Finding the Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers

What to Consider When Choosing a Mattress as a Side Sleeper

Did you know certain mattress features are more conducive to good sleep while on your side? With that in mind, it makes sense to find one that aligns with your preferred way to sleep rather than trying to adjust to a current mattress that feels too hard or causes discomfort in other ways. To improve comfort, we suggest looking for features like medium firmness, pressure relief, and spinal alignment when mattress shopping as a side sleeper. Let’s talk about these considerations in more detail.

Medium-Firm Feel

While the preferred mattress feel differs from person to person, side sleepers often prefer a medium-firm feel. It is firm enough to cushion the shoulders and hips while plush enough to avoid triggering shoulder pain. To quantify feel, many companies use a firmness scale from 1 to 10, where 10 is the firmest. Medium firmness is usually 4-7 on this scale.

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Pressure Relief

Another common quality in the best mattresses for side sleepers is pressure relief. That refers to evenly distributing body weight across the mattress while curled on your side. Pressure relief links closely to firmness; ideally, the mattress is firm enough to support sensitive areas like the hips yet soft enough to cushion hips and shoulders to prevent built-up pressure.

Aligns the Spine

When sleeping on your side, finding a mattress that supports the spine’s natural curve is important. If the mattress is not firm enough to keep the body on an even surface, the risk is waking up with lower back pain. Some brands are designed with zones to provide extra support or contouring; for example, the design might support the spine while cushioning the shoulders and other pressure points.

Our Top 3: The Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers

Now that you know the mattress features that benefit many side sleepers, let’s look at our top three choices. Our recommendations come after several hours of researching and reviewing leading models in Canada.

Our Leading Choice for Side Sleepers: Silk & Snow Hybrid Mattress

If you’re not familiar with the Silk & Snow Hybrid mattress (also known as the S&S Hybrid), let us introduce you to it. The mattress is made with Canadian materials and is a “hybrid,” meaning it combines coils with memory foam. This design offers both comfort and support when you’re asleep on your side.

It has two firmness options that favor side sleepers, a zoned layer designed to support where you need it most in your preferred sleep position, and more. Let’s look at the features that may help you enjoy a better sleep curled up on your side.

Firmness for the Side Sleep Position

Silk & Snow’s Hybrid has two firmness options to choose from:

• Medium-Firm — A 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale, where 10 is the firmest
• Plush — A 4.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale, where 1 is the softest

As earlier explained, a medium feel is ideal for many side sleepers. Silk & Snow’s Medium-Firm Hybrid provides a firmer feel than the Plush alternative. That means your shoulders and hips won’t sink into the mattress when lying on your side, which may prevent injury and strain.

However, do not discount the second option, the “Plush” S&S Hybrid, as it is also conducive to side sleeping, as per Silk & Snow’s website. The Plush design has a floating feel, offering the comfort you might look for to cradle your shoulders and hips as they lay against the mattress.

Which firmness you like the most depends on whether you grew up with a firmer mattress, whether you change positions during the night and other factors. It is a personal preference. We like that Silk & Snow considered side sleepers’ comfort when designing both Hybrid options.

Zone Support and Pressure Relief

When your shoulders and hips press into the mattress, the last thing you want is for them to ache, keeping you up at night. To help prevent this discomfort, S&S’s Hybrid provides support where needed with a special zone design, which is a big reason we consider it one of the best mattresses for side sleepers.

Both the Medium-Firm and Plush versions of the mattress provide extra support beneath the hips with a quilted memory foam layer. That helps prevent pressure buildup in the hip joint, where it’s likely to occur otherwise in side sleepers. Meanwhile, softer coils are under your shoulder to gently support it as you rest. That can reduce strain on the shoulder’s joints, ligaments, and muscles.

Also, the middle zone of coils offers balanced support for the lumbar back in several sleep positions, including the side. This targeted support may provide relief for some who have a sore lower back.

Maintain Spinal Alignment

The steel coils in the Silk & Snow Hybrid mattress explain its superior support. With up to 1200 coils, the pocket coil base promotes proper alignment of the spine. This posture can help you enjoy a better sleep on your side and combat back pain. Spinal alignment may even reduce headaches for some people.

Many Size Options

The 12-inch thick Silk & Snow Hybrid mattress comes in a range of sizes:

• Twin (600 pocket coils)
• Twin XL (621 pocket coils)
• Full/Double (800 pocket coils)
• Queen (1000 pocket coils)
• King (1200 pocket coils)
• Cal King (1204 pocket coils)

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The bigger the size, the higher the number of support coils. The right size for you will depend on many factors, from bedroom size to whether you have a sleep partner.

Find out more in our Silk & Snow Hybrid mattress review, including how it’s constructed and the warranty, to help you decide if it’s right for you.

More of the Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers: Emma Hybrid Premium Plus

Many Canadians who sleep on their sides rave about Emma’s Hybrid Premium Plus mattress, and so do we. Let’s look at why.

Pressure Relief Features

The contouring MemoryAdapt Foam layer provides even pressure distribution across the mattress. That can relieve pressure points where side sleepers need it the most, such as the hips, shoulders, and back.

Combining multiple foam layers, the Emma Hybrid Premium Plus has a cushiony feel. It contours the body at its curves while still providing support with pocket springs, a stabilizing layer, and HRX foam.

Medium Firm

The Hybrid Premium Plus has a medium firmness, the feel that side sleepers often prefer in a mattress. It is 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale, with 10 being the firmest. Thus, it offers firmness without feeling like you are sinking into the mattress when curled up on your side. That may be conducive to a good night’s rest as your body relaxes at night.

Hip, Back, and Spine Support

Emma’s Hybrid Premium Plus protects the hips and back, making it one of the best mattresses for side sleepers. The four layers of foam combine to support the hips while cradling the back if you switch sides at night.

Plus, the 7-zone pocket coils provide support from one mattress edge to the other, accommodating a range of body shapes and sizes. The pocket springs adapt to the spine, supporting its natural curve for a more comfortable sleep experience.

Several Sizes

The 14-inch Canadian Hybrid Premium Plus mattress from Emma comes in your preferred size:

• Twin — 39” x 75”
• Twin XL — 39” x 80”
• Full — 54” x 75”
• Queen — 60” x 80”
• King — 76” x 80”
• California King — 72” x 84”

Emma Sizes Price

Refer to our Emma Hybrid Premium Plus review to find out about additional features, including motion isolation and a cool-to-touch cover.

Endy Hybrid Mattress Canada is Among the Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers

This Canadian-made mattress is another one for side sleepers to consider. The Endy Hybrid combines high-density foam with a zoned pocket coil core, offering many benefits in this specific sleep position.

Zoned Lumbar Support

The targeted support for the lower back is thanks to the hard-carbon steel coils that form the fourth layer of the mattress. These coils provide ergonomic lumbar support, which is important for those who prefer the side sleep position and want lower-back support. Protecting the lumbar area of the back can help prevent waking up with a stiff back, thus improving quality of life.

Medium Firmness

In the running for one of the best mattresses for side sleepers, Endy’s Hybrid has a medium-firm feel. That means it provides comfort while supporting the areas you need it most when on your side, including the hips and shoulders. If you prefer this feel, your body is more likely to relax, which can help you enjoy a good sleep.

Endy’s proprietary foam, which is 100% polyurethane, provides a soft yet responsive feel. This material helps sleepers maintain spine alignment, which can help prevent a sore back and encourage better posture. It can also make moving on the mattress easier, which is good if you want to change from your left to right side during the night, for example.

Plush Top Layer

We also like that the top quilted layer is lined with foam, giving it a plush feel. This coziness can feel good for the shoulders and hips that press into the mattress when lying on one’s side. A comfy feel might help you drift off to sleep.

A Range of Sizes

The most popular sizes in Canada are available for the 13-inch high Endy Hybrid mattress:

• Twin — 39” x 75”
• Twin XL — 39” x 80”
• Full — 54” x 75”
• Queen — 60” x 80”
• King — 76” x 80”
• California King — 72” x 84”

Endy Sizes Price

To learn more about the features mentioned above and others, such as breathability, check out our Endy Hybrid Mattress Canada review.

Concluding Words about the Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers

If you’re unable to sleep comfortably on your side, your current mattress might be to blame. If so, a new mattress with features conducive to your favorite sleep position might help you get a better rest.

To help you find the right mattress in Canada, consider the qualities outlined above that side sleepers find can help them feel more comfortable at night, such as pressure relief. You may also want to look further at our top three picks for those who prefer side sleeping.

All three recommended mattresses are hybrids, and their designs provide different ways to support and comfort side sleepers. Each includes a warranty and home trial for your peace of mind.

Our top three choices for the best mattresses for side sleepers are based on our research and reviews of several leading Canadian mattress brands. Find our Top 5 Mattresses for Side Sleepers here.

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