Best Hybrid Mattress For Side Sleepers
Last Updated: March, 2023
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As fellow side sleepers, we have had so much trouble finding the best hybrid mattress to suit our sleeping style. Side sleepers experience a range of sleep issues from shifting more through the night to having pins and needles due to circulation being disrupted in our arms.
We’ve compiled a list of the best options in the market; all of which are made to support you, keep you cool, and help you sleep through the night.
According to our tests for the best hybrid mattresses for side sleepers, the mattress which stole the show is the Ghostbed 3D Matrix. Keep reading to find out why.
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6 Best Hybrid Mattress For Side Sleepers
GhostBed 3D Matrix
The GhostBed 3D Matrix was specially designed with side sleepers in mind. This hybrid all foam mattress gives you the sinkage you need at the hips and shoulders to promote a neutral spinal alignment. It also comes with a nice, breathable cover that helps you sleep cool throughout the night, making it a perfect choice for hot sleepers.
Puffy Royal
The Puffy Royal is a sturdy, thick and soft mattress ideal for side sleepers but still provides unmatched support. It’s thicker and denser than most other mattresses on the market while still offering an overall plush, contouring feel.
Luuf Plush Multi-Sleeper
If you prefer a gel infused memory foam luxury mattress for side sleepers, you’ll love this Luff Plush option. Sleep atop it for the entire night without feeling too warm, and relax with the soft memory foam mattress underneath you.
Keetsa Tea Leaf Classic
This Keetsa Tea Leaf Classic is a great option for side sleepers who want a natural mattress. All those pocketed coils are wrapped individually for an even more comfortable night sleep.
EcoTerra Hybrid Latex Mattress
Undoubtedly, EcoTerra is one of the most affordable hybrid mattresses for side sleepers available on the market. From its name, it's quite obvious the mattress is a product of eco-friendly materials. You can also choose between a medium and medium-firm mattress firmness for the best support.
Layla Hybrid Mattress
Another great option for a typical side sleeper is the Layla hybrid mattress. Notably, Layla has become a popular name in online mattress stores with their ten-year warranties and 120-night sleep trial period. The hybrid mattress option is firmer than their standard mattress. You can also flip it for an even firmer option if you need it.
What We Like
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Ghost Bed is running a flash sale on this mattress, active March 25, 2023!
Overall Thoughts:
As a side sleeper, you need a unique balance of cushioning for your hips and shoulders, plus support for your lower back. GhostBed provides in its 3D Matrix model a soft mattress designed specifically for a side sleeper that features a memory foam comfort layer (for cushioning) and a layer of pocketed coils (for support). Moreover, this is undoubtedly one of the best cooling mattresses you'll ever come across, given its reputable brand name.
The memory foam mattress begins with a breathable and cooling cover made of GhostBed’s proprietary Ghost Ice fabric that wicks away moisture to help you sleep cool. This soft mattress cover also feels cool to the touch, so you won’t worry about overheating on this bed. Beneath is a 3D Matrix Polymer layer that attracts heat and drives it out of this foam mattress.
Next is a comfort layer of gel memory foam that offers close contouring to your body. Since this material boasts a slow response to pressure, it allows you to sink in for some pressure relief at your shoulders and hips. The pressure relief stems from the latex coil support and soft foam layers. Below the gel foam layer is the Ghost Bounce layer (a bouncy layer of latex-alternative foam) that provides some more contouring and makes it easier to move around the bed.
A transition foam layer offers moderate contouring but is sturdy enough to protect your body from sinking too deep. Individually-wrapped coils are the primary support system in the 3D Matrix of this memory foam mattress. They’re reinforced toward the edge of the bed to offer more edge support.
While its price point is fit for a GhostBed Flex all foam mattress, the 3D Matrix is suitable for side sleepers as it boasts a honey gel design to give a ghost-hug feel. For a bed that can help you track your sleep, the Ghost Smartbed is a perfect fit. The company offers 0% APR financing for up to 5 years.
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If you're looking for a hybrid moisture-free cooling mattress that meets your side sleeping requirements, look no further than Puffy. The Puffy Royal is a hybrid mattress 14" thick and has seven different layers. The advanced seven-layer sleep system is specially designed to deliver body-adaptive contouring, advanced cooling, and full-body zoned support. In addition to the reflexive memory foam quilted near the surface for maximum recovery, the mattress contains a thick comfort system and a counter-adapt coil base to alleviate pressure for side sleepers.
Pressure relief is one of the most enticing features of the Puffy Royal memory foam mattress. The firm core support foam features a dense base foam and 7" of high-density foam. These layers reinforce the edges against sinkage and provide excellent overall stability for your bed. On a scale of 10, Ghostbed's firmness scale lies at about 6.
What amazed us about the Puffy Royal is how well it promotes neutral spine alignment. This means that it can position your hips in line with your shoulders, creating an even line across your body. Below the memory foam mattress layer lies 2" of humidity-resistant foam, which wicks away moisture for a great night's sleep that's never stuffy.
These transitional layers also provide support and cushioning and reduce pressure points that can develop in your hips and shoulders. Just like most mattresses for side sleepers this mattress is ideal for individuals who share a bed— courtesy of its motion isolation essential for improving sleep quality and a good night's sleep. So, you don't have to worry about bothering your partner with your movements throughout the night.
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What We Like
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If you want the best mattress for side sleepers that fits your body when you’re side sleeping, this Luuf Plush might just be one of your best options. It’s uniquely made compared to other mattresses for side sleepers since it includes multiple layers of gel-infused cooling memory foam that will contour to your body and keep you cool throughout the night, not just a single cooling top layer.
We loved how its premium memory foam side sleeper mattress efficiently relieved pressure near the shoulders and hips. Meanwhile, the inch of Serene memory foam will help align the spine with the feeling of air support which is great for relieving pressure overally.
Being one of the top best side sleeper mattresses out there, Luuf has been made by mattress makers, and not just mattress sellers, so it’s no wonder that it’s such a good option to sleep on. This is the best mattress made for all types of sleepers, even a side sleeper, with a 2-inch layer of memory foam to support you and contour your body throughout the entire night.
Don’t forget about the temperature regulation either, and the coils in the mattress. All of these coils are individually wrapped to reduce the motion transfer as you get up and sit down.
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What We Like
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This is one of the best mattress types for side sleepers that you’ll love if you’re looking for something firm and made from natural materials. The Keetsa Tea Leaf Classic is also one of their firmer options, including coils along the edges to help you feel like you won’t fall from your mattress when you roll over in the middle of the night. Not to mention that it’s a great option for side sleeping since it contours to your body without making you feel stiff or uncomfortable.
This hybrid mattress supported us well with its body memory foam and coils, along with natural-fiber covers. This foam is 6 inch thick which is not only pressure relieving but also provides a good edge support. One thing making the edge support of the hybrid mattress more supreme are the coils. Aside from that, these coils also aid the mattress with a perfect balance by enabling free air flow. In General, We love how all the coils are individually wrapped and made to support our body curves comfortably.
What We Like
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A relatively new mattress company, EcoTerra is a hybrid mattress incorporating eco-friendly materials and made in the USA. Though new in the industry, those who've used it rank it as the top best luxury mattress for side sleepers. The cover is 100% organic cotton on top with a layer of 100% organic wool below it. The latex is also natural, and the entire mattress is free of more harmful chemicals like flame retardants because of wool’s natural properties. Wool will also prevent mildew and help regulate temperature.
We particularly liked how you get memory foam and coils on this perfect mattress for side sleepers, and we got to choose between medium and medium firm options. We recommend that you go with a medium mattress if you are 130 pounds or lighter. A medium firm memory foam mattress will suit anyone over 130 pounds. This will help provide you with the support you need without having to worry about being under a certain weight to get the benefits of a medium firm mattress.
What We Like
What We Don't Like
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When it comes to online mattress stores, Layla has become one of the most well-known and well-reviewed. This is in part because of their great customer service and dedication to quality.
The mattress ships in a compressed and easy to transport design, making it easy to move into your home and exactly where you want it. You can try your Layla mattress for side sleepers for 120 days with no risk to see if it is the right mattress for you. If you do decide to keep it, Layla offers a ten-year warranty on all their best mattresses.
We love how their hybrid foam mattress includes memory foam infused with copper to help redirect heat from your body and spread it to prevent overheating. We also got to choose between a firm or a medium firm mattress simply by flipping it over.
All in all, if you're looking for a firmer mattress, don't forget to add Layla hybrid to your consideration list. Moreover, sleepers who prefer this hybrid mattress can choose between two firmness options. That is; the soft version which has a firmness scale of 4 out of 10 and the firmer version whose firmness scale stands at an incredible 7 out of 10.
What Side Sleepers Have to Consider
Almost three-quarters of Americans are side sleepers. With the vast majority of Americans sleeping in this position, it should be easy to find the best mattresses to accommodate their body placement. Instead, people are having to resort to additions to their beds like toppers, cushions, and special pillows to make up for the discomfort side sleepers are feeling at night.
If you sleep on your side more often and need to improve Your sleep quality, then Hybrid mattresses for side sleepers may just be what you're looking for. It’s also a way to stop buying all the other items just to compensate for a mattress that fits your sleeping style poorly.
Mattress Firmness For Side Sleepers
Firmness is the key to finding the right mattress for your sleeping position, especially for side sleepers. As a side sleeper looking for the best mattress that meets your preference, you need to find a medium firm mattress for the best support. Something too soft will not provide you with the structure needed, and you will sag to the bottom, making it difficult to move.
Too firm, and your mattress will not contort at all to your body and back, making it uncomfortable and aggravating your pressure points. Having the right foam firmness— medium firm —in all of your foam layers is critical for good support. The springs don't add much firmness, the firmness generally comes from the foam layers above and below the coils. Firmness is directly tied to support and comfort. Finding the right firmness level will also translate into great support.
Composition Best Suited For Side Sleepers
Hybrid mattresses are designed to incorporate both coils or springs and memory foam for the best of both worlds, which are a great fit for a side sleeper. We like how the firmness of the coils forms a strong, supportive base, and the memory foam on top for cushioning, edge support, and comfort is great for most sleepers. Coils also help the mattress last longer and provide more support than an all foam layers mattress for side sleepers.
The top layer (comfort layer) of the ideal mattress for side sleepers should be medium-soft if you're going to stay in one sleeping position all night and need good support for your shoulders, and hips, while keeping your spine aligned the entire night. If you're a combination sleeper who sleeps in multiple sleeping positions like on your back or stomach as well, you open yourself up to more firmness options and support options. Most hybrid firmer mattresses will have multiple foam layers. The foam layers are usually of different densities. Some are low density and meant to be softer with great motion isolation.
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Responsiveness & Motion Isolation
You need to find a hybrid memory foam mattress for side sleepers that will conform to your body as you move. Firmer mattresses should return to normal once you get up without staying in a sagged position. Responsiveness also plays a role in how a mattress contours to your shoulders and hips as you move. The most responsive the mattress, the quicker you'll get pressure relief in your hips and shoulders from side sleeping. Side sleepers should opt for mattresses that press deeper into the hybrid mattress to relieve pressure.
Firmness Level
Most sleepers —back and stomach sleepers— require certain mattress features that are quite distinct from that of side sleepers. So, ideal mattresses for side sleepers should be able to accommodate weight on their hips, knees, and shoulders. The firmness level will depend on your own personal preference but soft mattresses are the ideal choice.
If you want to avoid waking up with back pain, firmness options alongside pressure relief should be your top priority. Essentially, the ideal mattress for side sleepers should make you feel like you're floating. In simple terms, you don't want a mattress making your body feel like it's pushing against the mattress and neither don't feel like you're sinking.
A much firmer mattress that creates uncomfortable pressure points on your body most definitely doesn't conform with your body. A much softer mattress on the other hand can disrupt your spinal alignment and cause discomfort throughout the night. This discomfort arises from pressure exerted on your hips, shoulders and lower back.
If you also wake up with shoulder pain more often alongside back pain, then upgrading your beddings with our top picks of the best mattress for side sleepers may be the right answer. Additionally, getting the right pillow can also go a long way in keeping your spine aligned. Features to watch out for in an ideal pillow for a side sleeper are; that they provide enough space for your head and neck, have a higher loft, and are much firmer.
Pressure Relief & Support
Getting excellent pressure relief in your shoulders and hips is essential for side sleepers. Back pain can come from a misaligned spine or excess pressure in your hips and shoulders. Relieving that pressure is harder for side sleepers because your shoulders and hips are tasked with supporting the majority of your weight, no matter how good the foam layers are.
Normally, the best mattress with a softer feel will provide the best pressure relief for your shoulders and hips and help relieve pressure and pain in those areas, as well as back pain. Essentially, this is one of the features making the hybrid mattresses in this review arguably the best luxury mattress for side sleepers.
Good support is critical for side sleepers for two reasons. It helps you get to sleep, and it helps you stay asleep. These factors are essential for the best mattresses to help you get better sleep. A mattress's layers (it should have three or more) help determine how much and what kind of support you can expect. The layers in the best mattress (hybrid) for side sleepers are going to be made up of foam and most likely a coil core. The top layers (comfort layers) will be soft, and the layers under the coils are likely the support layers unless the mattress is flippable.
You need good support for your hips, spine, and shoulders if you're going to sleep on your side. Sleeping on your side, it can be hard to get support to your hips, shoulders, and spine so getting a quality mattress is a great first step.
Sleep Trial For Your Bed
In your quest to look for the best mattress, it is always beneficial to have a period of time to try out the bed and decide whether this is the best mattress for you, especially if you have consistent issues with the pressure relief of your shoulders and hips. Knowing you can take a mattress back is a huge relief. It is especially important for people like us who have had a hard time getting the right mattress in the past and are already subject to aches and pains and need to find a mattress with just the right level of support.
You won’t really be able to tell how well the mattress for side sleepers will work for you until you have spent at least a week on it. Look for a bed trial of at least a week, but the longer the period is to decide, the better.
Getting The Most Out Of Your Bed
Buying a new bed is a great investment in your sleep health, but it isn't a quick fix. If you want the best mattress that'll truly improve your sleep, you should also take a look at your sleep habits. Having bad sleep habits but a good bed will lead to mediocre sleep at best. Make sure you don't sleep with electronic devices like the TV on when you're falling asleep. The blue light that comes from screens will keep you up, even if you have a very comfortable mattress.
You should also work on your posture when you're not sleeping. Good hip and spine alignment starts in bed, but it doesn't end there. Make sure you're keeping your spine aligned and straight throughout the day, especially if you work at a desk where your spine is bent over most of the time.
You should also try to keep your shoulders back to get ideal posture. If you make good spine alignment a habit, you'll notice you're more comfortable when you sleep as well. As a side sleeper, you should aim for an ideal hybrid mattress that holds a perfect balance between support and softness. Such mattresses feature padded top foam and are quilted plus they tend to be more durable.
Why Should You Buy a Hybrid Mattress?
As opposed to a traditional innerspring mattress or a memory foam bed, a hybrid mattress designed for a side sleeper doesn't compromise. If you like the responsive springy feel of an innerspring mattress, but love the way memory foam conforms to your body, a hybrid mattress is the only type of mattress that can give you both.
If you're worried about relieving pressure in your shoulders and hips without compromising on the familiar feel of a mattress you're used to, a hybrid can help. Since the top layer of a hybrid mattress is almost always a memory foam comfort layer, you get good pressure relief in your shoulders and hips and relief of back pain without compromising on support or motion transfer.
Since your hips and shoulders are the most prone to pressure with side sleeping, a medium firm hybrid mattress, especially one made with infused memory foam, is one of the best overall options. They provide optimal comfort, last a long time, and if you buy from the right company, you normally get to test out the bed to see if you like it.
Why Is Memory Foam Alone Not Enough?
Memory foam has been around for a while, and while it can be an excellent fit for a side sleeper, the industry has evolved and left memory foam (in its older form) in the dust.
Unlike breathable innerspring mattresses, memory foam tends to sleep very hot and can make you feel stuck. That's why most memory foam mattresses aren't suitable for hot sleepers. If you've ever tried sleeping on a low density memory foam, you know the feeling. Sure, it has great motion isolation, but at what cost. Most people like the way memory foam feels at first, but after being on it for an hour or two, you start to notice the heat and stuck feeling. It can be hard to move around and change positions.
One of the worst parts of an all memory foam bed is that they don't last as long as you might expect. Since the entire bed is made from a memory foam material without any actual support, it's not uncommon for the bed to develop trenches and sagging. With a hybrid, you have the coils —making up the support layer— to support the mattress, so you minimize the risk of sinkage over time, making them better suited for hot sleepers who lie on their side.
For side sleepers that often have pressure points in their shoulders and hips, you need a little give on the comfort layer but support deep down. Side sleepers often like a softer mattress with a medium firm feel, but not all side sleepers are the same.
Is Buying a Mattress Online Risky?
Buying anything online comes with inherent risk. You need to make sure the company shipping you the product has a good reputation and has your best interest at heart. When it comes to memory foam hybrid mattresses for side sleepers, buying a mattress online is actually less risky than buying in a store...but why?
Most mattress stores have commission-based sales people. They're not as interested in pairing you with the right bed for your pressure points as they are interested in talking you into the bed they make the most money on. If you choose to buy a hybrid mattress (foam and pocketed coils) online, you skip the sleazy sales team. You get to take your time and read real-world reviews. Most of the best mattress companies out there know you need to feel comfortable making such a large investment. This is why it's the industry standard to provide at least 30 days to try out a new mattress, and almost all companies offer free shipping and returns.
Sure, you can't lay on the mattress before you make a purchase...but even if you could, it wouldn't give you an accurate view of how the bed will feel for longer periods of time. If you forego the chance to lay on the mattress for a few minutes and in turn get the option to test the mattress out for 30 days or more, with the option of free returns, it's a no brainer.
Conclusion
Side sleeping doesn’t have to mean uncomfortable nights and lots of pillows to prevent pain. Instead, you can consider one of the hybrid mattresses we tested for side sleepers to provide you with that great night’s sleep everyone needs. You can Rest assured that none of our top picks for soft mattresses will disappoint you. It's high time you stop struggling with traditional memory foam mattresses and find one that works to support the side sleepers from us.
Gabe is the newest member of The Sleep Shop team. If you like the design of The Sleep Shop, give Gabe a thumbs up. He’s a digital marketing and design guru and the brains behind the design and SEO of The Sleep Shop. He also won’t say no to testing a ton of mattresses either, and helps on almost every mattress review.
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