We’ve reviewed side sleeper mattresses from every major brand — for most people, these are only two you need to consider

The left side of the image shows a woman wearing black dungarees jumping on top of a white mattress, while the right side of the image shows two dark haired woman sat on top of a white mattress in a side by side comparison

(Image credit: Future)

Investing in a mattress designed especially for side sleeping means you’ll instantly lower your chances of dealing with shoulder, hip or knee pain when lying on your side for hours at a time. That’s because mattresses designed for side sleeping relieve pressure across the touch points of the bed.

Our guide to the best mattresses for side sleepers contains all of our top picks, but here we’re boiling it down to our two main choices that we feel would suit most side sleepers: the Helix Midnight Luxe hybrid mattress and the Nectar Premier memory foam mattress.

Both mattresses excel at pressure relief and contouring comfort, two essential features that prevent a build up of pain in your shoulders, hips and knees when sleeping on your side for hours at a time. Both options are so comfy they’re among the top recommended options in our best mattress of 2025 guide.

If you sleep on your side and are shopping for a new mattress in the Labor Day mattress sales, these are the two best options. Here’s why…

1. Helix Midnight Luxe

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The image shows a woman wearing black dungarees lying on her side on top of a pillow top mattress — (Image credit: Future)

After testing scores of mattresses designed specifically for side sleepers, we believe that the Helix Midnight Luxe is hands down the comfiest for most people. The Luxe is a 13.5” luxury hybrid that wouldn’t look out of place in a high-end hotel, packing bags of comfort and support into its six layer construction. Right now, you can buy a queen Helix Midnight Luxe for $1,751.03 at Helix Sleep (was $2,398.66) in a 27% off Labor Day sale when you use our TOMS27 code at the checkout.

While a mattress that is too firm will ultimately result in pain and numbness along the touch points of the mattress, the dense pillow top layer of the Luxe cushions around your side sleeping position, relieving pressure on your shoulders, hips and knees.

A 4lb titanium and graphite infused memory foam layer underpins the pillow top, which, as we note in our In our Helix Midnight luxe mattress review, results in a weightless feeling that holds you on top of the mattress as opposed to sinking deeply into it. However, we'd recommend the Nectar Premier Memory Foam mattress instead (below) for lighter weight side sleepers seeking the sumptuous 'hug' of a memory foam bed.

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The image shows an woman smiling as she places her hands on the surface of a white mattress while she crouches next to it — (Image credit: Future)

While the Luxe is supremely comfy for most side sleepers, it's supportive for back sleepers too. Dense comfort foam layers lift and support the lumbar region, helping keep your spine in correct alignment. That's why we rate it as one of the best mattresses for back pain you can buy.

Support around the perimeter of the bed is excellent, so you can sit on or sleep right up to the edge without feeling as though you're slowly tipping out. Restless bed sharers will also appreciate the Luxe's phenomenal motion isolation, which limits movement across the top of the mattress. An ultra soft Tencel cover comes as standard and regulates temperatures well, but very hot sleepers have the option of upgrading to a specialist cooling cover.

2. Nectar Premier Memory Foam

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Sleep Staff Writers Becky George and Eve Davies sit on opposite sides of the Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress and discuss the motion isolation and pressure relief with our Managing Editor of Sleep Claire Davies who is just off camera — (Image credit: Future)

While the Midnight Luxe's hybrid support system holds you on top of the bed, the Nectar Premier Memory Foam mattress provides next-level sink-in comfort that many side sleepers love. At 13" tall (a mattress depth of between 12" and 14" is considered optimum for supporting the side sleeping position), the Premier offers full body cradling comfort with an indulgent feel.

In our Nectar Premier Memory Foam mattress review, we outline how, like the Luxe, the Premier treads the delicate balance of providing ample pressure relief for side sleepers while being supportive enough for back sleepers too. Whether you're a combination sleeper or you share a bed with someone who sleeps predominantly on their back, a sturdy base layer of dense foams will prevent either parties sinking too low (which is a big no-no for back health.)

After rigorous testing, we think the Premier is the best memory foam mattress you can buy overall for most people. However, side sleepers in particular will love how the top comfort layers of memory foam mold to your shoulders, hips and knees and relieve pressure on those areas. Again, pressure relief in this area is key to combating dreaded dead hips and shoulder pain.

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Image shows Tom's Guide Sleep Staff Writer Eve Davies conducting a motion isolation test on the Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress, using a weight and a wine glass to test how well this mattress isolates motion compared to the other beds in our best mattress guide — (Image credit: Future)

Temperature-wise, memory foam mattresses aren't renowned for their cooling prowess. But the Premier's breathable cover helps wick away moisture while you sleep, helping to you to sleep comfortably. In short, unless you're a very hot sleeper, you're unlikely to overheat on the Premier.

Light sleepers will appreciate the fact that the dense memory foam layers dampen motion across the surface of the mattress, which means you're unlikely to be disturbed by movement elsewhere in the bed. Support around the bed's edge is good enough for most sleepers, but those with mobility issues might need something sturdier, like the Nectar Classic, the entry-level version of the Premier.

Nectar mattress sales are fairly static throughout the year, but you can buy a queen size Nectar Premier Memory Foam mattress for $949 at Nectar, from a total value price of $2,282. That's excellent value for money. If you're a side sleeper who craves the tradition 'hug' sensation of a memory foam mattress, this is the bed for you.

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Nicola is the Sleep Editor at Tom’s Guide, where she helps steer the mattress and sleep content published on Tom’s Guide, including our Best Mattress for Back Pain buying guide. With a career in journalism spanning the best part of two decades, Nicola brings experience to the team and the knowledge of what makes a great article, whether that’s a how-to mattress cleaning feature, a deep dive into melatonin gummies, or an in-depth mattress review. As a sleep editor, few better understand how important a decent mattress is to the overall quality of our sleep, and precisely how our sleep impacts our physical and mental health. As well as tackling the vast topic of sleep, Nicola joins the raft of expert mattress specialists at Tom’s Guide, who test and compare a wide range of mattresses in order to guide readers towards the very best options on the market.

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