HomeWhat Is The Best Mattress For Side Sleepers?
When it comes to bedtime, sleeping on the side is pretty much one of the most widely adopted sleeping positions for children and adults alike worldwide. The benefits of side sleeping are many, and if we consider that up to 80% of the world population suffers from back pain at some point in their lives, it makes sense to choose to sleep in a way that is not only comfortable but can help to benefit your overall health and wellness.
Sleeping position isn’t the only factor in the quality of your sleep; the mattress you use also significantly reduces neck and back pain and stiffness. But first, let’s explore some of the different sleeping patterns that people adopt other than side sleeping.
The main 4 sleeping positions
There are 4 common sleeping positions, and they are listed below:
- Memory Foam – Memory foam is a material that responds to body heat. This means that the foam moulds around to gently encapsulate your body based on your limbs and torso when you fall asleep in a particular position. Memory foam is suitable for soldier position sleepers and side sleepers.
2. Innerspring – Innerspring mattresses are the most traditional type of mattress, containing a middle layer filled with springs and coils, with the top layers consisting of foam and padding. Because of their high support, innerspring mattresses are great for soldier-position and freefall-position sleepers.
3. Latex – A latex mattress is a spongy rubber material that moulds to the body quicker than memory foam. Latex provides simple yet effective support to ensure soldier position sleepers are comfortable through the night.
4. Airbed mattress – Airbed mattresses consist of air-filled chambers instead of springs or foam material. The top layer is usually a foam or fibre material for extra comfort. Airbeds are not too common; however, freefall-position sleepers may benefit from the firmness of airbeds in general.
5. Hybrid mattress – Hybrid mattresses combine the best of the mattresses available on the market today. It usually consists of durable pocket coil springs as a foundation layer, with a memory foam middle layer and an open-cell foam layer on the top to provide the ultimate night-time comfort.
The best mattresses for side sleepers
Regarding side sleepers, the best kind of mattress to use would be a hybrid mattress, which is a medium firmness mattress with a comfortable memory foam layer on the top. This kind of mattress has enough “give” on the top layer to contour your body shape, yet the firm innerspring layer in the middle supports you and does not cause your body to sink into the mattress. Our best mattress for side sleeper buying guide offers a selection of the top 5 side sleeper mattresses available to purchase right now.
Final Thoughts
The key to a healthy and happy life is to get a good night’s sleep, and one of the best ways to ensure that your slumbering hours are kept as comfortable as possible is to use the best mattresses that suit your sleeping position. Side sleeping has many benefits, making it the sleeping position for many people. However, if your sleep quality is lacking, try changing your current sleeping position to a side sleeping one – and consider upgrading to a hybrid mattress to ensure that you always get great sleep, night after night.
- Soldier position – Soldier sleepers sleep on their backs, arms by their side, and heads facing the ceiling. This looks like a soldier standing at attention – hence the name ‘soldier’. This sleeping position is good for the overall realignment of the spine, hip, and shoulders through the night. However, those who suffer from sleep apnea and snoring may find this position detrimental to their ailments.
2. Fetal position – Fetal position sleepers sleep like a baby, curled up and lying on either side of their body. It is a position that supports the lower back and reduces snoring and the risk of sleep apnea.
3. Freefall position – Freefall sleepers sleep in a way that makes them look like they are skydiving, lying down on their belly with legs spread out and (usually) hands under the pillow. If there were a ranking for sleeping positions, the freefall position would probably sit at the bottom of the list. However, the biggest plus to this sleeping position is that it works to alleviate snoring and sleep apnea.
4. Side sleeping position – Side sleepers stand to gain the most out of their beauty sleep thanks to how this position helps to aid digestion, reduce heartburn and alleviate back pain, thanks to how it lifts pressure off the spine and realigns the spine throughout the night.
What are the benefits of sleeping on your side?
Research has found that sleeping on the side has many benefits. However, it has to be mentioned that sleeping on the left side has been found to have more benefits than sleeping on the right. An older study that involved 10 participants over two days showed that those who slept on their right side rather than their left after consuming a high-fat meal had an increased risk of heartburn and acid reflux. However, those who slept on the left side did not face the above symptoms.
However, some of the flaws of sleeping on the side may cause stiffness in the shoulders and contribute to facial wrinkles due to the gravitational pressure on your face as it is pressed down to the pillow while you sleep.
The 5 types of mattresses
There are so many types of mattresses available on the market today, and with all the choices available, it may be hard to find out which one is best for your sleeping position. Let’s look at the types of mattresses and their suitability for different sleeping positions:
- Memory Foam – Memory foam is a material that responds to body heat. This means that the foam moulds around to gently encapsulate your body based on your limbs and torso when you fall asleep in a particular position. Memory foam is suitable for soldier position sleepers and side sleepers.
2. Innerspring – Innerspring mattresses are the most traditional type of mattress, containing a middle layer filled with springs and coils, with the top layers consisting of foam and padding. Because of their high support, innerspring mattresses are great for soldier-position and freefall-position sleepers.
3. Latex – A latex mattress is a spongy rubber material that moulds to the body quicker than memory foam. Latex provides simple yet effective support to ensure soldier position sleepers are comfortable through the night.
4. Airbed mattress – Airbed mattresses consist of air-filled chambers instead of springs or foam material. The top layer is usually a foam or fibre material for extra comfort. Airbeds are not too common; however, freefall-position sleepers may benefit from the firmness of airbeds in general.
5. Hybrid mattress – Hybrid mattresses combine the best of the mattresses available on the market today. It usually consists of durable pocket coil springs as a foundation layer, with a memory foam middle layer and an open-cell foam layer on the top to provide the ultimate night-time comfort.
The best mattresses for side sleepers
Regarding side sleepers, the best kind of mattress to use would be a hybrid mattress, which is a medium firmness mattress with a comfortable memory foam layer on the top. This kind of mattress has enough “give” on the top layer to contour your body shape, yet the firm innerspring layer in the middle supports you and does not cause your body to sink into the mattress. Our best mattress for side sleeper buying guide offers a selection of the top 5 side sleeper mattresses available to purchase right now.
Final Thoughts
The key to a healthy and happy life is to get a good night’s sleep, and one of the best ways to ensure that your slumbering hours are kept as comfortable as possible is to use the best mattresses that suit your sleeping position. Side sleeping has many benefits, making it the sleeping position for many people. However, if your sleep quality is lacking, try changing your current sleeping position to a side sleeping one – and consider upgrading to a hybrid mattress to ensure that you always get great sleep, night after night.
