In looking for mattresses that cater particularly to side sleepers, I spoke with chiropractors, Dr. Matthew Cavanaugh and Dr. Allen Conrad, who I’ve also worked with on related stories, such as the best pillows for neck pain. Here’s what they recommend keeping in mind:
All of the mattresses below are either direct recommendations from our experts, highly rated options on Amazon with at least a 4-star average rating from 500 reviews or more or ones that NBC Select staff members have tried themselves.
This mattress comes recommended by Cavanaugh, who says that it provides pressure relief, thanks to the different levels of firmness available. It’s a hybrid mattress made of memory foam and springs, which also helps reduce pain in the joints, according to the brand. It also provides edge support, motion cancelation and overall ease of movement, according to the brand, so you won’t feel like you’re sinking into the mattress. It’s also compatible with the brand’s adjustable power base, a customizable bed frame that you can adjust based on your needs.
Firmness level: medium hybrid | Sizes available: twin to split California king | Mattress type: Hybrid | Warranty: 10 years
This mattress for side sleepers also comes recommended by Cavanaugh, who likes that it has a good amount of firmness that doesn’t make you sink into the surface. Available in either an all-foam and foam-coil hybrid, the mattress has the brand’s plant-based proprietary memory foam, known as Bio-Pur, which is responsive to pressure points on the body. It’s also extremely cooling thanks to the top layer, which has a ventilated design that helps push air outward and prevents the increase of heat, according to the brand.
Firmness level: medium | Sizes available: twin to split California king | Mattress type: All foam or foam-coil hybrid | Warranty: 20 years
Cavanaugh also recommends this hybrid mattress from Purple for side sleepers.It’s made of a layer of individually wrapped coil springs topped with a flexible foam grid layer, both of which provide support to the body by contouring to the shape of the hips and back, according to the brand. Plus, the soft option for this mattress is great not only for side sleepers, but for hot sleepers as well, according to the brand. The top layer of the mattress is also made of an antimicrobial and sweat-wicking material.
Firmness level: soft or firm | Sizes available: twin xl to split California king | Mattress type: hybrid | Warranty: 10 years
This hybrid mattress comes recommended by Conrad, who says it has an ideal balance of stability, softness and conformity. It has a medium-soft firmness, so it’s better for those who want something only slightly firm in feel. It has two layers of breathable zoned foam, which helps maintain proper spinal alignment and a layer of springs to help with motion isolation, according to the brand.
Firmness level: medium-soft | Sizes available: twin xl to split king | Mattress type: hybrid | Warranty: 10 years
This mattress, which has a 4.4-star average rating from 6,241 reviews at Helix, has a medium firmness, lumbar support and is great for side sleepers, according to the brand. It has a cooling, pillow-like top, a high-density foam layer that contours to the body and memory foam that adds pressure point relief. The steel coils at the base of the mattress are what give it zoned lumbar support and help reduce pressure on the lower back. The cover is made of an extra-cooling fiber material that repels heat, according to the brand.
Firmness level: medium | Sizes available: twin to RV king | Mattress type: hybrid | Warranty: 15 years
The Classic Mattress has a 4.8-star average rating from 3,475 reviews at Saatva and is perfect for side sleepers, thanks to its zoned lumbar support which encourages spinal alignment, according to the brand. It has a pillow top layer made of hypoallergenic cotton, a memory foam lumbar crown, a durable coil system in the lower third of the mattress (for the queen mattress) to provide support to the hips and lower back and dense foam edges.
Firmness level: soft plush, luxury firm, firm | Sizes available: twin to California king | Mattress type: hybrid innerspring | Warranty: lifetime
As mentioned above, our experts recommend focusing on mattresses that have zoned support for the lumbar spine (the lower back), hips and shoulders. While some mattresses have just one overall firmness level, one with zoned support helps with pressure relief on these areas of the body because the area of the mattress where your hips sit is a slightly different firmness that what may be at the head of the mattress. This helps to keep your spine aligned and prevents your hips or shoulders from sinking too far into the mattress.
When researching the best mattresses for back pain, experts told me that oftentimes, a firmer mattress is best. This is because they typically provide more support to pressure points on the body (hips and shoulders). While a soft mattress may feel relaxing at first, it may not be what’s best for your overall spinal health.
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure that all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and with no undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
I’m a commerce editor at NBC Select, where I write about home and kitchen topics, such as mattresses, bedding, cooking appliances, wellness and more. I’ve covered related stories, such as the best mattresses for back pain, the best pillows for neck pain and ergonomic lumbar support pillows for office chairs and more. I spoke with two chiropractors for this story.
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