If you’re a side sleeper, you’re not alone: In a bedding survey of over 8,700 people on our Good Housekeeping tester panel, 60% said they sleep on their side. Even though it’s common, you still need to take extra care when picking out a mattress. It’s crucial to have pressure relief around your joints, especially your shoulders. The ultimate goal is to keep your spine properly aligned, so your shoulders should be able to sink into the bed slightly. Show The Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab reviews mattresses for every sleep position, material and firmness preference, including memory foam mattresses, hybrid mattresses, boxed mattresses and more. Our fiber scientists research the brands, mattress styles and features, then send the mattresses to product experts and consumer testers to try them out in real life. We also reviewed surveys with thorough feedback from over 10,000 mattress owners on our tester panel and analyzed more than 170,000 data points. Our top picks:
We most recently reviewed this article in August 2022 and stand by our recommendations from our extensive evaluations. Read on to learn more about each of these beds, with prices listed for Queen sizes. And while you're shopping, check out our top-tested pillows for side sleepers for your best alignment. Best Overall Mattress for Side Sleepers Saatva Saatva Classic Mattress Best Value Mattress for Side Sleepers Allswell The Allswell Luxe Hybrid Best Mattress for Side Sleepers on Amazon Tuft & Needle Tuft & Needle Original Mattress Best Mattress for Side Sleepers with Back Pain Nolah Nolah Evolution 15 Mattress Best Soft Mattress for Side Sleepers Casper Casper Nova Hybrid Mattress Best Mattress for Lightweight Side Sleepers Amerisleep Amerisleep AS4 Mattress Best Mattress for Heavier Side Sleepers Purple The Purple Mattress Best Cooling Mattress for Side Sleepers Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Luxe Breeze Best Organic Mattress for Side Sleepers Avocado Avocado Green Mattress Best Adjustable Mattress for Side Sleepers Sleep Number Sleep Number 360 m7 Smart Bed Our analysts first review the materials, special features and other relevant specifications. They also research the brands, any potential certifications and whether there are complaints that could affect the user experience. We then have our product experts and consumer testers try out the mattresses firsthand, plus we send questionnaires to our panel of Good Housekeeping readers to get additional in-depth feedback on the mattresses they already own. Surveys are sent to our testers after several weeks of sleeping on the mattress to get initial feedback. Then we continue to survey them over an extended period — i.e. months through years later — to see how the mattress holds up over time. Each survey addresses a range of aspects, including: ✔️ Ordering and delivery: Users provide ratings and comments about the ease of ordering, how quickly it showed up and whether there were any issues throughout these steps. ✔️ Set up: Whether it's DIY or white glove delivery, we explore how easy the process was and whether the mattress took shape quickly. ✔️ Firmness level: Oftentimes the perceived firmness doesn't match up to the brand's specified level. This helps us gain insight into how soft or firm it feels in real life. ✔️ Edge support: Reviewers let us know whether the bed sinks when they sit on the edges or if it holds the shape well under weight. ✔️ Comfort: Testers weigh in on whether they liked sleeping on the mattress immediately and again later in the review period. They're able to provide a comfort rating as well as detailed comments. ✔️ Support: Similarly, testers share their thoughts on the level of support over time. ✔️ Temperature: We ask users whether they stayed at a comfortable body temperature throughout the night so we can note whether any cooling features were observed. ✔️ Sleep quality: Respondents let us know if the mattress has had any effect on their sleep, whether they wake up sore and whether they are overall satisfied with the mattress. They also have the opportunity to compare the mattress with other models they've owned. ✔️ Additional feedback: Through a series of open-ended questions, testers can share any likes, dislikes and further comments about their experiences. What mattress type is best for side sleepers? Memory foam, latex and hybrid mattresses are ideal for side sleepers because they offer pressure relief for proper alignment, whereas innerspring mattresses can't contour around pressure points. If you prefer the bouncy feel of an innerspring mattress, make sure there's some sort of relief for your hips and shoulders, whether it's a pillow top or a layer of memory foam or latex near the surface. You can also add a mattress topper for a layer of pressure relief. What firmness level is best for side sleepers? Side sleepers need a mattress with soft or medium firmness. If it’s too firm, you’ll be putting pressure on areas like your hips and shoulders, which may cause you to wake up with pain. That being said, you don't want the mattress to be too soft either; if you sink in too much then there won’t be enough support to maintain a neutral spine. More side sleeper mattress shopping tips Besides the mattress type and firmness level, here's what elseyou can consider before you buy:
Why trust Good Housekeeping Lexie Sachs is the Executive Director of the Textiles, Paper & Apparel Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute where she oversees all bedding content and testing. She has been actively researching and reporting on mattresses since online bed-shopping hit the mainstream in 2014, and has extensively reviewed dozens of models by meeting with brands, surveying real mattress owners and conducting consumer tests. Lexie Sachs Textiles, Paper & Apparel Lab Executive Director Lexie Sachs (she/her) is the executive director of the Textiles, Paper and Apparel Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she researches, tests and reports on fabric-based products ranging from sheets, mattresses and towels to bras, fitness apparel and other clothing. What mattress firmness is best for back and side sleepers?A medium-firm mattress is an excellent choice for combo sleepers because they typically strike a pleasant balance between pressure relief and support. They're soft enough to provide pressure relief to the shoulders while sleeping on the side and firm enough to support the hips whilst dozing on the back.
What is the best mattress on the market in 2022?Best Mattresses – Our Top Picks. Best Overall: Helix Midnight.. Most Comfortable: DreamCloud Mattress.. Best Value: Nectar Mattress.. Best Luxury: Saatva Classic.. Best for Side Sleepers: Softer WinkBed.. Best for Couples: Helix Dusk Luxe.. Best for Back Pain: Luxury Firm WinkBed.. Best for Combination Sleepers: Layla Hybrid.. What mattress firmness is best for combination sleepers?While side sleepers generally need a softer mattress to protect their hips and shoulders, stomach sleepers need a firmer innerspring or hybrid mattress to support the entire body. For combo sleepers that shift to both positions, we recommend a medium-firm hybrid mattress.
Is a firm mattress better for your back side sleepers?Back and stomach sleepers tend to prefer firmer mattresses, while side sleepers prefer a softer feel.
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