Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers

Sleeping on your side concentrates your body weight onto two small areas — the shoulder and the hip. A mattress that's too firm can't let those points sink in, so pressure builds and you wake with numb arms or aching hips; one that's too soft lets the waist sag and twists the spine. The sweet spot for most side sleepers is a medium to medium-soft feel with deep contouring in the comfort layer.

Memory foam and softer hybrids dominate this category for exactly that reason. If you're under about 130 lbs, err softer; over about 230 lbs, a medium-firm hybrid with a thick comfort layer usually keeps the spine straighter than plush all-foam builds.

Every model below is tagged for side sleepers in our database and ranked by our standard Value Score formula. Sort by price or trial period to narrow it down.