What Side Sleepers Should Look For In A Mattress + 6 Top Picks

The position you sleep in will affect the type of mattress that's best for you. If you're a side sleeper, you'll want something soft enough to be comfortable (particularly on your hips and shoulders), but with enough firmness to give your body the support it needs.

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.

Side sleeping is the most common sleep position, and experts agree that it's typically also the healthiest. chiropractor Kevin Lees, D.C., of The Joint Corp, explains that sleeping on one's side provides relief from back pain and may reduce one's risk of breathing problems like sleep apnea, while Park notes that it tends to promote good circulation. However, the sleeping position also comes with some potential downsides.

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:

The most popular mattress materials are memory foam, latex, metal springs, or some combination of these materials. Let's go over the pros and cons of each mattress type for side sleepers:

While our experts say hybrid mattresses can provide the right balance for most people, they stress the importance of trying out a mattress yourself before committing to it.

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.

Tracking down your perfect mattress can take a fair amount of time and money, but Joshua Park, DPT, an Olympic physical therapist and the founder of MOCEAN, says it's well worth it since sleep plays such a vital role in overall health. "Finding the right mattress is essential because we spend one-third of our lives in bed," Park tells mindbodygreen.

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.

Sleep is crucial for our health, and the right mattress can help you fall (and stay) asleep quickly and comfortably. Because it's the most common sleep position, most mattresses claim to be suitable for side sleepers. But sleep and comfort are extremely personal—what works for one side sleeper may not work for another.

That's why it's important to look beyond the marketing claims and learn more about a mattress' materials and construction. Mattresses that provide a combination of ample cushioning and support will be your best bet, especially hybrid beds that use softer foams on top and a base of supportive coils. And, especially because mattresses are a larger financial investment, you'll want to prioritize a sleep trial that gives you plenty of time to try the bed in your own home.

Of all the products that can help improve your sleep, the right mattress definitely tops the list. Side sleepers will want to look for one that is soft on their shoulders and hips but still firm enough to support those key areas through the night (especially if they're prone to pain). Hybrid mattresses that combine foam or natural latex with springs tend to be best for this sleep type, but everyone's different, so be sure to take advantage of those trial periods before committing to a mattress you'll be able to happily dive into night after night.