Best Mattress for Side Sleepers

Since side sleepers often gravitate toward softer mattresses, hybrids — which tend to be on the firmer side — can be less than ideal. The Puffy Lux Hybrid is a notable exception. Three thick foam layers make up the comfort system, giving the surface an exceptionally plush feel. This ensures ample padding for the shoulders and hips — areas where side sleepers experience the most pressure buildup. 

How Does It Feel?

We’ve rated the Lux Hybrid as medium, or a 5 on our 10-point firmness scale. Although the foam layers contour closely and hug your body, the coil system provides just enough pushback to prevent excessive sinkage for people who weigh 230 pounds or less. Many of our testers likened their experience with this mattress to lying on a cloud.

If you normally sleep with a partner, neither of you should notice much transfer when the other person changes positions or gets up during the night. That said, the mattress is not very responsive and you may encounter some resistance when moving across the surface. A knit cover encases the mattress. The fabric is stain-resistant, and you may remove and machine-wash the cover for quick, easy cleaning.

Why We Like It

Our tests indicate the Puffy Lux Hybrid outperforms many competing hybrids in terms of pressure relief. Using body-mapping technology, we found the foam layers provide enough cradling to prevent pressure buildup for side sleepers. Those weighing up to 230 pounds felt most comfortable on the mattress. Most of our heavier side sleepers also awarded the Lux Hybrid favorable ratings, though some noted excessive sinkage.

Motion isolation was another testing highlight. We felt little to no motion transfer when lying next to another tester and feeling for movement. If ease of movement and edge support are your top priorities, we recommend a firmer, bouncier mattress. The same is true if you’re a hot sleeper — the Lux Hybrid’s temperature control is decent, but not as strong as hybrids we’ve tested with more breathable comfort layers.

The Lux Hybrid is available in seven sizes, including a split king for couples who share an adjustable bed. Standard ground shipping is free within the contiguous U.S. Puffy backs each purchase with a 101-night sleep trial, and those who keep their mattress after the trial ends receive a lifetime warranty.

The Cocoon Chill Hybrid combines the even contouring of memory foam with sturdy pocketed coils, creating a balanced design with deep cushioning beneath the shoulders and hips. Its sticker price is quite low compared to the average foam hybrid, yet high-quality materials and strong performance allow the mattress to compete with more expensive competitors.

How Does It Feel?

The Chill Hybrid contains a memory foam comfort layer and polyfoam transitional layer. The former contours closely and evenly, creating a cradle that molds to your body’s unique curves, and the latter adds extra cushioning while forming a buffer between your body and the support core. We’ve rated the mattress as medium firm (6) due to its overall feel, but the surface is still highly adaptive.

Pocketed coils and dense base foam make up the support core. The perimeter is reinforced with stronger coils to limit sinkage when you sleep near the edges of the mattress or get in and out of bed. A cover woven with phase change fibers encases the mattress. Phase change material is engineered to dissipate heat on contact, making the cover fabric cool to the touch at all times.

Why We Like It

Our hands-on tests show the Chill Hybrid is best suited to side sleepers weighing at least 130 pounds. All of our testers who meet this criteria enjoyed the mattress for its deep cushioning around the shoulders and hips. Side sleepers on our team weighing less than 130 pounds gave the mattress good ratings, but some found the surface a bit too firm.

Many memory foam hybrids we’ve tested struggle with uncomfortable heat retention, but our tests indicate the Chill Hybrid is an outlier. The phase change cover effectively offsets heat absorption from the foam layers — none of us felt excessively warm while lying on the mattress. 

In addition to its reasonable pricing, the Chill Hybrid also qualifies for free ground delivery throughout the contiguous U.S. Cocoon’s sleep trial runs for 100 nights. Those who decide to keep the mattress receive a manufacturer’s warranty covering various defects for up to 10 years after the purchase date.

Side sleepers can have trouble maintaining spinal alignment on a mattress that sinks too much beneath the weight of their midsections and shoulders. The Eco Terra combats this issue with zoned coils and responsive cushioning to help keep the body on an even plane.

How Does It Feel?

The Eco Terra’s comfort system begins with a layer of GOTS-certified organic wool that offers a bit of surface cushioning while acting as a natural fire barrier. Underneath is a layer of Talalay latex that cradles, rather than adapts, to your body to alleviate pressure buildup. Since latex is naturally responsive, it also traps less heat than materials like memory foam.

Pocketed coils make up the support core. Thicker gauge coils are zoned in the center of the mattress to prevent uncomfortable sagging and along the mattress perimeter for enhanced edge support. A breathable cover made from GOTS-certified organic cotton encases the mattress.

Why We Like It

You can choose between two firmness levels: medium (5) and medium firm (6). Our testing found the mattress best suited to side and back sleepers, but testers preferred different models depending on their body type. Side and back sleepers weighing less than 130 pounds enjoyed the softer model. Meanwhile, the firmer model suited side sleepers weighing at least 130 pounds and back sleepers weighing up to 230 pounds. Stomach sleepers may also enjoy the medium firm model, but those weighing more than 230 pounds may need a firmer mattress.

Both models excelled in several tests, including temperature control and ease of movement. Thanks to the use of breathable cotton, wool, latex, and coils, the mattress felt extremely comfortable for our hot sleepers. Our heat guns detected minimal heat buildup on the surface. Couples who prioritize responsiveness for sex should also enjoy the mattress. We could move across the surface without restriction or slipping off at the edges.

Eco Terra ships free to customers in the contiguous U.S. and offers a 90-night sleep trial to test the mattress. Should you decide to keep it, the mattress is backed by a 15-year warranty.

If you’re looking for a mattress with a wide firmness selection, the DLX Premier Hybrid is available in four distinct designs. You can choose from standard models with medium soft (4), medium firm (6), or firm (8) feels. If you and your partner have different firmness preferences, you can also opt for a split model that feels medium soft on one half of the bed and medium firm on the other.

How Does It Feel?

How the Premier Hybrid feels depends on which firmness you choose. The medium soft design contours closely to cradle your body, but may sink too much if you weigh more than 230 pounds. Side sleepers in this weight group should consider either the medium firm model, which conforms to a moderate extent, or the firm model, which feels exceptionally supportive and contours very little.

The dual-firmness design is an intriguing alternative for co-sleepers who need different cushioning levels. This option shares the same price-point as the other three, so you won’t pay more for the split style. Robust coils ensure a relatively stable base for the mattress no matter which firmness you choose. A reinforced perimeter cuts down on sinkage when you sit or lie along the edges. Another notable feature is the layer of viscose fiber batting sewn to the cover, which creates bursts of cooling directly beneath the surface.

Why We Like It

The DLX Premier Hybrid impressed the side sleepers on our testing team, though they were divided as to which firmness best met their needs. Side sleepers under 130 pounds preferred the medium soft feel, those weighing 130 to 230 pounds awarded the highest marks to the medium firm model, and those over 230 pounds felt adequately supported on the firm model.

Our team found that each version of the DLX Premier Hybrid performed well in certain testing areas. If motion isolation and pressure relief are your top priorities, we recommend the medium soft model. The medium firm and firm designs performed better in categories like ease of movement, edge support, and temperature control.

DLX offers free ground shipping to customers in the contiguous U.S. If you aren’t satisfied with the Premier Hybrid after 30 nights, the company works with you to explore solutions, but you’ll have 120 nights to decide whether to keep the mattress or request a refund. A lifetime warranty covers structural and material defects in the mattress as long as you retain original ownership.

The Sonu Mattress uses an innovative design specifically made to combat pressure buildup in a side sleeper’s shoulders. A unique Comfort Channel at the head of the bed allows you to place your arms inside the mattress to avoid crunching them under a pillow or cranking the neck.

How Does It Feel?

The mattress includes four support pillows featuring four layers of polyfoam each. These pillows sit in the Comfort Channel to support the head while allowing enough room for your arms to rest inside comfortably. The mattress body’s comfort system begins with a layer of gel-infused polyfoam that alleviates pressure points. This layer’s gel infusion is meant to keep the surface cool to the touch. Underneath is a second layer of polyfoam that enhances pressure relief while preventing your body from sinking too deeply into the mattress. This layer rests over high-density polyfoam, which reinforces the sleep surface. A soft stretch knit cover encases the mattress.

Why We Like It

Thanks to its innovative design, medium soft (4) feel, and all-foam construction, our side-sleeping testers awarded the Sonu its highest ratings. Our testers noticed very little pressure buildup in their shoulders thanks to the Comfort Channel, while the body of the mattress prevented sore spots in their hips. The foam layers also absorb most movement transfer and noise, making the mattress a great choice if you share the bed with a restless sleep partner. You should notice fewer disturbances from your partner’s nightly movement.

Sonu ships free to customers living in the contiguous U.S. A 100-night sleep trial allows you to test the mattress and return it anytime after the 60-night break-in period. The mattress is backed by a 5-year warranty against structural defects.

The WinkBed combines dense, adaptive comfort layers with zoned pocketed coils, and the result is a mattress that cushions and supports your body in equal measure. You can choose from four firmness levels, including a “Plus” design specifically geared toward people who weigh more than 230 pounds.

How Does It Feel?

Standard WinkBed models are available in medium soft (4), medium firm (6), and firm (7) designs. These mattresses begin with a layer of adaptive polyfoam quilted into the Euro-top cover, followed by a second foam layer for additional cushioning. The WinkBed Plus (8) swaps out the second foam layer for 2.5 inches of zoned latex, so this model feels bouncier and doesn’t conform as closely as the other three.

The coils are divided into three zones with thicker springs resting beneath your torso and hips. This ensures extra reinforcement where most people carry the bulk of their weight and gentler cradling elsewhere. A breathable Tencel cover wicks away moisture on the surface.

Why We Like It

The WinkBed is a testing team favorite because each design feels distinct and caters to different types of sleepers. Our side sleepers weighing less than 130 pounds preferred the medium soft model because the foam layers contour closely. Those weighing 130 to 230 pounds found the medium firm design more comfortable — this one contours to a moderate extent and resists sinkage well. If you’re a side sleeper who weighs more than 230 pounds, the firm and “Plus” models should both meet your needs.

The zoned coil system is a defining feature of the WinkBed. No matter how much you weigh, chances are your chest, stomach, and hips need more support than the rest of your body. By placing thicker coils under these areas, the WinkBed can keep your entire body on an even plane without feeling too rigid beneath your head and legs. We also awarded the mattress favorable ratings for temperature control across all four firmness levels.

WinkBeds offers free ground shipping throughout the contiguous U.S. Your initial sleep trial runs for 120 nights. If you decide to exchange your first choice for a model with a new firmness level, the replacement comes with its own 60-night trial. All WinkBeds are backed by lifetime warranties.

Mattresses that sleep cool and feel comfortable for side sleepers are somewhat rare, since the deep cushioning layers needed for side sleeping are often associated with heat retention. The Joybed LXP offers an unconventional hybrid design that promotes airflow while promoting even alignment and reducing pressure in the shoulders and hips – essential qualities for those who primarily use the side position.

How Does It Feel?

Rather than using foam or latex, the LXP is constructed with a top layer of plush fibers derived from potato plants. This is followed by a wool layer sandwiched between two layers of cotton batting. All of these materials are highly breathable, resulting in excellent surface airflow. Next is a layer of nano coils and a support core of pocketed coils. Both circulate air throughout the interior to help the mattress maintain a comfortable core temperature.

Why We Like It

The LXP is available in two firmness levels. After testing both, we found that the medium soft (4) option is best suited to side sleepers weighing up to 230 pounds. While the comfort layers don’t adapt to the body like foam or latex, we noticed deep cushioning and even weight distribution. The side sleepers on our team weighing more than 230 pounds preferred the extra support of the medium firm (6) feel. Our back sleepers weighing up to 230 pounds also felt comfortable on the medium firm design.

The cotton used in the LXP’s cover and batting layer has received certification from the Global Organic Textile Standard, ensuring the material has been sustainably grown and processed. The plant-based fibers – which serve as a natural fiber barrier – do not contain any added chemicals. As a bonus for eco-conscious individuals, the coils are joined using a plant-based adhesive.

The LXP is reasonably priced, and customers in the contiguous U.S. enjoy free ground shipping. Mattress returns are accepted within 120 days of delivery, and those who keep their LXP also receive a 10-year manufacturer’s warranty.