A 2024 NapLab survey of 4,300 people found that 87% of us are side sleepers (at least some of the time), making it the most popular sleeping position by a large margin. That being said, side sleepers have their unique set of preferences and needs when it comes to achieving optimal support and comfort.
Our best mattress for side sleepers guide highlights the best-performing mattresses at a range of price points and firmnesses, all designed to meet the specific needs of side sleepers.
With that in mind, let’s get started.
Our Testing & Selection Process
202
Mattresses Tested
To Date
35
Data Points Tested
On Each Mattress
9
Mattress Winners Selected
Each best list is put through a customized performance analysis with specialized consideration given to our objective & data-driven performance tests. In addition, we consider mattress type, design, materials, value, price, and more.
For our Best Mattress for Side Sleepers list, we based our selections on the best-scoring mattresses, according to our battery of testing and formulaic driven scoring.
Our tests analyze performance across 8 critical factors, including cooling, motion transfer, response time, edge support, sex, pressure relief, off-gassing, and company. In addition, we also test sinkage and bounce (though these are not scoring factors).
Our tests include objective and quantifiable data whenever possible. In addition, we use subjective assessment supported by data to round out our testing process.
Our scores are based on mathematical formulas and equations that utilize inputs from our data-driven testing.
In choosing the 10 best mattresses for side sleepers we looked at the totality of all of our tests, scores, data, and reviews to date. We analyzed this data alongside our established best mattress framework here.
In addition to achieving a high performance score, all mattresses on this list had to have an extra soft (3 out of 10), soft (4 out of 10), medium (5 out of 10) or medium-firm (6 out of 10) feel. Most side sleepers are most comfortable at the 3-6 firmness range, where 10 is the most firm.
When selecting the best mattress for side sleepers, we’re looking at a combination of overall scoring performance, firmness, and US availability.
To be included within this best of list all mattresses:
- Had to have a firmness of 3-6 out of 10, where 10 is the most firm. This ranges from extra soft to medium-firm.
- Had to be available within the USA
- Had to have a performance of of 9.71 or higher.
Outliers that met the criteria above, but were still excluded for other various reasons are listed below.
| Mattress | Score | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Diamond Flury Lux | 9.84 | Brand is not well trusted by consumers |
| Helix Midnight Elite | 9.84 | Too expensive |
| Winkbed Plus | 9.82 | Only for heaviest-weighted sleepers |
| Zenhaven | 9.81 | Too expensive |
| iSense Premier Hybrid | 9.75 | Too expensive |
| Elm Resort | 9.75 | Customer support issues and brand trust issues |
| Helix Plus | 9.72 | Only for heaviest-weighted sleepers |
In This Guide
Winkbed | Saatva Classic | Nolah Evolution 15 | Nest Bedding Sparrow | Helix Midnight Luxe | Leesa Sapira Chill | Amerisleep AS5 | Bear Elite Hybrid | GhostBed Flex | Best Mattress By Category
Side Sleeper Firmness Guide
Most side sleepers need a mattress in the 5-6 out of 10 firmness range, which is between a medium and medium-firm feel. However, many side sleepers will enjoy extra soft (3-3.5) and soft (4-4.5) firmnesses, especially lighter-weight sleepers.
Heavier-weighted side sleepers sometimes prefer a slightly firmer feel (7-7.5), as the extra firmness increases the support, which can help to maintain neutral spinal alignment in heavier-weighted bodies.
Side sleepers should avoid firm (8-8.5) and extra firm (9-9.5) feels, as this level of firmness will push the spine out of a neutral alignment, creating pressure point and support issues.
If you are not sure what firmness is best for you check out our deep-dive mattress firmness guide here.
The table below lists the firmnesses of each featured mattress:
| Extra Soft 3-3.5 | Soft 4-4.5 | Medium 5-5.5 | Medium-Firm 6-6.5 | Slightly Firm 7-7.5 | Firm 8-8.5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winkbed Original | ||||||
| Saatva Classic | ||||||
| Nolah Evolution 15 | ||||||
| Nest Bedding Sparrow | ||||||
| Leesa Sapira Chill | ||||||
| Helix Midnight Luxe | ||||||
| Amerisleep AS5 Hybrid | ||||||
| Bear Elite Hybrid | ||||||
| Ghostbed Flex |
The 9 Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers
Gel Foam Hybrid
Coil-On-Coil
Poly Foam Hybrid
Poly Foam Hybrid
Gel Memory Foam Hybrid
Poly Foam Cooling Hybrid
Memory Foam Hybrid
Copper Memory Foam Hybrid
Bear Elite Hybrid
9.72
Price: $1,499
Firmness: Soft (4.5), Medium-Firm (6), Slightly Firm (7.5)
Read Review
MEMORY & Poly foam Hybrid
Winkbed Original
Best For
- High-quality materials
- Deep-contouring pillowtop, while maintaining support
- Sleepers of all body types and sleeper weights (up to 300 lbs.)
Quick Specs
- Thickness: 13.5″ thick
- Cover: Plush Euro-top
- Trial: 120-night trial
- Returns: Free returns
- Warranty: Lifetime
Our Verdict
The WinkBed is a 13.5″ hybrid mattress that has a plush, Euro cover, poly foam comfort material, and a pocketed coil base.
It offers a balanced feel with deep sinkage (8% deeper than average) and moderate bounce (2% more bounce than average). The mattress has a balanced feel, despite the deep sinkage, and maintains limited heat retention with a very fast response time with an active feel.
The Winkbed is available in three different firmnesses—softer (4), luxury firm (6), and firmer (7), where 10 is the most firm. There is also the Winkbed Plus, which has a slightly firm (7) feel, ideal for heavier-weighted sleepers over 250 lbs.
Winkbed has an exceptional performance score of 9.95 overall, which ranks it as the #1 hybrid, as well as within the top 1% among all mattress types we’ve tested to date.
The Winkbed in queen size is $1,499, 15% higher than the average hybrid mattress. Still, given its performance advantages, the value is fantastic on the Winkbed.
Click here to read the full Winkbed review.
Type: Hybrid
Firmness: Soft (4), Medium Firm (6), Slightly Firm (7)
Winkbed Performance
Cooling Test
Sinkage Test
Motion Transfer Test
Response Test
Bounce Test
Edge Support Test
| Factor | Winkbed |
|---|---|
| Overall | 9.95 |
| Max Temp. | 90.3° F |
| Max Sinkage | 2.38″ |
| Total Motion Transfer | 5.85 m/s² |
| Response Time | 0.2 sec. |
| Total Bounce | 9.91″ |
| Edge Support – Sitting Sinkage | 2.25″ |
| Edge Support – Lying Support | Exceptional |
| Sex Overall | 9.9 |
| Comfort Material | 5.00″ |
| Off-Gassing – Smell | None |
| Off-Gassing – Days | 0 days |
| Trial | 120 days |
| Warranty | Lifetime |
Saatva Classic
Best For
- Plush euro-top cover & great cooling performance
- Moderate bounce with fast response time
- Ships uncompressed, includes in-home delivery, setup, & old mattress removal
Quick Specs
- Thickness: 11.5″ or 14.5″
- Cover: Plush Euro-top
- Trial: 365-night trial
- Returns: $99 return fee
- Warranty: Lifetime
Our Verdict
The Saatva Classic has a thickness of 11.5″ or 14.5″, depending on personal preference (price is the same for both thicknesses), and a coil-on-coil construction. The cover is a plush Euro-top cover followed by a small amount of comfort foam and two layers of coils.
Saatva has a more traditional coil feel and less foam than a more typical hybrid mattress. This combination of materials gives the mattress deep sinkage and extremely high bounce while retaining low levels of motion transfer (something other coil mattresses tend to struggle with).
The Saatva is available in three firmness levels—Plush Soft (3.5), Luxury Firm (5.5), or Firm (8), where 10 is the most firm.
This mattress has a fantastic performance score of 9.95 overall, which ranks it as the #1 coil mattress, as well as within the top 1% among all mattress types we’ve tested to date.
For a Saatva Classic, in queen size, it costs $1,696. This is 10% less than average—a savings of $182, compared to other coil mattresses we’ve tested to date.
I would recommend the Saatva Classic for sleepers who enjoy a more traditional coil-based mattress feel.
Click here to read the full Saatva Classic review.
Type: Coil-on-Coil
Firmness: Soft (3.5), Medium (5.5), Firm (8)
Saatva Performance
Cooling Test
Sinkage Test
Motion Transfer Test
Response Test
Bounce Test
Edge Support Test
| Factor | Saatva Classic |
|---|---|
| Overall | 9.95 |
| Max Temp. | 94.0° F |
| Max Sinkage | 2.40″ |
| Total Motion Transfer | 5.86 m/s² |
| Response Time | 0.4 sec. |
| Total Bounce | 14.67″ |
| Edge Support – Sitting Sinkage | 3.00″ |
| Edge Support – Lying Support | Exceptional |
| Sex Overall | 9.9 |
| Comfort Material | 4.50″ |
| Off-Gassing – Smell | None |
| Off-Gassing – Days | 0 days |
| Trial | 365 days |
| Warranty | Lifetime |
Nolah Evolution 15
Best For
- Exceptionally good cooling
- Fantastic pressure relief with a 6″ comfort layer
- Fantastic edge support, only 3.25″ of sinkage at the edge
Quick Specs
- Thickness: 15″ thick
- Cover: Plush Euro-top
- Trial: 120-night trial
- Returns: $99 fee
- Warranty: Lifetime
Our Verdict
The Nolah Evolution 15 is a 15″ high-profile hybrid mattress with a Euro-top cover, comfort poly foams, and a pocketed coil base.
It offers a balanced feel with deep sinkage (14% deeper than average) and moderate bounce (10% less bounce than average). Despite the deep sinkage, this mattress still has a very fast material response time, and great cooling.
The Evolution 15 is available in three different firmnesses—soft (4), medium (5.5), and firm (8), where 10 is the most firm.
This mattress has a performance score of 9.77 overall, which ranks it among the top 5% of all mattresses tested to date.
The Nolah costs 20% more than the average hybrid mattress, $1,624 for a queen. But you’re getting a higher-performing mattress than average as well.
I would recommend the Nolah Evolution 15 for sleepers who are looking for a high-profile mattress (15″) with deeper sinkage, hug, and contour, without sacrificing support and overall comfort.
Click here to read the full Nolah Evolution 15 review.
Type: Hybrid
Firmness: Soft (4), Medium (5.5), or Firm (8)
Nolah Evolution 15 Performance
Cooling Test
Sinkage Test
Motion Transfer Test
Response Test
Bounce Test
Edge Support Test
Factor | Nolah Evolution 15 |
|---|---|
| Overall | 9.77 |
| Max Temp. | 88.6° F |
| Max Sinkage | 2.48″ |
| Total Motion Transfer | 11.10 m/s² |
| Response Time | 0.2 sec. |
| Total Bounce | 8.72″ |
| Edge Support – Sitting Sinkage | 3.25″ |
| Edge Support – Lying Support | Exceptional |
| Sex Overall | 9.8 |
| Comfort Material | 6.00″ |
| Off-Gassing – Smell | Strong |
| Off-Gassing – Days | 3 days |
| Trial | 120 days |
Nest Bedding Sparrow
Best For
- Great pressure relief and comfort for sleepers of all sizes
- Excellent cooling, despite having deeper hug and sinkage
- Lifetime Exchange Renewal program provides good value for long-term use
Quick Specs
- Thickness: 12″ thick
- Cover: Quilted cover
- Trial: 365-night trial
- Returns: Free returns
- Warranty: Lifetime
Why It’s Best
The Nest Bedding Sparrow is a 12″ hybrid that includes a mix of pocketed coils, poly foam comfort layers, and a quilted cover.
It has very deep sinkage and higher-than-average levels of bounce, creating a mattress that is engaging and with deep contour.
There are three firmnesses available on the Sparrow—plush (3.5), medium (5), or firm (8). This variety makes it a strong pick for a wider variety of sleepers. You can also opt for split firmness on the Sparrow, choosing a different firmness for each side of the mattress.
The Sparrow mattress has a performance score of 9.76 overall, which ranks it in the top 7% of all mattresses we’ve tested to date.
This mattress costs 35% more than the average hybrid mattress, $1,812 for a queen. But considering the performance benefits, the Sparrow is a fantastic option.
I would recommend the Nest Bedding Sparrow for sleepers looking for a balanced feel, deeper hug, and / or the option of an internal split firmness for each side of the mattress.
Click here to read the full Nest Bedding Sparrow review.
Type: Hybrid
Firmness: Extra Soft (3.5), Medium (5), Firm (8)
Nest Bedding Sparrow Performance
Cooling Test
Sinkage Test
Motion Transfer Test
Response Test
Bounce Test
Edge Support Test
| Factor | Nest Bedding Sparrow |
|---|---|
| Overall | 9.76 |
| Max Temp. | 90.6° F |
| Max Sinkage | 2.70″ |
| Total Motion Transfer | 7.12 m/s² |
| Response Time | 0.3 sec. |
| Total Bounce | 10.64″ |
| Edge Support – Sitting Sinkage | 4.00″ |
| Edge Support – Lying Support | Very Good |
| Sex Overall | 9.9 |
| Comfort Material | 6.00″ |
| Off-Gassing – Smell | Moderate |
| Off-Gassing – Days | 2 days |
| Trial | 365 days |
| Warranty | Lifetime |
Helix Midnight Luxe
Best For
- Plush, pillow-top contour for side sleepers
- Excellent pressure relief
- Great cooling with hybrid design
Quick Specs
- Thickness: 14″ thick
- Cover: Pillow-top
- Trial: 100-night trial
- Returns: Free returns
- Warranty: 15-year warranty
Why It’s Best
The Helix Midnight Luxe mattress is a 14″ hybrid mattress that combines a pocketed coils base, poly foam, gel memory foam, and a plusher cover.
It has a moderate degree of sinkage and moderate bounce (23% less bounce than average), giving this mattress deeper contour on the pillow-top cover.
The Helix Midnight Luxe is available in a single firmness with a medium-firm feel and a firmness rating of 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale.
This mattress has a fantastic performance score of 9.76 overall, which ranks it in the top 6% among all hybrid mattresses we’ve tested to date.
For a queen-size mattress, the Helix Luxe is $1899—nearly 35% more than the average hybrid mattress. For an additional $199, you can also opt for an advanced cooling cover.
Click here to read the full Helix Midnight Luxe review.
Type: Hybrid
Firmness: Medium-Firm (6)
Helix Midnight Luxe Performance
Cooling Test
Sinkage Test
Motion Transfer Test
Response Test
Bounce Test
Edge Support Test
| Factor | Helix Midnight Luxe |
|---|---|
| Overall | 9.76 |
| Max Temp. | 91.0° F |
| Max Sinkage | 2.15″ |
| Total Motion Transfer | 4.03 m/s² |
| Response Time | 0.3 sec. |
| Total Bounce | 7.47″ |
| Edge Support – Sitting Sinkage | 4.00″ |
| Edge Support – Lying Support | Excellent |
| Sex Overall | 9.4 |
| Comfort Material | 5.00″ |
| Off-Gassing – Smell | Moderate |
| Off-Gassing – Days | 3 days |
| Trial | 101 days |
| Warranty | 25 years |
Leesa Sapira Chill
Best For
- Exceptional cooling performance
- Fantastic edge support
- High level of bounce, ideal for good sex performance
Quick Specs
- Thickness: 14″ thick
- Cover: Phase-change cooling cover
- Trial: 100-night trial
- Returns: Free returns
- Warranty: 10-year
Our Verdict
The Leesa Sapira Chill has an overall thickness of 14″ and a hybrid design—including a phase-change cooling cover, poly foams, and a pocketed coil base.
This mattress has a moderate amount of sinkage and above-average levels of bounce. Given the 14″ profile and 5.25″ thick comfort layer, the Sapira Chill has a real luxury feel. The biggest disadvantage to the Sapira Chill is higher levels of motion transfer, which measured 47% higher than average.
This mattress is available in three firmness levels—Soft (4), Medium-Firm (6), or Firm (8), making it a good option for a wider range of sleeper preferences.
The Sapira Chill has a performance score of 9.75, which ranks it in the top 8% of all mattresses tested to date.
It does have a higher-than-average price point of $1,799 for a queen, which is 32% more than the average hybrid. But again, you’re getting a better-than-average mattress so the extra cost may be worth it for many sleepers.
Click here to read the full Leesa Sapira Chill review.
Type: Hybrid
Firmness: Soft (4), Medium-Firm (6), or Firm (8)
Leesa Sapira Chill Performance
Cooling Test
Sinkage Test
Motion Transfer Test
Response Test
Bounce Test
Edge Support Test
| Factor | Leesa Sapira Chill Performance |
|---|---|
| Overall | 9.75 |
| Price | $1,799 |
| Cooling | 10 |
| Max Sinkage | 2.16″ |
| Total Motion Transfer | 12.55 m/s² |
| Response Time | 0.3 sec. |
| Total Bounce | 10.51″ |
| Edge Support – Sitting Sinkage | 3.00″ |
| Mattress Thickness | 14.0″ |
| Sex Overall | 10 |
| Comfort Material | 5.3″ |
| Off-Gassing – Smell | Strong |
| Off-Gassing – Days | 10 days |
| Trial | 100 nights |
| Warranty | 10 years |
Amerisleep AS5 Hybrid
Best For
- Side sleepers who want an extra soft feel
- Fantastic cooling performance
- Excellent pressure relief with 5.0″ of comfort material
Quick Specs
- Thickness: 14″ thick
- Cover: Cooling Cover
- Trial: 300-night trial
- Returns: Free returns
- Warranty: 12-year warranty
Our Verdict
The Amerisleep AS5 is a 14″ hybrid, with a cooling cover, a memory foam comfort layer, transitional poly foam, and a pocketed coil support base.
It has moderate sinkage and slightly more bounce than average. Given its fast response time and higher degree of contour, the AS5 Hybrid is the modern memory foam at work.
The AS5 hybrid mattress is available in a single firmness of 3.5 out of 10 with an extra soft feel.
It has a fantastic performance score of 9.73, earning it a spot in the top 12% of all mattresses tested to date. During our performance tests, this mattress had great scores in all categories except for higher levels of motion transfer.
For a queen-size mattress, the AS5 costs $2,199—48% more than the average memory foam hybrid. That being said, the AS5 Hybrid is among the best extra soft mattress I’ve tested to date and a fantastic pick for sleepers looking for that soft feel.
Click here to read the full Amerisleep AS5 Hybrid review.
Type: Hybrid
Firmness: Extra Soft (3.5)
Amerisleep AS5 Hybrid Performance
Cooling Test
Sinkage Test
Motion Transfer Test
Response Test
Bounce Test
Edge Support Test
| Factor | Amerisleep AS5 Hybrid Performance |
|---|---|
| Overall | 9.73 |
| Price | $2,199 |
| Cooling | 10 |
| Max Sinkage | 2.21″ |
| Total Motion Transfer | 9.65 m/s² |
| Response Time | 0.2 sec. |
| Total Bounce | 9.71″ |
| Edge Support – Sitting Sinkage | 4.25″ |
| Mattress Thickness | 14.0″ |
| Sex Overall | 9.8 |
| Comfort Material | 5.0″ |
| Off-Gassing – Smell | Strong |
| Off-Gassing – Days | 7 days |
| Trial | 100 nights |
| Warranty | 20 years |
Bear Elite Hybrid
Best For
- Fantastic cooling performance with phase change cover
- Low levels of motion transfer
- Excellent pressure relief—5″ of comfort material
Quick Specs
- Thickness: 14″ thick
- Cover: Phase change cover
- Trial: 120-night trial
- Returns: Free returns
- Warranty: Lifetime
Why It’s Best
The Bear Elite Hybrid is a hybrid mattress with a 14″ thickness that uses a quilted cover, copper-infused memory foam, and a pocketed coil base.
It has moderate levels of sinkage and high levels of bounce. The quilted cover of this mattress gives it a good degree of contour without too much sinkage.
The Bear Elite Hybrid is available in three firmness levels—soft (4.5), medium-firm (6), or slightly firm (7.5). This range makes it a solid pick for a wider range of sleepers.
The Elite Hybrid has a fantastic performance score of 9.72 overall, which ranks it in the top 13% among all mattresses we’ve tested to date.
The Elite Hybrid is 18% more expensive than the average hybrid, with a cost of $1584 for a queen-size mattress. Despite the extra cost, remember you’re getting a thicker mattress (14″), better materials, and a higher performance score than average, so for many sleepers the price is worth it.
Click here to read the full Bear Elite review.
Type: Hybrid
Firmness: Soft (4.5), Medium-Firm (6), Firm (7.5)
Bear Elite Performance
Cooling Test
Sinkage Test
Motion Transfer Test
Response Test
Bounce Test
Edge Support Test
| Factor | Bear Elite Hybrid |
|---|---|
| Overall | 9.72 |
| Max Temp. | 88.4° F |
| Max Sinkage | 2.14″ |
| Total Motion Transfer | 3.74 m/s² |
| Response Time | 0.4 sec. |
| Total Bounce | 10.32″ |
| Edge Support – Sitting Sinkage | 4.75″ |
| Edge Support – Lying Support | Excellent |
| Sex Overall | 9.8 |
| Comfort Material | 5.00″ |
| Off-Gassing – Smell | Strong |
| Off-Gassing – Days | 3 days |
| Trial | 120 days |
| Warranty | Lifetime |
GhostBed Flex
Best For
- Great cooling performance
- Extremely fast response time
- Excellent edge support, only 3.25″ of sinkage sitting directly at the edge
Quick Specs
- Thickness: 13″ thick
- Cover: Quilted cover
- Trial: 101-night trial
- Returns: Free returns
- Warranty: 25-year warranty
Why It’s Best
The Ghostbed Flex is a hybrid mattress with a 13″ profile, combining memory foam, poly foam, and a support coil base.
It has moderate levels of sinkage and high levels of bounce, 10% higher than average bounce levels, for an active feel.
The GhostBed Flex is only available in a single firmness with a medium-firm feel, 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale.
This mattress has a performance score of 9.72 overall, which ranks it in the top 13% among all mattresses we’ve tested to date, right alongside the Bear Elite mentioned above. Unlike the Bear Elite, the Flex only comes in a single firmness—6 out of 10 for a medium-firm feel.
The Ghostbed Flex mattress is 25% more than the average hybrid, $1,687 for a queen. That being said, like the others featured on this list, performance is also higher than average so you’re getting a higher-quality mattress.
Click here to read the Ghostbed Flex review.
Type: Hybrid
Firmness: Medium-Firm (6)
GhostBed Flex Performance
Cooling Test
Sinkage Test
Motion Transfer Test
Response Test
Bounce Test
Edge Support Test
| Factor | Ghostbed Flex |
|---|---|
| Overall | 9.72 |
| Max Temp. | 85.7° F |
| Max Sinkage | 2.15″ |
| Total Motion Transfer | 5.61 m/s² |
| Response Time | 0.4 sec. |
| Total Bounce | 10.65″ |
| Edge Support – Sitting Sinkage | 3.25″ |
| Edge Support – Lying Support | Excellent |
| Sex Overall | 9.8 |
| Comfort Material | 2.00″ |
| Off-Gassing – Smell | Strong |
| Off-Gassing – Days | 4 days |
| Trial | 101 days |
| Warranty | 25 years |
Best Mattress By Category
Have a specific mattress type, sleeping position, feature, or firmness in mind? At NapLab we’ve ranked the mattresses we’ve tested in 21 different specialized “best of” lists. These lists can help you identify the mattresses best suited to specific performance criteria.
