Best Mattress for Side Sleepers

November 18, 2021 | Casper Editorial Team

If you’re a side sleeper, you’re not alone. An estimated 74% of Americans assume the same position when they hit the sack, making side sleeping the most common sleeping position

But getting a good night’s sleep on your side means you need a mattress that’s, well, on your side. That means a mattress that’s able to accommodate the various points of pressure relief you put on it, responding with the exact combination of give and resistance in the places you need them. Not all mattresses are equally suited to this task, so let’s take a look at the best type of mattresses for side sleepers.

Made with the perfect balance of support and comfort, our selection of mattresses provide side sleepers with exactly what they need for a good night’s sleep.

Which Type of Mattress is Best for Side Sleepers?

As a side sleeper, you already know that the sleep position is a cozy and comfortable way to cycle through your nightly REMs. But you might be unaware that side sleeping has also been known to have a few major health benefits, like: 

  • Aiding in digestion 
  • Reducing back pain 
  • Alleviating sleep apnea symptoms

That said, being a side sleeper doesn’t always mean you’re sleeping on a bed of roses. Despite its benefits, side sleeping can also pose a few undesirable outcomes, like neck and shoulder pain depending on the mattress type. 

So what’s the best mattress for side sleepers? Ultimately, the best type of mattress is one that can support the side of your body comfortably—particularly your hips and shoulders, where the most pressure is placed. 

At Casper, we do this by designing mattresses that utilize gel pods to foster continuous ergonomic support and contribute to your ideal level of firmness.


How Firm Should a Mattress Be for Side Sleepers?

For side sleepers, mattress firmness can be a big issue. Most side sleepers will find that, like Goldilocks, they prefer a mattress that’s neither too hard nor too soft. A happy medium is a medium firm mattress.

A mattress that’s too firm can mean you’ll have too much resistance in those places where your body needs a little more give, like the hips and shoulders, which can cause pain in those areas.

On the other hand, a mattress with too little firmness can mean your body won’t get the proper support in those areas where you really need it, like your neck and lower back for spinal alignment.

Key Considerations for Side Sleepers

For side sleepers, a medium-soft to medium-firm mattress is the way to go. But how do you know if your mattress is too firm, or not firm enough? 

Here are some things to keep in mind:

  • Spinal alignment – The heavier parts of your body, like your hips and shoulders, should sink into the firmer mattress slightly, ensuring that your spine maintains a neutral alignment. This is essential to have in a mattress 
  • Manufacturer’s rating – Most mattress manufacturers use a standard 1-10 scale for rating mattress firmness, with 1 being the least firm and 10 being the most. Side sleepers will be most comfortable on a mattress that’s rated at either a 5 (medium-soft) or a 6 (medium-firm).

Casper Favorites for Side Sleepers

At Casper, we know how crucial your preferred sleeping position is to getting the quality and quantity of sleep you need to tackle your waking hours. That’s why we’re committed to investing our time and energy into studying sleep and manufacturing the best mattresses for your preferred sleep position.

For side sleepers, our mattress options provide the ideal combination of support and give, ensuring premium comfort that cradles your entire body.

Here are our favorite mattresses for side sleepers.

Casper Dream Max Mattress

Side sleepers will think they’ve found Nirvana when they go to bed on our Casper Dream Max orthopedic mattress. Our airy Breathe+ Flex Foam top layer is breathable with the perfect touch of bouncy responsiveness. Align+ Flex Foam lightly cradles your body to ease you into bed, while the ultra-supportive layers below offer maximum pressure relief. 

The Dream Max is stacked with our most innovative features, including: 

  • Zoned Support™ Max – Zoned SupportMax incorporates precisely cut channels into the firm center foam, allowing the mattress to cradle your hips, waist, and lower back while reinforcing proper spine alignment. 
  • Resilient Flex Coils – Adding extra support where you need it most, the Flex Coils on the Casper Dream Max mattress are resilient enough to keep you from sinking too deeply into the mattress while actively reducing motion transfer.

Casper Dream Mattress

Our Casper Dream hybrid mattress is another great option for side sleepers, providing a crucial balance of supportive Flex Coil technology and soft Casper Signature Foam. Just like the Dream Max, this hybrid mattress harnesses the best in supportive alignment technology, but at an even more affordable price.

  • Zoned Support reinforces your entire body with firmer foam underneath the critical alignment zones: the hips, waist, and lower back.
  • Breathe Flex Foam ensures the top level of your mattress is breathable for optimal airflow and responsive for a comforting, satisfying sleep.

This hybrid, medium-feel mattress is such a side sleeper’s dream, it’s no wonder we named it the Casper Dream.

Find Your Perfect Mattress With Casper

Whether you count sheep on your side, your back, or stomach, Casper has a mattress that’s right for you. With a Casper mattress, you can easily get the rest you deserve tonight so you can experience your best tomorrow. Try out a Casper mattress for yourself today.

Sources: 

  1. PRnewswire.com. National Sleep SurveyPulls Back the Covers on How We Doze and Dream. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/national-sleep-survey-pulls-back-the-covers-on-how-we-doze-and-dream-184798691.html 
  2. TheBeddingMart.com. The Benefits and Drawbacks of Different Sleeping Positions. https://thebeddingmart.com/blogs/news/benefits-drawbacks-different-sleeping-positions
  3. Sleepfoundation.org. Best Mattress for Side Sleepers. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/best-mattress/best-mattress-for-side-sleepers