How often should you replace a mattress?

When your mattress starts to feel saggy, becomes noisy, or you wake up achy, it may be time to replace your mattress. If you notice that you sleep better away from home, that may also be a signal. In general, mattresses tend to last from six to eight years, but it varies according to the quality of the material, whether you rotate it every few months and the body weight of those sleeping on it.

What level of firmness is best for side sleepers?

Most people—about three-quarters of us—are side sleepers. A medium-soft to medium-firm mattress that contours to the body is best for side sleepers, somewhere in the 4 to 6 categories of mattress firmness. You want support, but you want it to respond to your body, so your neck and spine are in alignment when you sleep.

Is a memory foam mattress good for side sleepers?

Memory foam mattresses are a good choice for side sleepers because the material is responsive to the shape of your body and still provides support.

Are hard mattresses bad for side sleepers?

A mattress that's too hard or firm can affect the alignment of your spine because it doesn't respond to your shape when you're lying on your side.

The 12 Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers of 2023

If you're a side sleeper, you know that it can be challenging to sleep if you have an uncomfortable mattress. That's because your shoulders and hips bear the pressure at night. The right mattress for side sleepers should balance softness and support to be comfortable at night.

When looking for a mattress, you should consider the level of firmness and comfort. "Treat your mattress like you treat your running shoes. You don’t really wait until your running shoes have holes in them to buy a new pair. In other words, use your best judgment. But don’t force yourself to endure a less-than-stellar mattress for too long," says Rajkumar Dasgupta, MD, assistant professor of clinical medicine at Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California.

To find the best mattresses for side sleepers on the market, we researched dozens of mattresses for side sleepers, and our editors tested 5 of the most popular mattresses at home, evaluating each mattress over the span of four weeks. We rated them on a scale of 1 (would not recommend) to 5 (highly recommend) for firmness, price, materials, and, most importantly, if and how their sleep improved.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Casper Sleep Original Hybrid Mattress at Amazon

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Best Hybrid:

Layla Hybrid Mattress at Amazon

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Best for Side and Back Sleepers:

Saatva Classic Mattress at Saatva

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Best Budget:

Nectar Gel Memory Foam Mattress at Amazon

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Best Bed in a Box:

Nolah Original 10" Mattress at Nolahmattress.com

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Best for Side Sleepers with Lower Back Pain:

Purple Mattress at Amazon

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Best for Side Sleepers with Shoulder Pain:

Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-ProAdapt Mattress at Amazon

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Best Mattress Topper:

Sleep Innovations Memory Foam Mattress Topper at Amazon

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Best Memory Foam:

WinkBeds The GravityLux at Winkbeds.com

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Best Cooling:

Cocoon by Sealy Chill Mattress at Cocoonbysealy.com

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In This Article

Our Picks
How We Tested and Selected
What to Look For
FAQ
Why Trust Verywell Health

4.4

Amazon

The Casper Original is the world’s most popular mattress and our top choice for good reason. In testing, we found that it provided exceptional pressure relief and motion isolation, ensuring a good night’s sleep for side sleepers and their partners.

As a hybrid mattress, it’s made with foam (two layers of it, in fact) and a traditional coil innerspring to offer comfort and sleep support. A support core isolates movement from below, a transition layer mimics that feeling of memory foam without overheating you or losing its shape, and an open-cell polymer provides cooling breathability. Foam mattresses can often be hot, something we were concerned about in testing. Casper touts the fact that they use two layers of foam on top of the coil section, a perforated layer for breathability and a layer made of memory foam, and we were pleasantly surprised that it lived up to its claims. We found this mattress to be pleasantly cool, even though the person who tested it and her partner both run hot.

The delivery process was seamless, and we loved how compact the mattress was when it arrived. We found it took just about five hours after opening to fully expand. While there was a noticeable chemical/plastic smell at first, after about a day and a half, it faded away.

We loved the way this mattress conforms to the body, which is especially important for side sleepers who need extra support for their hips. In testing, this mattress kept the person who tried it in good alignment without sinking in. The support is consistent across the entire mattress up to the edges, and they didn’t notice any signs of wear or indentations in the mattress after a month's use.

Since a mattress is a big-ticket item, it’s important to feel comfortable with its features and price. This mattress is less expensive than the average Casper mattress, which makes it feel like a bargain, considering how well it’s made and how it lived up to our expectations.

Price at time of publication: $1,695

Layla

Can’t decide if you’re ready to make the switch to a full-on memory foam mattress? You don’t have to with the Layla Hybrid mattress, which combines memory foam and coil springs for the best of both worlds. The memory foam gives you plush, contoured support while the coil springs provide motion control (i.e., help you avoid middle-of-the-night wakeups when your partner is tossing and turning).

How does the Layla work? Think of it as a mattress sandwich: In the center is a 6-inch layer packed with coils, and on either side of that layer is the memory foam. But the Layla takes the word “hybrid” to the next level because it’s also reversible—one side features memory foam designed to be soft while the other side has memory foam constructed to be firmer.

Basically, there’s only a slim chance you could order this mattress and end up sending it back. One way or another, there’s probably a side for you. Other solid features include copper-infused foam for antimicrobial protection and advanced cooling (great when paired with a set of sheets for hot sleepers), as well as airflow support layers. Layla offers free shipping and returns if you’re not 100% satisfied.

Price at time of publication: $1,099

4.2

Saatva

You’re a side sleeper, but your partner is a back sleeper, or maybe you’re just a restless sleeper who switches between your back and side during the night. Either way, you need a mattress that can support the pressure points for both kinds of sleepers—and that’s actually kind of a tall order because back and side sleepers typically need different kinds of support.

With the Saatva Classic, however, varying sleep styles aren’t a problem. The mattress features a set of individually-wrapped coils, which not only promotes airflow but lets the coils on your side of the bed adapt to your body (while your partner’s side adapts to theirs). The mattress also has an organic pillow top for extra cushioning and perimeter edge support to deter sagging.

For side and back sleepers, we suggest the “luxury firm” option, which falls in between soft and firm, can wrap around your body and provide support and is best for couples who may have different sleep styles. (The “plush soft” and “firm” options are better for side- and back-only sleepers, respectively.) You also get free white glove delivery and 180 days to try out your new mattress.

Price at time of publication: $1,795

If you think you’ll sleep best on a mattress made totally of memory foam but don’t want to take a rather *ahem* expensive gamble on that belief, the Nectar mattress is a perfectly affordable way to try out the memory foam trend for yourself.

You get five dreamy layers with this mattress (yes, five!), from a cooling pillow top to a cushy gel layer to a strong, supportive base layer. All those layers hug and support the pressure points of side sleepers, like the shoulders and hips, and overall the mattress is rated a 6.5 on the soft to firm scale (perfect for side sleepers, in other words).

Even though there are no springs, Nectar says their blend of layers reduces motion transfer and sleeps cool—plus, you can try it out for a whopping 365 days before deciding to return it for a full refund. And let’s not forget budget: A queen-size mattress from Nectar will still be an investment, but it will be a few hundred dollars less than most other comparable choices, saving you cash upfront.

Price at time of publication: $799

Nolah

We don’t normally say this but stop listening to your parents. You don’t have to physically go to a department store and pay an inflated price when you need a new mattress. Now, you can go online and order a mattress, have a box delivered to your home a few days later, open it up, and—voila!—watch a mattress come to life on your bedroom floor.

Nolah isn’t the only company offering this option, but we like their “bed in a box” mattress best. Why? Because it focuses on foam layers scientifically designed to reduce pressure on the shoulders, hips, and back. A middle layer of supportive high-resilience foam and a 7-inch high-density bottom layer combine with a top cooling layer to create a mattress that’s cushy, supportive, cool, and medium-firm (so side sleeper-approved!).

Nolah mattresses can be placed on any firm sleeping surface. They’re built to be durable and resist sagging. You can try the Nolah mattress for 120 days to make sure you love it; we chose the Original 10 for the way its stellar features combine with a budget-friendly price tag, but if you want a reversible option with a firmer pad on one side, you can pick the Original 12 instead.

Price at time of publication: $1,149

4.8

Purple

Side sleepers most often suffer from hip and shoulder pain during the night since that’s where most of your weight is distributed during sleep—but that doesn’t mean that your lower back can’t suffer, too, especially if you’re snoozing on an ill-suited mattress.

The Purple Mattress, with its dual foam layers, is designed to cushion and support all your pressure points, including your lower back. It stabilizes and neutralizes weight, so no matter how you sleep (or what part of your body needs support the most), the mattress works to maintain the spinal alignment needed for better, more comfortable sleep; it's also a good idea if you are using a posture corrector during the day.

The mattress can be shipped, free of charge, to your home and comes with a 120-day money-back guarantee in case you don’t love it. It’s also covered by a 10-year warranty, so you won’t need to worry about wearing it out—and having to upgrade again—anytime soon.

Price at time of publication: $1,399

Amazon

Shoulder pain can really throw a wrench in your day—you might not realize it, but your shoulders offer a lot of critical support to your back and neck, making shoulder strain a cause of back pain, neck pain, and tension headaches.

To alleviate shoulder pain as a side sleeper, you need a mattress that can literally hug your pressure points, absorbing your weight and keeping your neck and back carefully aligned. And while the Tempur-Pedic ProAdapt is a memory foam mattress like many others on this list, it’s also the only brand featuring the same kind of memory foam developed and used by NASA to support astronauts during trips into outer space.

So, obviously, it’s a high-quality option for side sleepers who need the maximum amount of memory foam support. But it’s also made with an antimicrobial cover and cooling top layer and comes with a 90-day tryout period to ensure you’re getting the best possible sleep.

Price at time of publication: $2,999

4.2

Amazon

There are a lot of reasons for wanting to adapt your current mattress into something more side sleeper-friendly. You bought a spring mattress but wish you’d bought memory foam; you have a new or recent injury that needs more support; you want to squeeze a little more life out of the one you have before buying a new one; you own or are purchasing an adjustable bed; or you simply don’t have the funds to invest in a new mattress any time soon.

Whatever the reason, we have the solution—this gel memory foam mattress topper by Sleep Innovations, which turns your current mattress into a cushier, cozier version of itself. Like a massively fluffy mattress pad, this topper is one part quilted fiber fill and one part cloud-like memory foam. The dual layers combine to give you a four-inch boost of comfortable support (and the gel layer helps keep you cool, too).

This topper is made in the USA and comes with a 10-year limited warranty, so if you’re unhappy with it for any reason or find that either part of the topper—the gel foam or the fiber fill cover—doesn’t last as long as it should, you can contact Sleep Innovations for assistance.

Price at time of publication: $160

Okay, so we’ve talked a lot about memory foam already, and at this point, you may be wondering what sets one memory foam mattress apart from the others. Honestly, buying a mattress is about as subjective as buying a toothbrush or pair of shoes; everyone has a different idea of what’s comfortable and what’s not.

But the GravityLux by Winkbeds does boast one feature that makes it stand out from the crowd: proprietary AirCell™ memory foam that responds to your body’s unique weight distribution with endless shock-absorbing cushions. Built right into the layers, these microscopic cushions know just how to contour to your side-sleeping curves to give you the right amount of flexibility and support.

The GravityLux mattress comes with free shipping and returns, as well as a 120-day trial period. Winkbeds also offers you the chance to swap out your mattress anytime after the trial (even years!) at 50% of the current list price if you decide you actually need something harder or softer or even just fresher as part of their “any reason” replacement guarantee.

Price at time of publication: $1,799

If you’re waking up repeatedly during the night to kick off your comforter, strip off pajama layers, or mop up the pool of sweat you find yourself lying in, you’re probably overheating too much at night. And while changing your bedding and pajamas might help with this a little bit, if your mattress is constructed to retain heat, you’re going to fight this same battle every night, no matter what.

Enter the Cocoon Chill mattress by Sealy, which has two main goals: to cradle your pressure points and keep you cool at night. Sealy has infused the top layer of this memory foam mattress with something called “phase change material,” so it absorbs and eliminates heat rather than retaining it. This means the mattress actually feels cool to the touch (how cool is that?!), and you’ll feel cooler as you sleep. So long, night sweats!

You get 100 days to try this mattress to see if you love it, a 10-year warranty, and easy-peasy delivery in a convenient box. FYI, the mattress comes in two levels of firmness, but we recommend the medium-soft for side sleepers.

Price at time of publication: $1,239

Nolah

We spend a third of our lifetime sleeping, so if you’re on the sensitive side, it makes sense you would want to invest in more hypoallergenic materials. Ideal for sleepers with sensitive skin or who need extra breathability overnight, the Nolah Natural 11 is made up of multiple layers, including organic cotton and wool, natural Talalay latex, and support coils.

The Nolah Natural 11 is higher priced than the Nolah Original 10 but slightly firmer and 1 inch thicker, with extra layers and more natural materials—so you can rest assured you’re paying for quality. Both mattresses are “bed in a box” options, so consider your priorities and budget when deciding. The Natural 11 doesn’t skimp on certifications and sustainability, from being certified organic and OEKO-TEX 100, which means it’s free of harmful chemicals, to guaranteeing sustainable practices.

While there are no firmness options for you to choose from, it’s rated a 5-6 on the soft to firm scale, making it ideal for side sleepers. For added convenience, you can choose to add in-home removal and setup to your purchase. And in case you’d like to do the assembly yourself, this option features side handles for easier portability. Nolah also offers a 120-night mattress trial and a lifetime warranty, so you can be sure you’re getting your money’s worth.

Price at time of publication: $1,899

Casper bills the Nova Hybrid Mattress as their plushest mattress, making it a good choice for people who sleep on their sides but also move onto their stomachs or back through the night. When we tried this mattress, it was immediately apparent how comfortable it was. The very first night an editor slept on it, she slept for 12 hours—an unusual and welcome feat for someone who generally only sleeps six to eight hours in a stretch.

The mattress’s structure helps explain its success: It features two comfort layers, including AirScape open-cell polyfoam in the top layer and a second comfort layer divided into three firmness zones for enhanced support in key areas such as the hips and lower back. The transitional memory foam layer also has seven firmness levels for zoned reinforcement. Casper’s support core features pocketed coils encased in high-density foam to give you quality sleep at an affordable price.

We loved that, true to the instructions, the mattress expanded fully in about five minutes, and unlike others we tested, it didn't have any kind of chemical smell. The packaging of the Twin XL mattress allowed our tester to move it independently, although it was quite heavy. However, for larger sizes, it might be more challenging to move it alone.

Also, it's definitely cooling—we could feel the airflow in the mattress from night one. Even for someone who overheats regularly, this mattress was notably cooler.

As far as the value, there's no denying that this mattress is expensive when compared to others we tested and researched. But the quality didn’t budge over the month we tested it, and when it comes to investing in more comfortable and healthier sleep, we think this mattress is worth every penny.

Price at time of publication: $2,295.00

How We Rated Mattresses for Side Sleepers

4.8 to 5 stars: These are the best mattresses for side sleepers we tested. We recommend them without reservation.

4.5 to 4.7 stars: These mattresses for side sleepers are excellent—they might have minor flaws, but we still recommend them.

4.0 to 4.5 stars: We think these are great mattresses for side sleepers, but others are better.

3.5 to 3.9 stars: These mattresses for side sleepers are just average.

3.4 and below: We don't recommend mattresses for side sleepers with this rating; you won't find any on our list.

How We Tested and Selected the Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers

To determine which mattresses for side sleepers to feature in our roundup, we researched and tested the best mattresses on the market. We consulted with experts Rajkumar Dasgupta, MD, and Dr. Angelie Mascarinas for information on what makes a good mattress for side sleepers, including what materials and degree of support are best.

We also test products in our New York City-based lab and in our homes. This is an ongoing process, and we will add more testing notes as we see how these mattresses (and fresh options) perform over time. For our tested mattresses, we asked Verywell Health team members to sleep on them for a minimum of a month and note how well supported their back felt, how they slept, how they felt in the morning, and their overall impressions of the mattress. If a mattress had to expand, they noted how long it took and if there were any off smells associated.

We used this tested feedback to evaluate the top-rated and most popular options on the market, taking price and overall value into account to determine the best mattress for side sleepers to recommend.

What to Look for in Mattresses for Side Sleepers

Memory Foam

Mattresses used to be made entirely of springs or coils, but there are other options now—the foremost of which is memory foam. While there are some drawbacks to this kind of mattress, it tends to be a good choice for side sleepers because it conforms to the unique way that your body lies during the night, offering customized support to pressure points that uniform coils and springs often can’t. If you’re not sold on the idea of a mattress made 100% of memory foam, there are hybrid mattresses that combine foam with springs.

Softness

Most mattresses are rated for softness and firmness along a 10-point scale, with the softest mattresses scoring one and the firmest scoring 10. Most people need a mattress that falls in the comfortable middle, but side sleepers should try to err on the soft side versus the firm side: A softer mattress will be more supportive of a side sleeper’s key pressure points, like the shoulders and hips.

Price

Mattresses can cost as little as $300 or as much as $3,000, leaving budget-conscious shoppers struggling to find a price point that’s just as comfortable as the mattress they’re hoping to buy. So here’s what to keep in mind: A mattress is an investment piece designed to last for many years rather than being discarded in two or three, and you’ll have to spend more than a monthly car payment on it. But that doesn’t mean you need to shop for the most expensive mattress to get the best quality—many middle-of-the-road options, costing around $1,000, are well-made enough to outlast their expense.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should you replace a mattress?

When your mattress starts to feel saggy, becomes noisy, or you wake up achy, it may be time to replace your mattress. If you notice that you sleep better away from home, that may also be a signal. In general, mattresses tend to last from six to eight years, but it varies according to the quality of the material, whether you rotate it every few months and the body weight of those sleeping on it.
What level of firmness is best for side sleepers?

Most people—about three-quarters of us—are side sleepers. A medium-soft to medium-firm mattress that contours to the body is best for side sleepers, somewhere in the 4 to 6 categories of mattress firmness. You want support, but you want it to respond to your body, so your neck and spine are in alignment when you sleep.
Is a memory foam mattress good for side sleepers?

Memory foam mattresses are a good choice for side sleepers because the material is responsive to the shape of your body and still provides support.
Are hard mattresses bad for side sleepers?

A mattress that's too hard or firm can affect the alignment of your spine because it doesn't respond to your shape when you're lying on your side.

Why Trust Verywell Health

Sarah Bradley has been writing health content since 2017—everything from product roundups and illness FAQs to nutrition explainers and the dish on diet trends. She knows how important it is to receive trustworthy and expert-approved advice about over-the-counter products that manage everyday health conditions, from GI issues and allergies to chronic headaches and joint pain.