What Is the Best Mattress for Side Sleepers

Quick Answer:

The best mattress for most side sleepers is a medium-firm hybrid — memory foam to cushion the hips and shoulders, pocket springs to keep the spine level. Lighter sleepers tend to prefer medium-soft; heavier sleepers (over 90kg) need a firm hybrid. Pair it with a supportive pillow that fills the gap between the head and the shoulder.

Getting a good night's sleep is vital for our mind and body — and the mattress you sleep on plays a much bigger role in that than most people realise. Around 60–70% of adults are side sleepers, making it by far the most common sleep position. But here's the thing: without the right mattress, side sleeping is also one of the most common causes of hip and shoulder pain.

So what does "the right mattress" actually mean for a side sleeper? Two things working together: enough surface softness to cushion your hip and shoulder pressure points, and enough underlying support to keep your spine level from neck to lower back. Get that balance right and side sleeping becomes one of the most restorative ways to sleep. Get it wrong and your body spends the night working against you.

In this blog, we'll answer the question — what mattress is best for side sleepers? — and walk through what to look for, what to avoid, and how to find the one that suits your body, weight and sleep style.

What kind of mattress is best for side sleepers?

When you start shopping for mattresses, it can be a sensory overload. With all the different types, fills and prices, it's hard to know what's best. Let's take a look at the basic styles of modern mattresses and what benefits each offers — so you can figure out which is the best mattress for your side-sleeping needs.

Memory Foam Mattresses

Memory foam mattresses are a great option for those who enjoy firm support. The naturally contouring foam works well across all sleeping positions because it adapts to your body. Most memory foam mattresses are orthopaedic-grade — though it's worth checking, as the label indicates a high-quality, supportive mattress. The only niggle with memory foam is that it can retain heat, so look for advanced airflow and breathable fabrics like bamboo to keep you cool and comfortable, whichever side you sleep on.

Pocket Spring Mattresses

Pocket spring mattresses are a popular choice for side sleepers because they respond to your pressure points individually. This helps soothe the areas that need it most and offers a bespoke, often softer style of comfort. Again, if you like to keep things cool, check the materials before you buy — breathable fabrics and advanced cooling tech make a real difference.

Hybrid Mattresses

Are you the kind of side sleeper who likes the best of both worlds? A hybrid mattress may be exactly what you need. A hybrid combines memory foam and pocket springs to give you the ultimate comfort and support for side sleeping. The springs respond independently to your shoulders, hips and lower back; the foam contours around you. Together they soothe pressure points, isolate motion (handy if you share a bed) and provide the ideal balance of firmness and cushion — the medium feel that side sleepers tend to do best on.

Body weight and mattress firmness: a quick guide

The right mattress firmness depends as much on your body weight as it does on your sleep position. Lighter sleepers experience more pressure relative to their contact area; heavier sleepers need more support to keep the spine aligned. Here's a rough guide for side sleepers:

Under 65kg — Lighter sleepers don't sink into a mattress as much, so they feel pressure more sharply at the contact points. Medium-soft tends to be the sweet spot
65–90kg — The middle range. Medium-firm usually works best — enough give for the hips and shoulders, enough support to keep the spine level
Over 90kg — Heavier sleepers need more underlying structure to avoid "bottoming out" on the mattress. A firm hybrid is generally the better choice. Pure memory foam can compress too much under heavier weights, allowing the spine to fall out of alignment

One thing worth knowing: hybrid mattresses adapt more flexibly across weight ranges than pure foam mattresses do. The pocket springs respond to the weight placed on them, while the foam layer contours to you. That's why we often recommend hybrids for households where partners are quite different in build — the same mattress can support both of you well.

For a deeper look at firmness ratings, our mattress firmness guide goes into more detail.

Mattress type comparison: which is best for side sleepers with pain?

If you're dealing with hip or shoulder pain on top of being a side sleeper, here's how the four main mattress types stack up:

Mattress type	Pressure relief	Spinal support	Best for side sleepers with pain?
Memory foam	Excellent — contours closely to the body	Good, but can compress over time	✅ Yes for lighter to medium-weight sleepers; less ideal over 90kg
Hybrid	Excellent — foam cushions, springs respond zonally	Excellent — pocket springs keep spine aligned	✅ Best all-rounder — especially for those with hip or shoulder pain
Innerspring (traditional)	Limited — springs alone don't contour well	Strong, but uneven	❌ Less ideal for side sleepers with pain — pressure points aren't well cushioned
Latex	Good — responsive cushioning, less "sink" than memory foam	Excellent	✅ Yes — though firmer feel suits some side sleepers more than others

For most side sleepers — and particularly those experiencing pain — a hybrid mattress is the best all-around choice. It combines the contouring comfort of memory foam with the zoned support of pocket springs, which is exactly the combination side sleepers need.

What pillows are best for side sleepers?

While we are here, let's have some pillow talk. Choosing the best pillows for side sleepers can also be a challenge. Here are some of the things to consider.

Pillow filling

Choosing your pillow filling is key to a good, supportive night’s sleep for side sleepers. Memory foam is a superior option as it will keep your neck and spine aligned, preventing any pain or discomfort.

To enhance side sleeping, Bethany Lawrence, our orthopaedic expert, advises to 'use a supportive pillow for the head to keep the neck in line with the spine.' Other ways Bethany Lawrence recommends to use a pillow in this position is 'between your legs for hip alignment or hug it to prevent rolling on your stomach.'

Breathability

The fabric your pillow is made with can also affect the comfort of your sleep, as whatever position you choose, sticky, sweaty nights are no fun for any sleeper. Bamboo Pillows make a great choice for the best of support, breathability and sustainable comfort. Our Bamboo Pillows are a natural favourite for side sleepers.

What are the benefits of side sleeping?

Side sleeping is very common and has some advantages, as long as a quality mattress and pillows fully support your body, and keep your back aligned.

Side sleeping can help to minimise lower back and joint pain, this will help keep you active and comfortable throughout the day. Bethany Lawrence recommends the side sleeping position as it supports the spine: 'I typically recommend sleeping on your back or side, with proper support for the neck and spine, to reduce the chances of musculoskeletal issues and promote a healthier sleep posture.'

Another perk of side sleeping is it can reduce snoring, which other sleeping positions can aggravate. Might be good to let your partner know if they tend to be a noisy sleeper!

What should side sleepers watch out for?

Side sleepers may experience some pain and numbness, especially to the shoulders, if the mattress they sleep on does not support the natural contours of their body.

Final points for a great night’s sleep for side sleepers

Make sure you choose a mattress that is firm and supportive

The firmness of a mattress is determined by the materials used and their densities. Side sleepers should look for a mattress that gives enough support and is comfortable. Orthopaedic-grade memory foam is perfect as it works in harmony with your body, contouring to shape to help keep your whole body fully aligned. The bamboo hybrid mattress gives you the ideal support and firmness for a restful night’s sleep.

Look after your pressure points

Side sleepers carry the most pressure on their hips and shoulders, which is why a mattress with good zoned pressure relief is essential. The hip, in particular, sits on the greater trochanter — the bony point at the outer hip. On a too-firm mattress, all of your bodyweight concentrates on that single point night after night, and over months, this can contribute to trochanteric bursitis (inflammation of the fluid-filled sac that cushions the hip joint). It's one of the most common causes of chronic hip pain in side sleepers, and a more supportive mattress is often the simplest fix.

A quality hybrid mattress addresses this in a clever way: the shoulder zone should be slightly softer than the hip zone, because shoulders are narrower and need more give to avoid pressure build-up. Pocket springs make this kind of zoned differentiation possible — they respond to where your body is heaviest and adjust accordingly, in a way pure foam can't.

Hybrid mattresses are the perfect option for side sleepers with pain because they combine the support of enclosed springs with multi-layer foam to create a comfortable mattress that distributes weight evenly and relieves pressure where it matters most.

Free trials for long-term comfort

When choosing a mattress or pillow online, go for a brand like Panda that offers a free trial. This way, you can make sure you are sleeping soundly and enjoying the sweetest dreams, whichever side you sleep on.

Share with us your favourite sleeping position and follow us on Instagram for more bedtime tips and a chance to feature on our feed @pandalondon