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Best mattresses for side sleepers

Best mattresses for stomach sleepers

When it comes to choosing the right mattress, personal comfort preference plays a huge role.

Overall sleep quality depends on a lot of different factors, though, so there’s more to consider in addition to how your mattress feels.

Your regular sleep position is one important factor you’ll want to take into account. Different mattresses offer different features, so not every mattress will provide optimal comfort for every sleeping position.

If you sleep on your back, for example, you’ll likely need a firmer mattress to support good spinal alignment.

If you’re a side or stomach sleeper in search of a new mattress, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll go over our top nine mattress picks and provide some tips on choosing the mattress of your dreams.

Pricing guide

Mattress prices vary widely. We’ve included mattresses at several price points to accommodate different budgets. We’ve given prices for queen mattresses, so you’ll pay less for a full-size mattress, more for a king.

Here’s the breakdown:

  • $ = under $700
  • $$ = $700–$1,400
  • $$$ = over $1,400

Best mattresses for side sleepers

Best organic mattress

Saatva Latex Hybrid

  • Price: $$$
  • Type: hybrid
  • Sizes: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, split king, Cal king
  • Pros: hypoallergenic, organic materials, temperature neutral, impressive edge support, generous trial period
  • Cons: heavy, some reviewers found it too firm

Looking for an organic mattress? Saatva’s latex hybrid mattress offers a hypoallergenic, luxurious sleep experience.

Durable Talalay latex foam rests over individually wrapped coils to provide medium-firm comfort and pressure relief. Since latex sleeps cooler than memory foam, Saatva’s organic mattress is a good option for people who tend to heat up while sleeping.

Latex also responds well to movement, so it helps cushion you as you sleep without making you feel stuck, as some memory foam mattresses can.

Also, the thicker coils bordering the mattress are designed to provide ideal edge support, making it easier to get in and out of bed and preventing a sinking feeling if you sleep close to the edge.

All Saatva mattresses are made by hand in the United States, from sustainable, environmentally friendly materials. In fact, the company has received the Cradle to Cradle Certified seal, and they use Talalay latex certified by the Rainforest Alliance.

This is a luxury mattress, but Saatva offers a 365-night sleep trial, so you can take your time to decide whether it’s worth the price. With free white-glove delivery, you won’t need to worry about unboxing or setting up the mattress yourself, either.

Best hybrid mattress

Casper Original Hybrid Mattress

  • Price: $$$
  • Mattress type: hybrid
  • Sizes: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, Cal king
  • Pros: accommodates sleepers of all sizes and weights, targeted support for better spinal alignment, impressive motion isolation is good for couples
  • Cons: some reviewers found it too firm

Hybrid mattresses combine the support of spring coils with the comfort of foam layers to provide a comfortable sleeping experience for all types of sleepers. Casper mattresses, which don’t have a weight limit, are designed to offer pressure relief and support for side sleepers, regardless of body frame or weight.

The main foam layer in this medium-firm mattress offers targeted support in the three main zones: shoulders, lower back, and hips. The company claims this foam, which is softer at the shoulders and firmer at the back and hips, provides better spinal alignment and essential pressure relief.

An additional layer of perforated foam helps keep air circulating through the mattress so you stay cool while you sleep.

Several reviewers note this mattress does provide good support for a range of body sizes. Reviewers also like the motion isolation, which many people say reduced tossing and turning and helped them get better sleep with a partner. Others confirm that the cooling layer really did help prevent overheating in the night.

While many reviewers say this mattress provided great support for side and combination sleeping and helped improve their low back pain, others found it too firm for their taste.

Some people also said a strong chemical smell lingered for several days after unboxing. This off-gassing is normal with many new mattresses, but you may want to keep this in mind if you’re particularly sensitive to chemical odors.

Best budget mattress

Nest Bedding Love & Sleep Mattress

  • Price: $$
  • Mattress type: foam
  • Sizes: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, Cal king, split Cal king one side
  • Pros: designed to sleep cool, Greenguard Gold certified foam, responsive, choice of firmness
  • Cons: mixed reviews about how cool it sleeps

The breathable foam in the Love & Sleep Mattress is designed to provide cool comfort throughout the night. In fact, this mattress contains a special “air flow” layer between the two main foam layers that the company says helps keep the mattress cool and offers more contouring support for side sleepers.

The top layer of foam responds well to movement, helping you sleep better by supporting you when you turn over instead of making you feel trapped in your mattress. The foam has also passed rigorous chemical emissions testing and earned the Greenguard Gold certification.

Reviewers confirm the ease of movement and motion isolation on this mattress. Several side sleepers also mention that their back and hip pain improved after sleeping on the mattress. Reviews offer mixed feedback on the temperature, though — some say they did stay cooler through the night, while others mention waking up hot.

This mattress comes in two firmness options, but many reviewers recommend side sleepers, particularly those with lower body weights, stick with medium. If it doesn’t work for you, Nest’s customer service team can help you make the swap for the firm mattress.

Even reviewers who decided the Love & Sleep Mattress wasn’t for them praised the responsiveness and helpfulness of the customer service team.

Best foam mattress

Nolah Original 10-inch

  • Price: $$
  • Mattress type: foam
  • Sizes: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, Cal king, split king
  • Pros: improved air flow, medium firmness accommodates wide range of sleepers
  • Cons: some reviewers report a long break-in period

There’s no perfect mattress that can meet everyone’s sleep needs. But the Nolah mattress is a great option to consider if you’re in the market for a foam mattress.

The company describes this mattress as being specifically designed to support spinal alignment and sleep health. This mattress is made with their proprietary foam, which contains air bubbles designed to promote air flow and provide added comfort.

Many reviewers say this mattress helped relieve shoulder soreness and back pain right away. Others appreciate the medium firmness and call it an excellent mattress for the price.

This foam isn’t specifically designed to cool, but the company does say the absence of heat-trapping chemicals keeps the mattress temperature neutral by channeling body heat through the mattress — and several reviewers confirm this mattress does help them sleep cooler.

Some reviewers also say that it took some time to get used to the mattress, which isn’t uncommon when getting a new mattress.

An additional bonus: The company donates to Defenders of Wildlife with each mattress sold, so your purchase also supports an eco-friendly company and helps protect American wildlife.

Best latex mattress

PlushBeds Luxury Bliss

  • Price: $$$
  • Mattress type: hybrid
  • Sizes: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, Cal king, split king
  • Pros: choice of firmness, organic and sustainable materials, pressure relieving
  • Cons: heavy, higher price point

The Luxury Bliss Organic Hybrid Latex Mattress is made with all organic materials, including certified organic Talalay latex. There’s a reason so many mattresses on our list include this material: It offers more pressure relief than foams and even other types of latex. That’s key for side sleepers, who need that relief in their shoulders and hips while they snooze.

This mattress comes in a choice of two firmness options. Side sleepers should consider the medium. Reviewers confirm it’s a great option for all-night comfort. They also love the many certifications this mattress has that verify its organic materials and high safety standards.

The PlushBeds mattress has a 100-night trial with free shipping, plus a lifetime warranty.

Sleeping positions and your health

Your ideal sleep position is the one that allows you to get the right amount of quality sleep.

If you snore or have sleep apnea, you might find that sleeping on your stomach improves your sleep. Still, stomach sleeping can cause back strain, so changing your sleep position may help prevent back and neck pain and improve your long-term sleep health.

Sleeping on your side or in the fetal position are considered better sleep positions.

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Best mattresses for stomach sleepers

Best cooling mattress

Brooklyn Aurora Hybrid

  • Price: $$
  • Mattress type: hybrid
  • Sizes: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, Cal king, split king, short queen, RV king, RV bunk
  • Pros: cooling technology, superior responsiveness, choice of firmness
  • Cons: heavy, some reviewers report motion isolation issues

Sleeping prone means you have full frontal contact with your mattress. Because of this, many stomach sleepers tend to get very warm during the night.

The Aurora Hybrid from Brooklyn Bedding features innovative cooling technology that helps prevent this problem, making it a good option for people who sleep hot.

The foam in this hybrid mattress contains beads of cooling gel that liquify and solidify based on the surrounding temperature. The company says this cooling gel helps sleepers maintain a cooler skin temperature for better sleep.

The top layer of foam also contains copper for improved mattress responsiveness and durability. Added copper gel also helps wick away moisture and body heat for cooler sleep. Many reviewers praise the coolness of the mattress and say it makes a huge difference in the quality of their sleep.

The Aurora Hybrid, which comes in three levels of firmness, gets great reviews overall from stomach sleepers of varying body types. Some reviewers say they got enough support from the medium, while others say the firm mattress provided just the right balance of support and comfort.

If you aren’t sure which firmness level best meets your needs, you can chat with a sleep specialist directly on the site.

Best hybrid mattress

Helix Twilight

  • Price: $$
  • Mattress type: hybrid
  • Sizes: twin, twin, XL, full, queen, king, Cal king
  • Pros: firm support for stomach sleepers, CertiPUR-US and OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified
  • Cons: some reviewers report durability issues

Stomach sleepers need firmer mattresses to provide enough spinal support and weight distribution. In other words, you don’t want a super-soft mattress that sucks you down into the bed and puts extra pressure on your spine.

The Helix Twilight is designed to offer support to sleepers who change positions throughout the night, but the firmness — which Helix rates between an 8 and 9 on the 10-point firmness scale — makes this a good option for stomach sleepers.

This mattress has two foam layers above individually wrapped coils. The additional “comfort layer” is designed to offer cushioning without detracting from the mattress’s support. A breathable cover helps keep the mattress cool as you sleep.

Helix mattresses are CertiPUR-US and OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified, which means tests have shown they contain no ozone-depleting substances or harmful chemicals.

A few reviewers say this mattress wasn’t as firm as they’d hoped, but others love the firm support for stomach sleeping. Many reviews also mention the lack of motion transfer and the good edge support.

Overall, reviewers praised Helix’s great customer support and call this a comfortable mattress that provides a great night’s sleep.

Best latex mattress for stomach sleepers

Nolah Natural 11-inch

  • Price: $$$
  • Mattress type: hybrid
  • Sizes: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, Cal king, split king
  • Pros: temperature neutral, eco-friendly materials, superior pressure relief
  • Cons: heavy

Nolah made our list again with the Natural 11-inch mattress. It’s made with a great blend of eco-friendly materials, including Talalay latex, organic wool and cotton, and recycled steel.

Latex has a responsive feel with gentle contouring and impressive pressure relief, so you’ll feel supported in any position, including sprawled on your stomach.

Latex is also a temperature-neutral material, which means cooler, more comfortable nights. On the downside, it does add serious weight to the mattress, so changing the sheets may feel like a workout.

Reviews for the Nolah Natural 11-inch are overwhelmingly positive. Self-described stomach sleepers confirm its comfort and support, and so do people who favor other sleeping positions.

We take a careful look at the mattress options available to make sure we only recommend the best mattresses on the market. When choosing the mattresses listed below, we considered the following factors:

Ideal mattress characteristics for side and stomach sleepers

If you sleep on your side, you’ll want a mattress that helps maintain good spinal alignment by contouring your shoulders, lower back, and hips. Softer mattresses may not offer enough support, while firmer mattresses won’t provide enough pressure relief.

Stomach sleepers, on the other hand, need a firm mattress that supports the spine. We kept these needs in mind when selecting our top picks.

Customer reviews

Two different people may not appreciate the exact same things about a mattress. What feels “just right” to someone else may be more of a “not quite” for you.

Still, feedback from other customers can have a lot of value as you consider your options, so we made sure reviews confirmed the benefits for side and stomach sleepers.

Company reputation and transparency

Before trying a new mattress, you probably want to know the company you’re considering buying from has a good reputation. To help make your decision easier, we recommend brands known for being upfront about how and where they make their mattresses. We also consider the quality of their customer service.

Company policies

It’s tough to know whether your new mattress is a good fit until you sleep on it for a few weeks. Most mattress brands recognize this and offer in-home sleep trials to help you find the right mattress.

Mattresses have different life spans depending on mattress type and other factors, but most reputable brands offer a warranty of at least 10 years.

MattressPriceMattress typeWarrantyTrial period
Saatva Latex Hybrid$$$hybridlifetime365 days
Casper Original Hybrid Mattress$$$hybrid10 years100 nights
Nest Bedding Love & Sleep Mattress$$foamlifetime365 days
Nolah Original 10-inch$$foamlifetime120 nights
Brooklyn Aurora Hybrid$$hybrid10 years120 nights
Helix Twilight$$hybrid10 years100 nights
Nolah Natural 11 inch$$$hybridlifetime120 nights
PlushBeds Luxury Bliss$$$hybridlifetime100 nights

Sleep position does matter when choosing a mattress, but you’ll also want to consider other important elements. As you shop, keep these factors in mind:

Mattress type

Mattresses come in three main types: innerspring, foam, and hybrid. Generally speaking, side sleepers do better on foam or softer hybrid mattresses, since they offer more cushioning and pressure relief.

Stomach sleepers often need a firmer hybrid or innerspring mattress for better support through the night.

Materials

Since memory foam can trap heat as you sleep, stomach sleepers may prefer latex or foam specially designed to improve airflow and keep the mattress cool.

Stomach sleepers may also want to consider pillow top mattresses with caution. These can add extra cushioning and support for side sleepers, but prone sleepers often end up feeling smothered, trapped, and overly warm.

Firmness

Research suggests medium-firm mattresses provide the best support for most sleepers. Of course, firmness is pretty subjective, so you might prefer a slightly softer mattress, especially if you sleep on your side. Stomach sleepers may want to opt for a firmer mattress to get ideal spinal support.

Pressure relief

Sleeping on your side puts pressure on your hip and shoulder, so a good mattress will help relieve that pressure to keep you comfortable and properly align your spine.

This matters less when you always sleep on your stomach, but you’ll want to make sure the mattress properly supports your torso and lower body.

Other considerations

If you sleep close to the edge or have trouble getting in and out of bed, you might need a mattress with strong edge support.

Sensitive to chemical odors? Check the reviews to note whether other people noticed lingering off-gassing.

Sleep with a partner? You’ll probably want a mattress that doesn’t transfer motion easily.

Company policies

It’s always best to try out your mattress before you buy it, and at-home sleep trials make this possible even when shopping online.

Before you purchase, check the warranty and make sure the retailer offers a sleep trial long enough for you to get a feel for your new mattress (30 days may not always cut it).

How can I avoid sleeping on my stomach?

If you’re trying to avoid stomach sleeping, start training yourself into a side position instead. Use a body pillow to keep yourself from rolling on your stomach while you sleep. Try tucking the body pillow between your knees to keep your hips from collapsing and your spine aligned.

Make sure your pillow is sized appropriately for side sleepers, too. You’ll need something with more loft than the flatter pillows stomach sleepers use.

What is the best mattress for stomach sleepers with back pain?

Back pain can be a common complaint for stomach sleepers because of the strain this position puts on your spine. Look for a medium to firm mattress with pressure-relieving materials, like latex or memory foam.

You can also try tucking a small pillow beneath your pelvis to help your back maintain a more neutral position, which will help relieve pressure in the spine.

What mattress is best for both side and stomach sleepers?

Side and stomach sleepers will both benefit from pressure relief and cushioning support, so hybrid mattresses with foam or latex are a good option.

Look for medium-firm mattresses with these materials if you tend to move between your side and stomach while sleeping.

Side sleepers, you’re in luck. Most people prefer to sleep on one side, according to a 2017 study, so you’re likely to find plenty of mattresses designed to meet your sleep needs.

If you sleep on your stomach, you may want to err on the firmer side and skip the pillow top, especially if your current mattress doesn’t provide enough support. Take advantage of those at-home sleep trials to make sure you settle on the right mattress since there’s no substitute for good sleep.


Crystal Raypole has previously worked as a writer and editor for GoodTherapy. Her fields of interest include Asian languages and literature, Japanese translation, cooking, natural sciences, sex positivity, and mental health. In particular, she’s committed to helping decrease stigma around mental health issues.