I ignored advice and slept on a mattress that shouldn’t be comfy for side sleepers — so why am I having the best nights’ sleep of my life?

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Finally, I’m falling asleep fast and sleeping through the night

Our mattress tester Lauren Jeffries lies on the Birch Elite Natural Mattress in a side sleeping position. The mattress is on a wooden bed frame in a decorated room. She uses a high loft pillow to cushion her head, neck and shoulders
(Image credit: Future)

One of the most common recommendations you'll come cross when buying a mattress is to consider your sleeping position. This, in theory, determines the kind of mattress that will best support your body.

However, despite testing some of the best mattresses for side sleepers (my natural sleeping position), I still couldn’t get comfortable at night.

Whether it was my hips aching in the morning, dead arms, or a night spent tossing and turning, the traditional ‘soft to medium’ feel mattresses recommended for side sleepers weren’t floating my boat.

So, I ignored the advice and opted for a bed that side sleepers should hate, and now I think I’ve finally cracked the code to a restful night’s sleep for me.

Here’s more about the best mattress I've slept on, and why I recommend it in the Presidents' Day mattress sales (see our guide to the best Presidents' Day mattress deals live for the latest price drops)...

Today's top side sleeper mattress sales

The mattress I’m sleeping on

The mattress I’m sleeping on is the Birch Luxe Natural mattress, down to $1,218 (was $1,624) at Birch Living. This is a hybrid bed with a firm feel made from layers of organic latex, wool and springs.

Natural latex is a common material found in most of this year's best organic mattresses. It’s naturally firm, but has an open, responsive structure.

A Tom's Guide tester sat on the edge of the Birch Luxe Natural testing its edge support

(Image credit: Future)

Like many of this year’s best hybrid mattresses, the result is a cool, bouncy feel. For this reason, it doesn’t contour around your body like memory foam mattresses.

As I wrote in my Birch Luxe Natural mattress review, instead of sinking into this bed, you very much remain on top of the mattress. This is why it’s often recommended to back and stomach sleepers.

Why it shouldn’t ‘work’ for side sleepers

So why shouldn’t the Birch Luxe (or any firm, latex mattress) ‘work’ for side sleepers? Well, it’s all about pressure relief.

As a side sleeper, your body weight isn’t as evenly distributed across the bed compared to when you’re back sleeping. This means pressure points can build up in the night.

As you can imagine, these usually affect the hips, shoulders and knees most (the areas of your body most in contact with the mattress).

A Tom's Guide tester Lauren Jeffries sleeping on her side on the Birch Luxe Natural

(Image credit: Future)

Which is why medium to soft mattresses (1-6 out of 10 on the firmness scale) are usually recommended. Beds with more ‘give’ can help prevent pressure from building in these areas by contouring around the body and molding to pressure points.

A mattress that’s too firm will feel harder at the hips, shoulders and knees, sometimes leading to pain and strain in the joints.

Because of this, a firm latex mattress, like the Birch Luxe, initially seems to be the last thing side sleepers would benefit from.

Why I love a firm mattress as a side sleeper

Sharing a bed is bearable again

When I first lay on the Birch Luxe, I assumed I wouldn’t sleep well on it. Immediately, I was surprised by how firm it felt, despite having a wool pillow-top layer. But I was wrong. My sleep has transformed for the better.

I’m not even aware my husband is asleep next to me

And one of the most annoying experiences we’ve had is sleeping on a soft mattress, where we ended up rolling into the middle of the bed and sinking into a warm, stuffy puddle.

Not exactly conducive to a restful night’s sleep. Plus, a softer mattress tends to lack firm support at the edges of the bed, making it feel a lot smaller than it is.

With the Birch Luxe mattress, our bed feels huge. The firm support remains effective right around the edges of the mattress, meaning we can sleep on the full surface of the bed.

Sometimes, I’m not even aware my husband is asleep next to me because he feels so far away. Plus, the naturally airy latex means we don’t overheat, even when we’re cuddling.

Sharing a bed suddenly feels easy. Which is a lifesaver if you want to avoid those morning bickers…

Our sleep features editor Lauren Jeffries lies on her side on the Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress, with her back to the camera. A laser line indicates where her spine would be to show how her body is supported by the Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress.

(Image credit: Future)

I’m sleeping through the night

I always found myself waking up in the night on soft and medium mattresses, mainly to shift positions. Too much give around the hips meant I sank too far into the mattress and became swallowed by the layers of foam.

Not only was this incredibly claustrophobic, but it often led to stiff hips in the morning because my body hadn’t remained aligned throughout the night, causing excess strain in the joints.

Now, on a firm bed, I’m kept elevated all night. Because of the latex, wool and springs, the bed doesn’t change shape beneath me, keeping my body and spine aligned and my weight evenly distributed.

I’m no longer waking up with aching joints in the middle of the night, and I’m sleeping through, which is doing wonders for my sleep quality. Waking up refreshed is a big bonus on dark, winter mornings.

Two Tom's Guide mattress testers sat crossed legged on the Birch Luxe Natural mattress laughing and smiling

(Image credit: Future)

I’m not fighting my mattress every time I move

I’m naturally someone who wriggles around in my sleep a lot, tossing and turning and sometimes even walking around… For that reason, I need a bed that’s easy to move around on.

I’m not woken up battling a marshmallow mattress when I do toss and turn

When sleeping on soft mattresses, it felt like I was in a constant battle with my own bed. The frustration of not being able to move around meant simply getting comfortable was an arduous task. Soon an hour would have passed, and I’d still be staring at the ceiling, willing sleep.

But a firm bed avoids this issue completely. Especially a firm bed made with latex. This responsive material adapts to your every move, so you don’t have to wait for slow-moving, softer foams to change shape.

The result is that I fall asleep fast because I’m able to get comfortable almost instantly. Plus, I’m not woken up battling a marshmallow mattress when I do toss and turn in the night.

A man with dark hair and a woman with red hair go mattress shopping together

(Image credit: Getty Images)

My advice?

I’m not saying that all side sleepers need firm mattresses. In fact, many side sleepers I know love a soft mattress. But I am saying that everyone is individual and should consider their own preferences, rather than opting for a mattress they’re told will work for them.

I’m not saying that all side sleepers need firm mattresses

Instead, think about the pain points of your sleep quality. Is sharing a bed keeping you up? If so, what about your mattress is exacerbating the situation? Or do you find yourself waking with aches and pains?

Try to identify where your mattress is falling short in terms of support and comfort, and make your decision based on that.

And, as always, read reviews. Buying a mattress online is common practise now, which means you can’t necessarily ‘try before you buy’. For this reason, check out our wealth of mattress reviews crafted by a panel of expert testers to find the best option for you.

Lauren Jeffries
Lauren Jeffries
Sleep Features Editor

Lauren is an experienced writer and editor in the health and lifestyle industry and has led many campaigns and projects that deliver news, advice, and research on all things sleep. As the Sleep Features Editor for Tom’s Guide, Lauren writes, commissions and edits sleep and mattress content, from in-depth how-tos in sleep and mattress health to interviews with doctors and neuroscientists on the latest news in sleep. Lauren regularly tests new sleep tech and accessories to evaluate their effectiveness for getting good quality sleep and easing specific sleep struggles like nighttime anxiety. Alongside this, Lauren reports on the best mattress brands out there, like Helix, Saatva, and DreamCloud, helping readers find the right mattress for them and the best deals on them. 

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