I'm not surprised this memory foam mattress has over 6,000 5-star reviews — it's so comfy it converted me from a stomach sleeper to a side sleeper

The Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress, dressd in bedding, in our reviewer's hoe. In the left, an image inset showing our lead tester side sleeping on the Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress in our Sleep Lab

(Image credit: Future)

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1. 'Hugs' the shoulders
2. It gently cradles
3. It's squishy

In my job as a sleep writer I know that side sleeping is the healthiest position of all (it aligns the spine and boosts circulation), but I have a confession: I'm a stomach sleeper. However, around five months ago I tested a mattress that was so comfy on the hips and shoulders, it converted me to side sleeping. That bed was the Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress, down to $549 at Nectar.

Waking up to a numb shoulder and aching hip is one of the worst ways to start the day, but it's a problem that has regularly plagued my sleep. After sleeping on the Nectar Premier, with its thick, slow-moving foams. I was suddenly waking up pain-free each day.

1. It's like a hug for the shoulders and hips

For a quick test of 'contouring', press your hand into your mattress. If your hand easily sinks far into the surface, you have a mattress with lots of 'hug'. If you struggle to make an indent in the surface, your bed probably doesn't have much contouring.

This isn't foolproof but it's a simple way to determine if you'll sink into or lie on top of a mattress. And as I wrote in my Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress review, my hand sank through the surface like a hot knife through butter.

A person lies on the left side of the Nectar Premier Memory Foam mattress in our sleep studio, while another person jumps on the left hand side, testing motion isolation — (Image credit: Future)

When you lie on a firm mattress, side sleeping can sometimes feel like your entire body weight is balanced on your shoulder and hip.

But when I lie on the Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress, my shoulder sinks into padded foam comfort layers.

This (alongside support, something I'll explore below), helps redistribute pressure so I don't lose feeling in my arm.

2. It gently cradles to prevent pressure build-up

The Nectar Premier has plenty of sinky-squish but that's not all you need for effective pressure relief — we've all experienced lying on a bed that you fall into like Jell-O and it's not comfortable.

The other side of the equation is support and it's something the Nectar Premier Memory Foam also does well.

Beneath the softer memory foam upper layers sits a foundation foam that is significantly firmer. It doesn't 'yield' the same way the surface does, instead lifting and holding your body to keep your spine in a neutral position.

Our tester places her hand on the surface of the Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress to test its temperature — (Image credit: Future)

Because of this, I found sleeping on the Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress is like being gently cradled by my bed.

So as well as avoiding a numb shoulder and dead hip in the morning, I can also steer clear of the lower back pain that can happen when you sleep on a bed that's too soft and won't support the lumbar region.

It's this balance that makes the Premier our top-rated memory foam mattress.

3. It's silky soft and squishy

Mattress firmness is subjective, so what feels silky soft for me might be too firm for you. If you want even more of a marshmallow finish, I recommend upgrading to a taller bed.

The Nectar Luxe Memory Foam Mattress offers "sink-in softness" according to our review team, while the Nectar Ultra adds even more memory foam to create an even squishier feel (I've been hands-on with the Ultra Hybrid and can confirm that it's like a big bear hug.)

These upgrades might be necessary if you're a lightweight side sleeper or you want a mattress that really cuddles you.

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Ruth is an experienced Senior Staff writer at Tom’s Guide, covering all things sleep and mattresses. She writes to help people sleep better, from how-tos to the latest deals to mattress reviews, and has interviewed an array of experts who share her passion. She is also our specialist on memory foam — she’s flown around the world to see memory foam being made — and leads our hotel mattress content. She has a deep interest in the link between sleep and health, and has tried enough mattresses, from Helix to Nectar to Simba, to know the right bed really can make a difference to your wellbeing. Before joining the team at Tom’s Guide, Ruth worked as a sleep and mattress writer for our sister website, TechRadar.

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