Best mattresses for side sleepers
If you're a side sleeper, you're in luck, as this sleeping position is often recommended as best for your health. But what kind of mattress should you sleep on?
"Side sleepers should look for a mattress that provides good support while alleviating pressure on the hips and shoulders," board-certified neurosurgeon Dr. Krishna Satyan told CBS Essentials, "and also should look for a mattress that prevents a lot of motion during sleep."
Allow us to be your mattress advisor. Ahead, more information on what mattress type and features are best for side sleepers, plus models you can order online now for this sleeping position.
The best mattresses for side sleepers
Here's a quick look at the best mattresses for side sleepers.
- Customizable: Saatva Classic mattress
- Great for those who share a bed: Tuft & Needle Mint mattress
- Most affordable: Sweetnight mattress
- Great for hot sleepers: Serta Arctic Premier mattress
- Generous trial period: The Nectar Sleep Premier mattress
- Best memory foam: The Casper mattress
- Personalized: Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud mattress
Find the best mattress type for you from Saatva, Tuft & Needle and more brands for this sleeping position. Prices are listed for queen models in this mattress buying guide, but all come in multiple sizes.
Customizable: Saatva Classic mattress
Licensed clinical psychologist and insomnia specialist Dr. Kristen Casey told CBS Essentials that this top-rated Saatva mattress is not only comfortable but also "may reduce shoulder or neck pain."
You can select the mattress firmness you would like in this model, so it's easy to find an option to support side sleepers and more. It's available in twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, split king, California king and split California king sizes.
Best for:
- Side sleepers
- Shoulder or neck pain
Saatva Classic mattress (queen), $1,695 (regularly $1,995)
Great for those who share a bed: Tuft & Needle Mint mattress
Tuft & Needle says this is the right mattress for back and side sleepers, as well as those who share a bed. The mattress is topped with adaptive foam to reduce motion transfer and provide pressure relief. Its reinforced support edges help you get in and out of bed without disturbing your partner.
This mattress features a removable, washable cover. It's available in twin, twin XL, full, queen, king and California king sizes.
Best for:
- Those who share a bed
- Back and side sleepers
Tuft & Needle Mint mattress (queen), $1,595
Most affordable: Sweetnight mattress in a box
This memory foam mattress is touted as sag-resistent. The bedroom essential is constructed with individually wrapped innersprings and features gel memory foam for support and pressure relief. The medium-firm feeling mattress is available in full, queen and king sizes.
Best for:
- Buyers on a budget
- Side sleepers
Sweetnight mattress (queen), $271 with Amazon Prime (regularly $503)
Great for hot sleepers: Serta Arctic Premier mattress
The Serta Arctic memory foam mattress delivers all-night cooling relief. Serta's Reactex System disperses heat away from the body, resulting in a bed with 15 times better cooling power than any other Serta mattress.
It's available as a foam or hybrid mattress, using Serta's CustomFit HD memory foam and EverCool Fuze Gel memory foam materials. This mattress for the hot sleeper is available in twin XL, queen, king and California king sizes.
Best for:
- Hot sleepers
- Side sleepers
Serta Arctic Premier mattress (queen), $3,499 (regularly $3,899)
Generous trial period: The Nectar Sleep Premier mattress
Nectar Sleep's most popular mattress, the Nectar Sleep Premier, is its best mattress for a hot sleeper.
The mattress is made with Nectar's dual-action cooling technology, which reacts to your body's temperature to help you sleep cool. It can be ordered as a memory foam mattress or as a hybrid mattress for an added cost. This Nectar mattress is available in twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, split king and California king sizes.
Best for:
- People who like to try before they buy
- Side sleepers
The Nectar Sleep Premier mattress (queen), $999 (regularly $1,999)
Best memory foam: The Casper mattress
This new option is Casper's most affordable mattress yet. Inspired by the original Casper mattress, this bedroom essential features layers of Casper's signature foam and premium memory foam, as well as the brand's AirScape Technology to help ease pressure, help you stay cool through the night and provide long-lasting support.
It's the classic Casper experience you love, only at a better price. This mattress for the hot sleeper available in twin, twin XL, full, queen, king and California king sizes.
Best for:
- Side sleepers
- Hot sleepers
The Casper mattress (queen), $995
Personalized: Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud mattress
This mattress is customizable for your most comfortable sleep. Choose from a medium-firm classic mattress, or a medium-firm hybrid mattress. Both offer motion isolation, so your partner's movements won't disturb you. This mattress adapts to your body weight and shape for maximum comfort.
Best for:
- Those sharing a bed
- Side sleepers
Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud mattress, $1,999
What mattress features should side sleepers look for?
You may be wondering what mattress type is best for a side sleepers.
"Side sleepers often benefit from mattresses that offer excellent pressure relief and contouring to alleviate stress on the shoulders and hips," board-certified orthopedic spine and neck surgeon Dr. Rahul Shah told CBS Essentials. "Memory foam mattresses are known for their ability to conform to the body's curves, providing targeted support and reducing pressure points. Hybrid mattresses with a softer comfort layer can also offer a good balance of support and cushioning for side sleepers."
How we chose these mattresses
When picking the best mattresses for side sleepers, we considered:
- Customer reviews: We combed through verified customer reviews -- in other words, real buyers -- to ensure they were consistently pleased with these brands and models.
- Expert recommendations: We spoke with board-certified orthopedic spine and neck surgeon Dr. Rahul Shah, licensed clinical psychologist and insomnia specialist Dr. Kristen Casey and board-certified neurosurgeon Dr. Krishna Satyan for their thoughts on mattresses.
- Star rating: All of these products have a four-star rating or higher.
- Your needs: We picked mattresses for a variety of budgets and needs, such as affordability, durability and more.
Read more about how we review products
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