Not sure where to begin? We spoke with licensed chiropractors and physical therapists to learn why this middle ground is so important and how to find it. Led by their guidance, we sifted through the many, many mattresses on the market to determine the best mattresses for side sleepers—so you can sleep through the night and wake up pain-free. The key to restful, restorative sleep is to keep your spine, neck, and shoulders all in good alignment. But picture the shape of someone sleeping on their side: The widest parts of their body, their shoulders and hips, will naturally want to sink deeper into a mattress. If your mattress is super firm and doesn’t have enough give, you might wake up with shoulders and hips that feel sore or stiff in the morning. If it’s really soft, your shoulders and hips may sink too far into your mattress and throw off that ever-important alignment, which can irritate your joints and ligaments and contribute to low back pain. “If you have too soft of a mattress, regardless of your sleep position, your body kind of gets absorbed into that,” physical therapist and founder of Aletha Health Christine Koth, PT says. “It might feel good, but your body has to do absolutely no work. Without a little bit of muscle contraction to stabilize you, you actually lose some of the support that your body needs.” From head to toe, experts say side sleepers should aim for the following alignment when sleeping: Koth urges you to look for mattress companies that offer trial periods of at least 30 days, so you can really see how your body adjusts to the bed over time. One reason is that while firmer models may feel uncomfortable at first, that doesn’t mean they aren’t right for you. Your muscles are just under more pressure than they’re used to. You need to give your body some time to adjust to the new sleeping experience. “People also have different budgets for their mattress, so it helps to make sure there is a return policy or guarantee that comes with that investment,” Lees adds. Avocado is a standout company for its commitment to creating healthy products. In this mattress, organic wool replaces the potentially irritating chemical flame retardants you’ll find in many mattresses. The mattress is also certified MADE SAFE®, meaning its ingredients are not known or suspected to harm human health or the natural environment. Furthermore, Avocado is transparent about its ambitious sustainability goals, and the company is working to achieve them through initiatives like carbon-negative shipping and donations to environmental nonprofits. Eco perks: Natural latex, organic wool, carbon-negative shipping Reviewers note that this commitment to natural materials means that the mattress doesn’t come with that strong “new mattress” smell. They also commend Birch for its quick and easy shipping and kind, responsive customer service. Though it’s the most affordable on the list, Birch’s mattress doesn’t skimp on quality and comes with a 100-night trial and 25-year warranty (though you probably shouldn’t keep a mattress for that long!). Eco perks: Certified organic cover, natural latex, comes with recycled poly pillows Each mattress is made to order, and reviewers rave about the company’s fast and easy delivery service. This one doesn’t come in a box, but Saatva’s team will set up your new bed for you and take your old mattress off your hands for free. Eco perks: Natural latex, organic wool Since it’s made from a mix of polyurethane foam and memory foam, it’s on the softer side (“sleeping on a cloud” is a review you’ll see often) but still supportive enough to minimize aches and pains according to nearly 600 users who give the mattress an average of 5 stars on Casper’s site. It also has special perforations that are meant to make it more breathable and less heat-trapping and comes with a 100-night trial. While we don’t love that it’s made from polyurethane foam and not natural latex, it has been tested for volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions that can affect air quality. Eco perks: Tested for VOCs, cover incorporates 70 recycled plastic bottles The WinkBed comes in one soft and three firmer designs—all of which seem to help reviewers who note back problems and pain. It’s a popular pick among those preparing for or recovering from back surgery. Those who don’t have back pain find it a pleasant sleeping experience too, thanks to a foam layer treated with a special gel to reduce motion transfer and increase breathability. The mattress comes with a 120-night trial period. However, those looking to avoid highly processed foams will want to skip past this one. While this mattress doesn’t have as many eco-credentials as the others on the list, we appreciate that its spring coils are made from recycled material. Eco perks: Recycled steel coils It has a 5-star average rating from side sleepers as well as combination sleepers for its comfort and commitment to organic ingredients. Those who share the bed with a partner also appreciated that you can split the King and California King size up into different firmness levels. Reviewers do note that the mattress takes a while to ship (six to seven weeks) and is delivered in multiple boxes so it requires some light assembly. Waking up refreshed and pain-free is a good sign that your mattress is helping you sleep deeply. The wrong mattress may cause you to toss and turn in the middle of the night, aggravate existing pain, and potentially cause new discomforts to form. This tends to become more common with age. While kids can basically sleep anywhere, Koth notes that as we get older and develop muscle tension and various aches and pains, we’ll need to find a sleep solution that’s more customized to our unique needs. Factors like weight, gender, and sleep environment can all influence the type of mattress you’ll find most comfortable. However, Lees says that most side sleepers will want to look for one that is supportive but not too firm. “A mattress that is too firm may cause shoulder and hip pain, as well as change the spinal alignment,” he notes, pointing to a 2011 study in the journal 1Ergonomics1 that found that mattresses that are too soft or saggy can negatively affect side sleepers’ sleep quality. However, Lees notes, “Side sleepers tend to have more pressure on their shoulders and hips, and usually need a slightly softer mattress to accommodate that extra pressure,” so finding a middle ground is key. Here’s how to find a mattress that comfortably fits your body’s curves and supports this ideal alignment.
