best Pillow-top Hybrid

WinkBeds WinkBed

4.2/5

★★★★☆ 4.2

A hotel-style pillow-top hybrid with serious edge support and a breathable Tencel top, in four firmnesses including a Plus build for heavier bodies. A repeated Forbes best-mattress contender: cushioned cloud-like top with real underlying support, strong cooling, and lifetime coverage. Best for back and side sleepers and couples who want luxury feel without Saatva-level pricing. Motion isolation is its weaker area.

1 · Plush5-6 · Medium10 · Extra firm

Type: Hybrid

Queen Price: $1,799

Trial: 120 nights

Warranty: Lifetime limited

Back SleeperSide SleeperStomach Sleeper Average BodyHeavy Body

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#10 · Best Value Memory Foam

Nectar Classic

4.0/5

★★★★☆ 4.0

The default value memory foam pick. Slightly firmer than typical memory foam with a more responsive, on-top feel rather than a deep sink, and near-perfect motion isolation with a cooling cover that pulls its weight for an all-foam bed. Endorsed by the American Chiropractic Association. Queen regularly sells around $649 on sale (MSRP higher), backed by a 365-night trial and Nectar's Forever warranty.

1 · Plush5-6 · Medium10 · Extra firm

Type: Memory Foam

Queen Price: $649

Trial: 365 nights

Warranty: Forever warranty (lifetime, non-prorated)

Side SleeperBack SleeperCombo Sleeper Light BodyAverage Body

Check Price at Nectar → Full review Deal active

#11 · Best Cooling Feel

Purple Mattress

4.0/5

★★★★☆ 4.0

Nothing else feels like the GelFlex Grid: a flexible polymer grid that buckles under hips and shoulders while staying firm under your back, giving instant pressure relief with a signature floating feel and no memory-foam hug. The open grid is genuinely one of the coolest-sleeping surfaces made. The entry Purple Mattress brings that tech at the line's most accessible price. Note the shorter 100-night trial and 10-year warranty. Best for hot sleepers and combo sleepers who hate feeling stuck.

1 · Plush5-6 · Medium10 · Extra firm

Type: Hybrid

Queen Price: $1,199

Trial: 100 nights (21-night minimum before returns)

Warranty: 10 years limited

Side SleeperBack SleeperCombo Sleeper Light BodyAverage Body

Check Price at Purple → Full review

#12 · Best Budget Cooling Hybrid

SweetNight CoolNest Hybrid

4.4/5

★★★★☆ 4.4

SweetNight's cooling hybrid and the value standout of the lineup: a genuine PCM-plus-gel cooling system and a DuoSense pillow top over reinforced pocketed coils, medium-firm at about 6.5/10, for a queen price that undercuts luxury cooling hybrids many times its cost. ACA-endorsed, CertiPUR-US and OEKO-TEX certified, fiberglass-free. Prices shown are the 12" profile; 14" and 16" run higher and sleep progressively softer. Ships with free pillows.

1 · Plush5-6 · Medium10 · Extra firm

Type: Hybrid

Queen Price: $499

Trial: 100 nights (30-night break-in recommended)

Warranty: 10 years limited

Side SleeperBack SleeperCombo Sleeper Light BodyAverage Body

Check Price at SweetNight → Full review Deal active

#13 · Best Responsive Foam

Leesa Original

3.9/5

★★★★☆ 3.9

A responsive, better-than-average all-foam bed that gives foam comfort without the stuck-in-quicksand feel: a hug with lift. Testers land it firmer than Leesa's own 5-7 label (closer to 7.5), best for back and average-weight side sleepers, with above-average cooling for foam and strong motion isolation for couples. Wirecutter and NapLab picks; Consumer Reports rated it a perfect 5/5 for durability. Queen list around $1,199, often on sale near $999. 120-night trial.

1 · Plush5-6 · Medium10 · Extra firm

Type: Memory Foam

Queen Price: $1,199

Trial: 120 nights (30-night break-in)

Warranty: 10 years limited (some lines lifetime)

Side SleeperBack SleeperCombo Sleeper Light BodyAverage Body

Check Price at Leesa → Full review Deal active

Why side sleeping is harder on your body than it looks

Side sleeping is the most common sleep position - studies put it above half of all adults - but it’s also the position most sensitive to the wrong mattress. Here’s the mechanical reason: when you lie on your side, almost all of your body weight funnels onto two narrow contact points, your shoulder and your hip. Everywhere else barely touches the bed.

That concentration is the whole problem. If the surface is too firm, those two joints can’t sink in, so pressure builds until you wake with a sore shoulder or a numb arm and roll over to escape it. If the surface is too soft, your shoulder and hip sink too far while your waist stays up, bowing your spine into a hammock and straining your lower back. The right side-sleeper mattress threads that needle: it lets the shoulder and hip settle in about one to two inches while keeping your waist supported, so your spine stays level from neck to tailbone.

What firmness side sleepers actually need

The single most important factor is firmness, and for side sleepers it skews softer than average - but the exact number depends heavily on your body weight. This is the framework sleep labs and clinicians consistently use:

Under 130 lb: aim soft to medium-soft, roughly 3-5 out of 10. Lighter bodies don’t generate enough force to press into a firmer surface, so a firm bed feels like the floor and builds pressure at the shoulder.
130-230 lb: aim medium, roughly 5-6 out of 10. This is the sweet spot most “best for side sleepers” picks are tuned to.
Over 230 lb: aim medium-firm, roughly 6-7 out of 10. Heavier bodies compress any mattress further, so a firmer starting point is needed to stop the hips from sinking past alignment.

The rule of thumb: add or subtract about a point from the standard advice based on where you fall on that scale. And remember that firmness is perceived relative to your weight - the same mattress feels firmer to a lighter person and softer to a heavier one, which is exactly why one firmness rating can’t serve everyone.

Memory foam, hybrid, or latex: which type suits side sleepers?

All three mainstream mattress types can work well for side sleeping, but they deliver pressure relief differently. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize deep contouring, support and airflow, or responsiveness.

Memory foam gives the deepest contouring and the best pressure relief at the shoulder and hip - it molds precisely to your curves and excels at absorbing partner motion. The tradeoffs: it can sleep warm (look for gel-infused or open-cell versions) and it lacks bounce, so changing positions takes a little more effort.
Hybrids pair a cushioning foam or pillow-top comfort layer with a pocketed coil core. You get pressure relief on top and coil support underneath that keeps hips from sinking too far - a great balance for average-to-heavier side sleepers, and easier to move on than all-foam. Coils also add airflow, so hybrids usually sleep cooler.
Latex is the most responsive and naturally cool option, with a buoyant “on-top” feel rather than a deep hug. It offers good pressure relief with more bounce, though it tends to cost more and doesn’t contour as deeply as memory foam.

The feature that matters across all three is zoned support: softer zones under the shoulders for pressure relief, firmer zones under the hips and waist for spinal support. When you see a mattress advertise zoned or targeted support, that’s a design specifically aimed at the side sleeper’s problem.

How to tell if your current mattress is wrong for you

Not sure whether your mattress is actually the problem? These are the classic warning signs that a bed isn’t serving a side sleeper, according to sleep clinicians:

Morning shoulder or hip pain that lingers into the day - the clearest sign of a too-firm surface building pressure at your contact points.
Arm numbness or tingling, from circulation getting cut off where the shoulder presses into an unyielding surface.
Frequent position changes through the night - if you’re constantly flipping to get comfortable, your body is hunting for pressure relief it isn’t finding.
Lower back strain or stiffness, often a sign the mattress is too soft and your hips are sinking out of alignment into a hammock.

If two or more of those sound familiar, it’s worth reassessing your firmness against the body-weight guide above.

Beyond the mattress: pillows and setup for side sleepers

Your mattress does most of the work, but two small adjustments meaningfully improve side sleeping - and they’re cheap fixes worth knowing:

Use a thicker head pillow. Side sleepers have a wide gap between the ear and the outer shoulder. A pillow around six inches thick (loftier than a back sleeper needs) fills that gap and keeps your neck in line with your spine, rather than bending down toward the mattress.
Put a pillow between your knees. This keeps your top leg from dropping forward and rotating your hips, which twists the lower spine. A knee pillow keeps the pelvis square and the spine neutral - a simple trick physical therapists recommend constantly for side sleepers with lower-back or hip discomfort.

Pair the right mattress firmness with those two habits and most side-sleeping aches resolve on their own.

FAQ

What firmness is best for side sleepers?

Most side sleepers do best between 5 and 6.5 on a 10-point scale - soft enough for the shoulder to sink, firm enough to keep hips supported. Heavier side sleepers should aim toward the firmer end.

Is memory foam or hybrid better for side sleeping?

Both work. Memory foam gives deeper pressure relief at the shoulder; hybrids add coil support that keeps hips from sinking too far, which suits average-to-heavier bodies.