I've spent over 10,000 hours testing the best mattresses for side sleepers – these 3 are the winners

Finding the best mattress for a side sleeper is an important consideration if we lie on our side at night.

In the five years I’ve worked as Ideal Home’s Sleep Editor and certified Sleep Expert, I’ve discovered that our sleeping position is one of *the* most important factors in choosing the right mattress for our sleep needs, and the best mattress for a back sleeper won’t be the same as the best mattress for a side sleeper.

As side sleepers, we need a mattress that keeps our spine in the same alignment when we're lying down as it would be when we're standing up straight, which tends to mean a mattress with medium-firm support and a cushioned top layer to reduce pressure on the hip and shoulder.

So far, I’ve put over 45 mattresses through Ideal Home’s mattress testing process, many of which are designed specifically for side sleepers. To help you find the right option for you, I’ve rounded up my three top recommendations below, taking into consideration support and cushioning, as well as factors such as breathability, ease of care, value for money, delivery, and customer service.

The quick list

Three of the best mattresses for side sleepers are listed below. You'll find more information on each, and why I recommend it if you keep on scrolling.

Best mattress for side sleepers overall

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When I first lay down on Simba's bestselling mattress, I found it instantly comfortable, both for back and side sleeping, with a good level of support that kept my spine well-aligned in both positions.

As someone who isn't a huge fan of being enveloped by memory foam, I also found its memory foam surface really nicely responsive. It moulded around my hip and shoulder joint to offer pressure relief when I lay on my side, but I still felt I was lying on the mattress rather than in the mattress, and I found it easy enough to turn over in the night without too much lag waiting for the memory foam to reform around me. It also has just the right amount of bounce.

This is also one memory foam mattress that didn't immediately make this hot sleeper break out in a sweat. I did find it warmer to sleep on than a mattress filled with natural, breathable materials, but its temperature regulation was better than most memory foam and memory foam hybrid mattresses I've tested. (If you're a hot sleeper like me, or you want a non-synthetic mattress that's more environmentally friendly, consider the Hypnos mattress at #3 in my round-up instead).

Its mattress-in-a-box delivery was also very convenient when negotiating my narrow staircase on delivery day, and I appreciated the brand's delivery to my room of choice and the option of 'white glove' delivery (where the mattress is unboxed and packaging removed) so I didn't have to lug the mattress about by myself.

Add to that the 200-night sleep trial that gave me peace of mind, I could return the mattress if I didn't get on with it, great customer service, a reasonable price point, and Simba's ongoing commitment to lowering its environmental impact, and I think this mattress rightly deserves its 5-star Ideal Home rating.

Our full Simba Hybrid mattress review has more detail.

Best memory foam mattress for side sleepers

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A lot of side sleepers love a memory foam mattress because this adaptable material becomes more malleable as it warms to your body heat. That means it moulds around the body to cushion the shoulder and hip joints well, and the TEMPUR EASE is one of the best all-round memory foam mattresses we've tested.

Personally, I'm not so keen on memory foam's 'hug' because I change position a lot in the night and can feel a little 'stuck' in it. I prefer the extra bounce and responsiveness of the Simba Hybrid mattress for this reason, and I can also find they sleep a little warm, but our mattress tester Jennifer loved the TEMPUR EASE's mouldability.

'I found that I slept more comfortably on my side than on any other mattress I've tested,' she said after four weeks sleeping on the EASE. 'My shoulders and hips are relieved of pressure, and I'm not waking in the night with pins and needles down my arms like I was on our old mattress. The mattress contours around me, cushioning and supporting each inch of my body.'

Jennifer also loved this mattress's motion isolation, saying, 'My husband and I agreed this mattress exceeded our expectations in how well it absorbed movement. We have a young family, so one of us is often in and out of bed during the night, and we were a lot less disturbed by each other's movements on this mattress.'

Jennifer also appreciated TEMPUR's 100-night sleep trial, didn't struggle with any overheating during testing, and appreciated its medium-firm support, although she does advise opting for the 25cm depth mattress – she tested the 20cm depth, and found it a little low and lacking in support for heavier weight sleepers.

The only downsides she encountered are this mattress's weight, which means some heavy-lifting is required to rotate it, and a lack of edge support. In comparison, the Simba Hybrid is much lighter and easier to manoeuvre, and has better edge support.

Our full TEMPUR EASE mattress review has more detail.

Best cooling mattress side sleepers

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If, like me, you're a hot sleeper, then even the best memory foam mattresses might prove too warm for you.

From my first night testing this pocket-sprung mattress packed with natural breathable materials, I was struck by just how much of a cooler sleep it offered. No waking up hot and sticky in the middle of the night; instead, even when I've slept on this mattress throughout heatwaves, it's offered fantastic temperature regulation that has meant I slept much deeper and woke up feeling better rested.

The mattress' sewn on 'pillow top' also offers good pressure relief for side sleepers. It's not as cushioning as a memory foam mattress, but I find it still offers a good level of softness around my hip and shoulder when I'm lying on my side, making side sleeping much more comfortable than on most sprung mattresses I've tested.

Made from predominantly natural, renewable, and biodegradable materials – that pillow top layer is packed with wool, kapok, and cotton – this is also one of the most environmentally friendly mattresses I've tested.

The downsides? This mattress has good edge support, but its motion isolation is a little lacking compared to our memory foam options. When I got a co-tester to toss and turn next to me, the vibrations through the mattress were more noticeable.

There is also no sleep trial as standard on this mattress, and it arrives delivered flat, which may make delivery day trickier if you have awkward access. However, as a hot sleeper, these are all things I'd overlook for this mattress' superior breathability, so if you too tend to overheat at night, I thoroughly recommend giving this mattress a try.

Our full Hypnos Pillow Top mattress review has more detail.

Also tested

The above mattresses are three of my top recommendations for most side sleepers. In my opinion, they nail most side sleepers' needs for a mid-range price point.

However, there are always ways to tweak your sleep comfort even more, or you might have more – or less – cash to splash. Below are some other great options that might fit your budget, your sleep preferences, or your desire for an alternative option better.

How to choose the best mattress for a side sleeper

As registered osteopath, sleep expert, and founder of The Sleep Site, Dave Gibson explains, when choosing the best mattress for side sleeping, it's all about creating good spinal alignment.

'Our posture and spinal alignment are crucial both during the day and at night,' says Dave. 'Good spinal alignment during sleep allows the ligaments, muscles, and joints of the back to relax and recover. In addition, this relaxed state promotes optimal breathing, circulation, and overall rejuvenation.'

So, what does good spinal alignment look like for a side sleeper? 'Ideally, your spine should be in the same neutral alignment when you're lying down as it would be if you were standing up straight,' explains Dave.

That means a side sleeper needs two things:

• A medium-firm mattress that offers good support whilst still allowing the hips and shoulders to sink into the mattress enough to keep the spine well-aligned. 'Side sleepers should look for a mattress that feels soft enough to cushion pressure points like the shoulders and hips, while still giving the spine the support it needs,' agrees Erin Parker, buyer at mattress retailer Dreams. 'A medium to medium-firm mattress is usually a good balance, as it lets those areas sink in comfortably without throwing your body out of alignment.' 
• A cushioned sleep surface to provide pressure relief for the hip and shoulder joints. A mattress that is too firm and lacks cushioning will often result in pins and needles or aches in the arm, shoulder, and hip you're lying on. 'Materials that gently mould to your shape, such as memory foam or plush comfort layers, can really help create a more comfortable and supportive night’s sleep,' agrees Erin.

For this reason, there are a few particular mattress styles that suit side sleepers well.

• Memory foam mattresses: 'Memory foam mattresses are a popular choice for side sleepers as they mould to your body shape, which is particularly effective at reducing pressure around the hips and shoulders as you sleep,' says Erin. The caveat is that memory foam can get hot, so it's well worth looking for a model with cooling technologies or extra breathability. Heavier-weight sleepers may also find that memory foam alone doesn't offer enough support.
• Hybrid mattresses: That's where hybrid mattresses come in. They usually provide a layer of springs for support, with a memory foam or latex top layer that provides cushioning. Those added springs can improve breathability and offer heavier sleepers more support.
• Pocket spring mattress with a pillow top: Or, if you prefer the breathability and eco-friendly credentials of a natural-fill rather than a synthetic mattress, a medium-firm pocket-spring mattress with a pillowtop is another good choice. You could also add one of the best mattress toppers to a traditional sprung mattress to add an extra comfort layer to cushion hips and shoulders.

How I tested

As Ideal Home's Certified Expert in sleep, over the past five years, I've lain on over 150 mattresses in-store, at trade shows, and through at-home testing. Following this research, I selected 45 mattresses (and counting) to be put through Ideal Home's mattress testing process.

This means that each of those 45 mattresses has been slept on at home for at least a month (and often much longer) by either myself or one of our expert testing panel.

During the review process, each mattress is tested for comfort and support – in this case, specifically for side sleeping – as well as motion isolation, responsiveness, temperature regulation, and edge support in real-life conditions. I also assess any sleep trial, the mattress delivery process, value for money, and, where possible, take into account third-party reviews and environmental impact.

This guide rounds up the three best mattresses for side sleeping that we've tested over the past five years. My choices are based on a combination of comfort, support, customer service, and value for money.

Our expert testing panel

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