Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers
Side sleepers put more pressure on their hips and shoulders than any other sleep position. The wrong mattress creates painful pressure points that disrupt sleep and leave you sore in the morning. The best mattresses for side sleepers offer a soft-to-medium feel that cushions those contact points while keeping the spine aligned. We evaluated 195+ mattresses on pressure relief, conforming ability, motion isolation, and support layer integrity.
How We Ranked
- ✓Excellent or good pressure relief rating
- ✓Firmness 3–6.5 (plush to medium)
- ✓Motion isolation: good or excellent
- ✓Hip and shoulder contouring
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Top Picks at a Glance
Compare top 3 side-by-side →| Rank | Mattress | Price | Firmness | Cooling | Trial | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Helix Sunset Elitehybrid | $2,812 $3,749 | 2.5/10 | advanced | 120n | 8.6 |
| #2 | Helix Sunsethybrid | Check Helix | 2.5/10 | low | 100n | 7.8 |
| #3 | Helix Moonlight Luxehybrid | Check Helix | 3/10 | good | 100n | 8.5 |
| #4 | Amerisleep AS4foam | Check Amerisleep | 3.5/10 | average | 100n | 7.8 |
| #5 | Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-LuxeAdapt Softfoam | $4,399 $4,699 | 3.5/10 | good | 90n | 8.4 |
Our Best Overall pick — glaciotex elite cooling cover included, a 120-night trial, and a 99-year warranty.
The Helix Sunset Elite is a hybrid mattress at $2,812 (Queen) with 2.5/10 firmness. Side sleepers love it for its contouring comfort layers that relieve hip and shoulder pressure. It earns its place thanks to glaciotex elite cooling cover included.
- ✓GlacioTex Elite Cooling Cover included
- ✓15 inch luxury profile
- ✓Microcoil comfort layers
Our Best Value pick — strong specs at this price, including softest model in standard helix line.
The Helix Sunset is a hybrid mattress at $1,099 (Queen) with 2.5/10 firmness. Side sleepers love it for its contouring comfort layers that relieve hip and shoulder pressure. It earns its place thanks to softest model in standard helix line.
- ✓Softest model in standard Helix line
- ✓Excellent pressure relief for lightweight sleepers
- ✓120-night trial
Our Premium Pick — top-tier construction and softest helix luxe — maximum pressure relief for side sleepers.
The Helix Moonlight Luxe is a hybrid mattress at $1,899 (Queen) with 3/10 firmness. Side sleepers love it for its contouring comfort layers that relieve hip and shoulder pressure. It earns its place thanks to softest helix luxe — maximum pressure relief for side sleepers.
- ✓Softest Helix Luxe — maximum pressure relief for side sleepers
- ✓Tencel moisture-wicking cover
- ✓Zoned pocketed coils prevent bottoming out under soft comfort layers
The Amerisleep AS4 is a foam mattress at $1,149 (Queen) with 3.5/10 firmness. Side sleepers love it for its contouring comfort layers that relieve hip and shoulder pressure. It earns its place thanks to medium-soft feel excellent for side sleepers who need shoulder and hip relief.
- ✓Medium-soft feel excellent for side sleepers who need shoulder and hip relief
- ✓HIVE® hex cutouts in the base layer provide zoned support
- ✓Plant-based Bio-Pur foam more breathable than traditional memory foam
The Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-LuxeAdapt Soft is a foam mattress at $4,399 (Queen) with 3.5/10 firmness. Side sleepers love it for its contouring comfort layers that relieve hip and shoulder pressure. It earns its place thanks to tempur-luxeadapt is a distinct soft configuration from tempur-pedic's product api.
- ✓TEMPUR-LuxeAdapt is a distinct soft configuration from Tempur-Pedic's product API
- ✓TEMPUR material is designed for pressure relief and motion absorption
- ✓90-night trial and 10-year limited warranty
The Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-LuxeBreeze Soft is a foam mattress at $5,399 (Queen) with 3.5/10 firmness. Side sleepers love it for its contouring comfort layers that relieve hip and shoulder pressure. It earns its place thanks to tempur-luxebreeze is a distinct soft configuration from tempur-pedic's product api.
- ✓TEMPUR-LuxeBreeze is a distinct soft configuration from Tempur-Pedic's product API
- ✓Breeze cooling materials are built into the comfort stack
- ✓TEMPUR material is designed for pressure relief and motion absorption
The Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-ProAdapt Soft is a foam mattress at $3,199 (Queen) with 3.5/10 firmness. Side sleepers love it for its contouring comfort layers that relieve hip and shoulder pressure. It earns its place thanks to tempur-proadapt is a distinct soft configuration from tempur-pedic's product api.
- ✓TEMPUR-ProAdapt is a distinct soft configuration from Tempur-Pedic's product API
- ✓TEMPUR material is designed for pressure relief and motion absorption
- ✓90-night trial and 10-year limited warranty
The Avocado Luxury Organic Mattress - Ultra Plush Box-top is a hybrid mattress at $5,839 (Queen) with 4/10 firmness. Side sleepers love it for its contouring comfort layers that relieve hip and shoulder pressure. It earns its place thanks to softest avocado adult mattress in this catalog set.
- ✓Softest Avocado adult mattress in this catalog set
- ✓Deepest pressure relief
- ✓Split King sold on checked page
The Serta iComfortPro Level Two Plush is a memory foam mattress at $2,799 (Queen) with 4/10 firmness. Side sleepers love it for its contouring comfort layers that relieve hip and shoulder pressure. It earns its place thanks to latex foam is designed for responsive pressure relief and breathability.
- ✓Latex foam is designed for responsive pressure relief and breathability
- ✓CoolFeel Pro fabric and breathable latex target hot-sleeper comfort
- ✓All-foam construction is designed to limit partner motion
The Casper Cloud One is a memory foam mattress at $999 (Queen) with 4.5/10 firmness. Side sleepers love it for its contouring comfort layers that relieve hip and shoulder pressure. It earns its place thanks to plusher feel than the one.
- ✓Plusher feel than The One
- ✓Core+ base adds support with a softer surface
- ✓Good fit for pressure relief seekers who still want foam motion isolation
Frequently Asked Questions
What firmness is best for side sleepers?
Side sleepers typically do best with a soft to medium firmness (3–6 on a 1–10 scale). This softness allows the hips and shoulders to sink in slightly, keeping the spine aligned horizontally without creating painful pressure points at those joints.
Is memory foam good for side sleepers?
Yes — memory foam conforms closely to the body's curves, relieving pressure at the hips and shoulders. The main consideration is cooling: opt for gel-infused or open-cell memory foam to prevent heat buildup.
Can a firm mattress cause hip pain for side sleepers?
Yes. A firm mattress doesn't allow the hip to sink, creating concentrated pressure at the greater trochanter (outer hip bone). Most side sleepers who sleep on a firm mattress wake with hip or shoulder pain within weeks.
How long should a side sleeper mattress last?
A quality mattress should last 8–12 years for most sleepers. Take advantage of the 90–365 night trial periods offered by top brands to confirm the mattress works for your body before the return window closes.
After You Buy: Mattress Care
A new mattress is the start, not the end. These short care guides help your mattress last longer and protect the warranty.
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