Side sleepers have it the hardest when it comes to finding a good night’s sleep! In order to be comfortable on your side, you need a surface that can cradle your shoulders and hips deeply to relieve pressure, without letting the middle of your spine sag. Most mattresses need a little help to get to that sweet spot.
The best mattress toppers for side sleepers give your pressure points a few extra inches of relief while maintaining enough spring to keep the rest of your spine aligned.
In this guide, we’ll introduce you to a few mattress toppers that can give side sleepers a serious upgrade in the comfort department. We’ve asked our sleep expert-in-residence, Michelle Jenkins, to go on a hunt for the best on the market, and to explain why she’s chosen these specific toppers.
Read on to see our favorites and learn more!
| Picture | Brand & Model | Thickness | Firmness | Material | Check Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Sleep On Latex Pure Green Natural Latex Mattress Topper (3” soft) | 3 inches | Soft | 100% Natural Latex | Check Price |
 | Sleep On Latex Pure Green Natural Latex Mattress Topper (3” medium) | 3 inches | Medium | 100% Natural Latex | Check Price |
 | LinenSpa 3” Gel Swirl Memory Foam Topper | 3 inches | Soft | Gel material | Check Price |
Best Mattress Toppers For Side Sleepers (2018)
Sleep On Latex Pure Green Natural Latex Mattress Topper (3” soft)
“This Sleep On Latex topper is my recommendation to the vast majority of side sleepers. I think it’s the ideal way to take a mattress that’s not quite working for you and take it to a whole new level of comfort.
What’s so great about the Pure Green? Well, it’s made entirely from natural latex, which is my personal favorite material for sleep surfaces. Natural latex doesn’t produce any chemical off-gassing. It’s also extremely long-lasting.
Most importantly, a natural latex foam like this one has the benefit of acting like memory foam by adapting to your body, while also maintaining substantially more springiness to it. That allows you to get the deep cradling you need around your pressure points without the rest of your spine collapsing in the middle. It’s absolutely optimal.
While it certainly costs more than any other kind of material, I think this natural latex is well-worth the price. It provides the best balance of cradling and support for side sleepers (and back sleepers), and will be resilient much longer than comparable memory foam toppers.”
Sleep On Latex Pure Green Natural Latex Mattress Topper (3” medium)
“This other version of the Pure Green is pretty much identical to the model above, only it’s slightly firmer. This is a medium-firmness topper, and is definitely firmer than anything from memory foam. I think it’s a better choice for heavier folks who sleep on their sides, since they may find that the soft model (even though it’s latex) packs down too easily to support the middle of the spine. Most folks will probably be happiest with the soft version, but consider this if you’re heavier or if you know you like something on the firmer side but still need pressure relief!”
LinenSpa 3” Gel Swirl Memory Foam Topper
“Memory foam is the most popular bedding material on the market right now, and it’s easy to see why. Memory foam is superbly adaptive and simply feels comfy. I generally suggest latex over memory foam, since it’s springier and more supportive in the areas where you don’t want the surface to sink in. However, I know that some people don’t want to pay the premium price tag. That’s why I’ve included this memory foam topper for budget-minded side sleepers to consider.
This LinenSpa 3” topper is just as thick as my latex suggestions, but it’s all memory foam. It’s definitely on the soft side, but I think it does a decent job of supporting your midsection (as long as you don’t compare it to latex). This is a good way to go if you want pressure relief, pure and simple. I chose it over other memory foam options because it’s so much cooler. There’s gel infused throughout, and it makes a big difference to cut down on the heat that often builds up in a thick topper like this.”
Getting the ultimate comfort at night is paramount, so when we’ve taken everything into account we’ve decided that the best mattress topper for side sleepers overall has to be the Sleep On Latex Pure Green Natural Latex Mattress Topper (3” soft).
Buying guide
Choose Something At Least A Few Inches Deep
Side sleepers need to use a mattress/topper combo which allows their shoulders and hips to sink into their sleep surface fairly deeply. Otherwise, the shoulders and hips become major pressure points. Not having the proper cradling around these areas can also cause spinal problems, as raised hips and shoulders throw the middle spine into a curve and create misalignment.
Look For Plenty Of Pressure Relief
Pressure points are a particularly big issue for side sleepers, compared to those who lie on their back. So, make sure that your new mattress topper is adaptive enough to cradle those areas, sinking in beneath them and supporting the surrounding areas to keep shoulder and hip aches at bay.
Don’t Sacrifice Support
While cushion goes a long way to relieve pressure, you also need plenty of support to make sure that the mid back and legs don’t sink in as well as the shoulders/hips. That’s why we love latex so much. A good natural latex foam is adaptive like memory foam, but super springy. It has no problem supporting the areas around pressure points, which helps maintain good spinal alignment. Many memory foam toppers simply pack down, so they’re not as good for maintaining a straight line across your lower and mid back.
Remember to get a good pillow
Healthy side-sleeping is all about maintaining a straight line all along your spine, relieving pressure points and eliminating crooks along the way. With that in mind, don’t forget that a decent pillow is just as important as a comfortable sleep surface! Make sure you’re not sleeping on something too low or too high which could cause your neck to bend painfully in the night.
Check out our guide to the best pillows for combination sleepers to find some firm, supportive options!
Don’t Go Firm
While it is a good idea for most people to sleep on a relatively firm mattress, side sleepers need to be careful not go go too far to the side of firm. Firmer mattresses are better for back sleepers, whose hips and shoulders should only sink into the surface slightly. If you sleep on your side, you need something that allows for your shoulders and hips to sink in a couple inches. You need something firm enough to support your midsection, but not so firm that it keeps your shoulders and hips raised. If that happens, it’ll cause your midsection to sag.
What’s Next
We hope you’ve enjoyed our in-depth look at the best mattress toppers for side sleepers. If you think you’ve found your ideal sleep surface upgrade, excellent! Click on the links in our reviews to learn more about any of the models we’ve recommended. You can also head over to our homepage to find lots more buying guides, reviews and recommendations for all your bedroom needs!
Abby Larson
