When we think of getting a new mattress, the first impulse is always thinking of what type of material should the new mattress be made out of, or what is the best price and size for the budget and bedroom. In the end, whether it be a more economic reason for a mattress choice, what many mattress users don’t even think to consider is how exactly they sleep. Logically, it makes kind of sense. If you place two people on the same sized mattress with the exact same structure and content, depending on the position in which they sleep, will the mattress feel better or worse for them?
This is why there are discrepancies and differentiating opinions on why some mattresses don’t give the perfect amount of sleep that we expect when they rank on a top ten list. The way in which we choose to lay our bodies on our beds plays a huge role in the weight displacement on the beds surface. The mattress is designed at the very core to be supportive all over, but sometimes we just can’t help wanting just a little cushion in one area of the mattress over the other. The importance of weight distribution is an underrated factor in selecting the best mattress for a sleeper.
Why Does Sleep Position Matter?
Besides your weight, height, and the amount of space you choose to take up sprawled out on the mattress, the way in which you sleep is crucial to selecting the right mattress. Essentially, a different sleep position changes the pressure points or zones of a mattress that are pressed upon more than others. Our bodies’ weight will dictate the activation of different materials and manufacturers technologies per model.
What Types of Sleeping Positions are there?
So, of course, we have the classic range of sleeping positions:
● The side sleeper (normal)
● The fetal position (a twist on the side sleeping position)
● Back sleepers
● Stomach sleepers
● Those people in between who somehow shift from one extreme position to another while they sleep
In this case, we will be addressing what makes a good mattress for a side sleeper and how the placement of the user or users will make a difference in selecting a mattress.
Is there a Best Way to Sleep?
If you really want to take the advice from the experts and sleep professionals, many doctors and organizations including the National Bed Foundation, are in fact recommending that sleeping on your back may be the healthiest way to catch those z’s at night. For the majority of us, however, have found and stuck with our personal preferences throughout the years.
The Benefits of a Side Sleeping Position
Just like me, a vast majority start out or have woken up in a side position of sleep. Spinal alignment is what the key feature of this position is. When we are on our sides, if the mattress is supportive enough then we have the majority of the weight focused on and in between the shoulders, spine, and pelvis.
The spine will be kept in a more than less straight line and that will help minimize the pressure points within your neck, lower back area, and the other sensitive spots that can hurt when waking up on your back.
Side sleepers tend to have a lesser chance of experiencing sleep apnea and/or heavy snoring because of the way we are positioned. When we are flat on our backs, everything is being pulled down towards gravity, but with side sleeping, we have most of the pressure being on stronger areas of our shoulders and hips. Nothing is restricting airflow and there tends to be a better air circulation with side sleeping.
What is the Best Firmness for Someone who Sleeps on their Side?
In order to enjoy the many benefits of sleeping on one’s side, sleepers should invest in a mattress and bed that are going to provide the adequate support necessary for the hips and shoulders.
Although typically, most people when waking up with pain, feel it in their lower back area, the shoulders are still fair game to feeling the effects from an unsuitable mattress. Most side sleepers will prefer a mattress that is on the softer side or a medium-firm mattress with a good supportive cushion type surface.
If you’re on the heavier side or are just larger in general, a medium firm mattress will work just fine at being supportive for the hips and shoulders while having that mattress contouring experience. The medium firm mattress will still move to fit their shape, but there will be a stronger support system to prevent them from sinking too far down.
What Type of Mattress is Recommended for Side Sleepers?
If you are someone who starts off the night on your side but through the night will switch to your back or other side, then a memory foam mattress or pocket spring will do the trick.
Both of these types of mattresses are good with motion transfer, especially if your sleeping partner doesn’t toss or turn around as much. The memory foam mattress is the obvious choice for a side sleeper as there is that well known support and cushion.
When sleeping on your side, there is an increase in the amount of pressure points available to feel the stress when waking up in the morning. You want to make sure that there is optimum comfort for the hips, shoulders, elbows, and thighs. In the occasion that you are waking up with bad shoulder pains, it typically means that your mattress is too firm.
Why to Consider a Memory Foam mattress
Most side sleepers want the medium-soft mattress that alleviates the pressure from the direct points of contact. The dense layers of a memory foam mattress or the thick layer of supportive foam on a pocket sprung mattress will do a good job at being that solid foundation.
Of course, the reason why you don’t want a mattress that is too firm is that although your spine typically remains aligned while sleeping on your side, you want the natural curve of your body to remain in contact.
Why to Consider a Pocket Spring mattress
Most of the pressure the mattress is feeling is from the lower hip and at the shoulders. These two areas will be what presses down on the mattress so you want to make sure there is enough spring and flexibility in the mattress. A strong and supportive base with different
zonal support systems or a responsive coil will do the trick in allowing every part of the mattress to react differently to the weight being placed on it.
For this weight dispersion effect, pocket spring mattresses are the preferred type of innerspring mattress. The individually wrapped pocket spring coils will do the best job at shifting to meet with your body.
Do I need to Rotate or Flip my Mattress when Sleeping on my Side?
In this day and age, most people still have their older mattresses from back when they were kids. The farther back the mattress goes, the more likely you will have to flip or rotate the mattress.
Let’s face it though, many if not all mattresses are heavy and cumbersome to flip or rotate. Depending on the size and type of mattress, people would be less inclined to even elevate their mattress.
Luckily for us, the majority of mattress brands and manufacturers have realized that we only want to move our mattress twice in our lifetime: after purchasing and when it comes to taking the mattress from the truck into the bedroom.
Mattresses are now made one-sided which means you don’t have to flip them. Rotating is still always a viable option though if you’re looking to extend the lifespan of your mattress. The mattress will have been succumbed to match your body shape meaning that it might be sinking lower in one or two spots than any other.
Recommended Mattress Brands for Side Sleepers
- Silentnight Seven Zone Memory Foam Side Sleeper Mattress
This is a 7 zone memory foam mattress with a medium-soft firmness. When people lie on this mattress, they can automatically feel the foam responding to those pressure points.
Zone technology spreads out the weight distribution of the user and provides a good base to prevent sinking down like a marshmallow.
● Interior covered with high quality knit cover
● Avoid if sensitive to mold and humidity
● 135cm × 190cm
● Height: 20 cm
2. Bedzonline Open Coil Memory Foam Medium soft Mattress
This mattress is a very budget-friendly and affordable option for side sleepers. There is a breathable damask textile that covers the mattress itself. This open coil memory foam mattress has a sufficient layer of memory foam that supports and cushions the pressure-sensitive areas.
● 135cm × 190cm
● Height: 20 cm
3. Visco Therapy Memory Foam 1000 Rolled Side Sleeper Mattress
This is a medium-firm mattress featuring the powerful perfection of padding. There are two dense memory foam layers and an extra layer of polyester on top. There is a fully removable cover that just unzips and can be washed as many times as necessary.
● 135cm × 190cm
● Height: 20 cm
4. Dormeo Memory Deluxe Side Sleeper Mattress
This deluxe side sleeper mattress is manufactured and processed in Italy. There are two main layers of memory foam which make it feel very soft and comfortable. If you’re looking for a mattress that doesn’t move around as much, this is the mattress for you.
● 135cm × 190cm
● Height: 21 cm
5. Bedzonline Damask Pocket Sprung Medium Soft Mattress
This is the most affordable model option for the given quality and category. There are up to
2000 pocket springs in the King sized mattress with a high-quality cotton filling in every individual pocket spring. This mattress has a damask fabric cover with strong stitching for long term use.
● 135cm × 190cm
● Height: 22cm