What Saatva mattress should side sleepers buy?

On the left, a close up of a woman lying on her side on the Saatva Classic mattress. On the right, an overhead shot of two women lying on the Saatva Classic mattress, one on her side and one on her back with her hips turned to the side
(Image credit: Future)

Side sleeping is the most popular sleep position and luxury mattress brand Saatva features several handcrafted beds perfect for lying on your side. In this guide, we're exploring the best Saatva mattress for every type of side sleeper, with our expert review experience to help you choose.

Saatva's flagship Classic mattress currently sits at the top spot in our guide to this year's best mattress and thanks to its customization options (it comes in three firmness levels and two heights) it suits most side sleepers. But everything from body type to preference impacts what a side sleeper needs and even our favorite mattress can't accommodate them all.

The best mattresses for side sleepers combine cushioning at the pressure points with support for the spine — opt for a Saatva mattress and you'll also be getting a luxury feel.

Here's how to find the right Saatva mattress for your side sleeping needs, and be sure to head to our mattress sales hub for more shopping advice.

1. Saatva Classic

Tom's Guide Sleep Features Editor lies on her side on the Saatva Classic mattress during a testing panel review session at our sleep studio

(Image credit: Future)

The Saatva Classic Mattress is the best Saatva mattress we've tested and ticks all the boxes for comfort and support. This is a luxury innerspring hybrid with a high-quality finish, exceptional lumbar support, and a bucketful of pressure relief.

While it doesn't have the multiple foam layers of other side sleeping mattresses, a cushioned 3-inch pillow-top keeps the shoulders and hips comfortably cradled throughout the night.

We tested the Classic in a Luxury Firm (7/10 on the mattress firmness scale) feel for our Saatva Classic Mattress review and found it largely comfortable for side sleepers. However, dedicated side sleepers, particularly those with a lighter build, should opt for the Plush (3/10) instead. We rate it as this year's best hybrid mattress for all sleepers.

Shop the Saatva Classic Mattress at Saatva

Shop the Saatva Classic Mattress at Saatva
Thanks to its multiple firmness options and different height choices, it can suit almost any side sleeper. Like all Saatva mattresses, it comes with a 365-night trial, a lifetime warranty and free white glove delivery. A queen has an MSRP of $2,139, but keep an eye out in the regular mattress sales for a discount.

2. Saatva Contour5

The Contour5 is Saatva's premium all-foam mattress, and as the name suggests, this bed does contouring very well The high-density memory foam adapts to every curve of your body to cradle the touch points and relieve pressure. We think it's the best memory foam mattress you can buy for a luxury feel.

The complex build of the Contour5 includes two layers of dense, body-hugging foam, with three inches of premium 5lb memory foam at the core of the mattress.

Adaptive but without the sink of softer foams, in our Saatva Contour5 mattress review we reported that it's good for all sleeping positions. The Contour5 is available in both a Medium and Firm feel, with Medium being a better option for most side sleepers.

Shop the Saatva Contour5 Mattress at Saatva

Shop the Saatva Contour5 Mattress at Saatva
Memory foam mattresses are generally cheaper than their hybrid equivalents, but the Contour5 is a premium all-foam bed with a price tag that reflects the quality of the dense foams. Occasional 15% off flash sales will net you the biggest discount on the Contour5 (a queen size has an MSRP of $2,999), but the $400 off deal is also a good saving.

3. Saatva Zenhaven Latex

Saatva Zenhaven Mattress

(Image credit: Saatva)

A dual-sided mattress with an eco-friendly latex build, the Saatva Zenhaven is for side sleepers who enjoy a bit of bounce with their pressure relief. Natural latex has a buoyant feel that means while the Zenhaven gently contours to your shape, you won't sink into the bed. That's good news if you're a side sleeper who likes to shift from one side to the other during the night.

The Saatva Zenhaven features dual-sided firmness. Flip it one way to enjoy Luxury Plush (4-5/10) and the other for Gentle Firm (7-8/10). We expect the Luxury Plush to suit side sleepers, but if you have a bigger build, the Gentle Firm feel might be the better option.

With Saatva's 365-night trial, you have ample time to flip the mattress until you've found the perfect feel for you, flipping it back if your sleep needs change — the best organic mattresses tend to have increased durability, so you should get many years of support out of the Zenhaven.

Shop the Saatva Zenhaven Mattress at Saatva

Shop the Saatva Zenhaven Mattress at Saatva
Latex mattresses are typically a premium buy, and with the Zenhaven, you're getting two beds in one. With an MSRP of $3,399 for a queen, it's worth waiting around for a mattress sale: the 15% off deal is our favorite, but tends to be fleeting. $400 off is another good saving we see from time to time.

4. Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid

Hybrid mattresses can be excellent for side sleepers if they have the right support, cushioning, and firmness: the Memory Foam Hybrid delivers all three. In our Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid Mattress review our testing panel found that this bed offers excellent spinal alignment, suitable for alleviating back and hip pain when lying on your side.

The Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid isn't the plushest mattress, and lightweight side sleepers might find it too firm (one of the best mattress toppers can help.) However, if you're a side sleeper who values support over cushioning, this is an excellent choice. it's also one of the cheapest beds in the Saatva line, so one to consider if you're on a budget.

Shop the Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid Mattress at Saatva

Shop the Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid Mattress at Saatva
The Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid is a cheaper alternative to the Saatva Classic, delivering immense support and pressure relief. It's still a premium bed – the queen has an MSRP of $1,999 – but if you want to try Saatva luxury for less, this is an excellent choice.

5. Saatva HD Mattress

Saatva HD mattress for heavy bodies, on a bed frame in a grey room

(Image credit: Saatva)

The Saatva HD Mattress has been designed for sleepers with bigger builds, featuring an enhanced weight capacity of up to 500lbs per person. This luxury innerspring mattress pairs a tempered steel spring base with layers of contouring foam and responsive latex, for a medium feel with durable support.

Many of the best mattresses for heavy people are on the firmer side, which can be uncomfortable for side sleepers. The HD uses a thick pillow-top to increase cushioning and aid pressure relief, so you can lie on your side without experiencing numb arms and dead hips in the morning. Be aware that if you weight under 300lbs, the HD is likely to feel too firm for side sleeping.

Shop the Saatva HD Mattress at Saatva

Shop the Saatva HD Mattress at Saatva
A luxury mattress with a specialist design, the Saatva HD Mattress has an MSRP of $3,399 for a queen. The HD has undergone additional durability testing to prevent sagging and maintain support for longer, so you should get a lot of mattress for your money. And regular Saatva deals can help you save on this sumptuous bed for heavier side sleepers.

Ruth Jones
Senior Sleep staff Writer

Ruth is a staff writer at Tom’s Guide, covering all things mattress and sleep. She has a deep interest in the link between sleep and health, and has tried enough mattresses to know the right bed really can make a difference to your wellbeing. At Tom’s Guide she writes to help people sleep better, from how-tos to the latest deals to mattress reviews, and has interviewed an array of specialists who share her passion. 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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