The Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers

At A Glance

The Helix Midnight Luxe is our best mattress for side sleepers because it offers an ideal balance between pressure relieving comfort and sturdy, durable support. It's a true medium-feel mattress that relies on high-density memory foam to provided targeted pressure relief at your hips and shoulders in side sleeping positions. As an added bonus, the Midnight Luxe includes multiple cooling features that can help any hot sleeper stay comfortable through the night.

The Best Mattresses For Side Sleepers in 2026

Best Mattress For Side Sleepers Overall: Midnight Luxe

Best Value Mattress For Side Sleepers: Midnight

Best Luxury Mattress For Side Sleepers: Midnight Elite

Best Firm Mattress For Side Sleepers: Twilight Luxe

Best Soft Mattress For Side Sleepers: Sunset Luxe

What makes certain mattresses great for side sleepers?

If you’re a side sleeper, chances are you know the feeling of tingling arms and stiff shoulders. A lot of mattresses tend to create pressure points for side sleepers, oftentimes at your shoulders and hips.

Finding a mattress designed to relieve those pressure points can make all the difference in the world.

But how much does it matter?

Consider this: between two-thirds and three-quarters of all adults identify as being primarily side sleepers. Side sleeping is an excellent option for maintaining spinal alignment and ensuring deep sleep throughout the night.

So, what makes a mattress great for side sleepers? Let’s take a look:

Side sleeper mattresses often have two primary features:

Memory foam comfort layers: You’ve probably heard of memory foam by now but when a lot of people think about memory foam, they envision those full foam mattresses of a decade ago that offered a great pressure relieving feel when you first lie down but often resulted in you sinking way too far into the mattress throughout the course of the night.

Today, memory foam mattresses often contain memory foam layers in a few key areas to provide that comforting feel without sacrificing support.

Durable support: Pressure relief and comfort are great but only if they come with a long-lasting supportive feel. A lot of the early design memory foam mattresses broke down over time and resulted in sagging hips and misaligned spines for side sleepers. As you search for the perfect side sleeper mattress, it’s important to consider the support each mattress offers, especially through the lower back and hip sections. You want a balanced, supportive feel.

So, let’s get started! You know the basics of a side sleeper mattress and what to look for when weighing your options. Let’s take a look at a few of the most popular side sleeper mattresses on the market today.


1. Helix Midnight Luxe

Best Mattress For Side Sleepers Overall

The Midnight Luxe is one of the most popular mattresses on the internet. You’ll come across it in almost any web search for best mattresses. And it’s popular for a number of reasons. Let’s explore why:

Feel: Most sleepers want something that’s not too soft, not too firm. Something just right. It’s human nature.

The Midnight Luxe nails that feel with a true medium firmness. It is made with premium, high-density memory foam layers near the surface of the mattress that cradle your body the moment you lie down. Directly below those high-density memory foam layers are multiple layers of transition foams that fill the gap between soft and comforting and firm and supportive. These transition layers help prevent that issue we mentioned above where you sink too far into your memory foam mattress and wake up with a sore lower back.

Support: Beneath the layers of foam is a base of individually wrapped steel coils. Unlike full foam mattresses, these steel coils contribute to Helix’s “hybrid mattress” structure and provide essential support for all sleepers. The Midnight Luxe relies on a zoned coil system with slightly denser coils beneath the middle third of the mattress to help ensure your hips are elevated and your spine stays in line.

Bottom line: The Midnight Luxe mattress is a clear crowd pleaser for side sleepers across the board. It delivers on pressure relieving comfort, durable support, and it even includes multiple cutting-edge cooling options to keep even the hottest sleepers cool at night.


Check out the specs:
Midnight Luxe + ErgoAlign Layer
1" Quilt Foam: 15 ILD with a 1.5 pound foam density
Phase Change Material: (Optional cooling upgrade)

0.75" Gel Memory Foam: 18 ILD with a 1.8 pound foam density

1.00" High Density Memory Foam: 13 ILD with a 4 pound foam density

1.00" Responsive Foam: 36 ILD with a 1.8 pound foam density

.75" Responsive Zoned Foam: (Optional support upgrade) 24 ILD across the top and bottom + 52 ILD across the middle with a 1.5 pound foam density

8.00" Individually Wrapped Steel Coils: Reinforced coils across the full perimeter and across the middle third.

1" Responsive Foam: 30 ILD with a 1.5 pound foam density

2. Helix Midnight

Best Value Mattress For Side Sleepers

Sound familiar? The Helix Midnight shares a lot of the same characteristics we explore with the Midnight Luxe but it does them all at a lower price point. The Midnight is part of Helix’s Core Collection, a lineup of baseline mattresses for shoppers who want to target the $1,000 - $1,200 range and are willing to forgo a few bells and whistles.

Feel: Like the Midnight Luxe, the Midnight is a medium feel mattress. It brings together pressure relieving high-density foams near the surface of the mattress with multiple layers of premium responsive foam to cradle your body in side sleeping positions. With the Midnight mattress, you’ll get slightly less foam density than with the Midnight Luxe but you’ll still enjoy four individual layers of foam designed to create that Goldilocks medium firmness.

Support: The Helix Midnight is also a hybrid mattress, meaning it combines layers of foam with steel coils in the base. The Midnight uses a base of individually wrapped coils with reinforced coils along the sides of the mattress, which makes it great for sitting on the edge of the bed to tie your shoes or get up in the morning.

With the Midnight, you’ll lose the zoned lumbar support that you’d find in the Midnight Luxe but you’ll still enjoy the durable support of steel coils at the base of your mattress.

Bottom line: The Helix Midnight is a premium mattress offered without the premium price tag. It is an excellent option for sleepers looking for a medium feel and even includes a few cooling options of its own!

Check out the specs:
Helix Midnight
.75" Gel Memory Foam: (Optional GlacioTex pillow top upgrade) 10 ILD with a 1.8 pound foam density

1" Gel Memory Foam: 11 ILD with a 2.4 pound foam density

.75" Responsive Foam: 24 ILD with a 1.5 pound foam density

.75" Responsive Foam: 36 ILD with a 1.8 pound foam density

.75" Responsive Zoned Foam: (Optional support upgrade) 24 ILD across the top and bottom + 52 ILD across the middle with a 1.5 pound foam density

8.00" Individually Wrapped Steel Coils: Reinforced coils across the side perimeter

1" Responsive Foam: 30 ILD with a 1.5 pound foam density

3. Helix Midnight Elite
Best Luxury Mattress For Side Sleepers

We should note here that the Midnight Elite is the single most luxurious mattress you’ll probably ever lie down on. So why does it come in at number three in our list? Quite simply, the price point isn’t for everyone.

The Midnight Elite rounds out the Midnight family for Helix and packs every bit of premium comfort you could imagine into one mattress. It stands at a whopping 15 inches tall and offers 5 individual layers of premium foam.

Feel: Like both the Midnight and the Midnight Luxe, Midnight Elite is a medium feel mattress. But describing it as just a medium feel almost feels like an understatement. It’s what you might call super premium medium feel.

Midnight Elite is made with Helix’s highest density memory foam, 7 times more cushioning and comforting than traditional memory foam. The Midnight Elite also includes a layer of microcoils near the surface of the mattress, giving you cradling support and comfort between those 5 layers of foam.

Support: Helix has gone above and beyond here when it comes to support. The Midnight Elite offers a base of individually wrapped steel coils, zoned to provide extra support for your hips and lower back. BUT this mattress also includes Helix’s innovative ErgoAlign foam layer. This additional segment of extra-firm foam sits directly under your hips and helps with essential lower back pain relief. It’s a must-have for sleepers who often wake with back pain.

Bottom line: If you want the best of the best, this is your answer. Midnight Elite has every feature you could ever want in a mattress, including the highest grade foams, most advanced support system, and a cool to the touch cooling pillow top sewn into the surface of the mattress. It’s truly your best bet for a luxury night of sleep.

Check out the specs:
Midnight Elite
1" Quilt Foam: 15 ILD with a 1.5 pound foam density
Phase Change Material
.75" Gel Memory Foam: 18 ILD with a 1.8 pound foam density

2" High Density Memory Foam: 13 ILD with a 4 pound foam density
.75" Individually Wrapped Microcoils

1.00" High Density Memory Foam: 13 ILD with a 7 pound foam density

.75" Responsive Zoned Foam: 24 ILD across the top and bottom + 52 ILD across the middle with a 1.5 pound foam density

8.00" Individually Wrapped Steel Coils: Reinforced coils across the full perimeter and across the middle third.

1" Responsive Foam: 30 ILD with a 1.5 pound foam density

4. Twilight Luxe
Best Firm Mattress For Side Sleepers

If you’ve read through rankings 1 – 3, you probably noticed a theme: medium feel mattresses tend to dominate. But fear not firm sleepers, we’ve got you covered. If you’re looking for a little less sink into the surface of your mattress and a minimal hug to your body feeling when you lie down, Twilight Luxe is the answer.

This luxury mattress borrows a lot of the same basics from the Midnight Luxe but it steps up the level of foam density to offer a firmer, sturdier feel. It’s excellent for heavier sleepers concerned about sinking too deep and side sleepers who know they only want a touch of that memory foam feel throughout the night.

Feel: The Twilight Luxe mattress has a true firm feel, coming in at a 7 or 8 out of 10 for most sleepers. You’ll notice the slightest sink into the surface of the mattress when you lie down and even less resistance as you change sleep positions throughout the night.

Twilight Luxe combines multiple layers of high-density memory foam, just like the Midnight Luxe. But in each layer, the ILD, or foam density, has been increased to offer a firmer feel. Below the memory foam comfort layers are premium transition layers that help to keep your body elevated throughout the night.

Support: If you’re looking for a firm side sleeper mattress, support is key. The Twilight Luxe includes Helix’s premium zoned support system with hundreds of individually wrapped steel coils cradling your body. Combined with the responsiveness of the transition layers in the body of the mattress, these coils help to prevent that “feeling stuck” thing that firm sleepers hate.

Bottom line: The Twilight Luxe checks all of the boxes for side sleepers who want a firm feel. It is made with the highest quality foams, ensuring it maintains its firm, supportive feel for years to come.

It will cradle your body at your hips and shoulders to provide targeted pressure relief without letting you sink too much into the surface of the mattress. For firm sleepers, there’s really no better answer.

Check out the specs:
Twilight Luxe + ErgoAlign Layer
1" Quilt Foam: 15 ILD with a 1.5 pound foam density
Phase Change Material: (Optional cooling upgrade)

0.75" Gel Memory Foam: 10 ILD with a 1.8 pound foam density

1.00" High Density Memory Foam: 13 ILD with a 4 pound foam density

.75" Responsive Zoned Foam: (Optional support upgrade) 24 ILD across the top and bottom + 52 ILD across the middle with a 1.5 pound foam density
1.00" Responsive Foam: 52 ILD with a 1.5 pound foam density

8.00" Individually Wrapped Steel Coils: Reinforced coils across the full perimeter and across the middle third.

1" Responsive Foam: 30 ILD with a 1.5 pound foam density

5. Sunset Luxe
Best Soft Mattress For Side Sleepers

If your sleep search always begins with the thought that you want to be sleeping on a cloud, look no further. Sunset Luxe is a premium side sleeper mattress designed with a soft feel that surrounds your body in high-density memory foam. It offers all the hip and shoulder pressure relief you could ever want without giving you any of that sagging feeling you might expect from a full foam mattress.

Feel: Sunset Luxe is a genuinely soft mattress, clocking in at a 2 or 3 out of 10 for most sleepers. You’re going to notice the luxury pillow top feel and soft memory foam layers the moment you lie down. It’s an excellent choice for sleepers who often wake with hip or shoulder pain or experience arm numbness throughout the night.

Made with two layers of high-density memory foam, Sunset Luxe cradles your body without making you feel like you’re being swallowed. Like Midnight Luxe and Twilight Luxe, it includes multiple layers of transition foam that balance out the sinking feel of the memory foam layers and keep you supported as you sleep.

Support: Speaking of support, you’re going to love the luxury coil base at the bottom of the Sunset Luxe. It includes individually wrapped steel coils with a zoned section beneath the middle third of your body. While you’ll sink into the surface of the mattress for that soft, cozy feel, these coils also ensure your hips and spine stay in line.

Bottom line: If you’re a side sleeper who loves a soft feel, you can’t go wrong with Sunset Luxe. It’s a truly soft mattress that won’t break down over time. You’ll enjoy the same plush, comforting feel on night 1 and night 1,000. Say goodbye to those nights of suffering through joint pain and pressure points.

Check out the specs:
Sunset Luxe + ErgoAlign Layer
1" Quilt Foam: 15 ILD with a 1.5 pound foam density
Phase Change Material: (Optional cooling upgrade)

0.75" Gel Memory Foam: 10 ILD with a 1.8 pound foam density

1.00" High Density Memory Foam: 13 ILD with a 4 pound foam density

1.00" Responsive Foam: 18 ILD with a 1.8 pound foam density

.75" Responsive Zoned Foam: (Optional support upgrade) 24 ILD across the top and bottom + 52 ILD across the middle with a 1.5 pound foam density

8.00" Individually Wrapped Steel Coils: Reinforced coils across the full perimeter and across the middle third.

1" Responsive Foam: 30 ILD with a 1.5 pound foam density