Best Mattress for Side Sleepers

If you sleep with a partner, you may experience sleep disturbance from their tossing and turning. But a bed with low motion transfer (or high motion isolation) is able to isolate movement on one side of the bed and prevent the sleeper on the other side from feeling it. I test motion isolation by dropping a 10-pound steel ball onto one side of the bed from gradually increasing heights and measuring the disturbance on the other side with a seismometer. When performing this test on the Helix Midnight, I found average motion-isolating abilities. Most sleepers shouldn’t be too disturbed by a restless partner on this bed, but light sleepers may want a bed with lower motion transfer, such as the Nectar Premier.

Mattress support comes down to its construction. The support layer in the Helix Midnight is made from individually wrapped coils that keep the sleeper lifted and prevent too much sinkage. The top foam layers, especially the Helix Response foam, still provide some initial sinkage but are firm enough to keep the spine in the proper position.

I test mattress cooling using a thermal gun to measure how much the mattress heated up after laying on it for five minutes. The Helix Midnight only heated up about five degrees, which indicates good cooling abilities. This bed also contains a layer of coils that promote airflow and breathability. For extra-hot sleepers, purchasing the optional GlacioTex pillow top could help draw even more heat away from the mattress.

Edge support is tested by measuring how strong the mattress is along the sides and whether I feel stable and supported when laying and sitting on it. This is appealing to couples or anyone that simply likes to spread out, as strong edges can make a mattress feel bigger. Strong edges also indicate durability and a lower chance of sagging over time. When measuring the sinkage of the Helix Midnight with a tape measure while sitting on it, I found strong edge support due to its reinforced edge support system. I felt secure and didn’t feel like I was about to slip off the bed.

I test pressure relief by rolling out a specialized mat across the mattress and lying on it in different sleeping positions. The mat is able to sense pressure and translate the results into an easy-to-read graphic using thermal imaging. When sleeping on my side, the mat sensed very little pressure buildup at the shoulders and hips. This tells us that you shouldn’t experience pain on this mattress when sleeping on your side. In fact, I think sleepers with preexisting hip or shoulder pain could find some relief on this bed.

• Phone: Available 11 a.m.–6 p.m. EST, Monday to Friday at 831-777-5976
• Email: help@helixsleep.com or use their contact form
• Live chat: Available 10 a.m.–10 p.m, EST, Monday to Sunday
• Visit in person: View partner showrooms

Helix offers several forms of payment on their website through Visa, Master Card, Discover, American Express as well as Google Pay, PayPal, Shop Pay, and Amazon Pay. You can also finance their mattresses through the Affirm financing program.

Helix also offers a 30 percent off site-wide + two free pillows discount to military members, first responders, students and teachers.

I test motion isolation by dropping a 10-pound steel ball onto the mattress from three different heights and measuring the detected disturbance using a seismometer. If the seismograph displays harsh spiking lines, you’re likely to feel your partner tossing and turning on their side of the bed. When performing this test on the Saatva Classic, the seismometer detected high motion transfer, likely due to the bouncy coil-on-coil construction. In general, innerspring mattresses have a hard time isolating motion because they’re so responsive.

I gave the Saatva Classic 5 stars for support because of its coil-on-coil construction that keeps sleepers lifted up and out of the mattress. This bed definitely has a more “on top” of the bed feel that prevents the spine from sinking and bending. The layer of memory foam in the middle is zoned for support, meaning its firmness fluctuates depending on where the sleeper needs the most support. This layer includes a proprietary Spinal Wire that’s designed to offer additional spinal support.

Innerspring mattresses like the Saatva Classic tend to sleep cooler than memory foam beds due to the airflow supplied by the coils. The Saatva has two layers of coils for even more breathability. When I measured the mattress’s temperature after laying on it for 5 minutes, it had heated up by 9.3 degrees. This indicates good cooling, and I felt pretty cool when resting on it.

If a mattress is just as strong along the edges as it is in the center, couples and single sleepers alike can fully spread out and use the entire surface of the mattress. Strong edges also reduce the risk of the mattress sagging over time. I was extremely impressed by the edge support on the Saatva Classic, as it only sank half an inch when sitting directly on the edge. In fact, this bed has some of the best edge support I have ever seen.

I tested pressure relief on the Saatva Classic by using a specialized mat that senses when pressure is applied. I rolled the mat onto the mattress and layed down in different sleeping positions. The mat then translated the pressure buildup into a graphic using thermal imaging. On the Saatva Classic’s Luxury Firm model, there was a bit of pressure building at the shoulders and hips when side sleeping. I recommend side sleepers choose the Plush Soft model for more sinkage and contouring in those areas.

• Phone: 877-672-2882
• Email: info@saatvamattress.com
• Chat: Available on their website 24/7
• Visit in person: Viewing rooms

Saatva accepts various payment methods like Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, PayPal and Google Pay. You can also pay in installments through Affirm’s financing program.

Saatva also offers a $225 off of $1000 discount for different groups of people like military members, 65 and above, healthcare professionals, students, teachers, first responders and government employees.

Memory foam is typically the best material for motion isolation. Since all-foam mattresses don’t contain coils, there’s less bounce and transfer of movement. The Nectar Premier lived up to my expectations during testing, and the lines on the seismograph indicate you won’t feel your partner tossing and turning at night.

Although this bed doesn’t contain coils (which can add a ton of support to a mattress), I found the Nectar Premier to be very supportive and durable. I could feel the three inches of dynamic response foam easing me onto the 8-inch poly foam base. The poly foam base has a higher density than the top foam layers, so it gave the bed structure and prevented me from sinking too far into the bed.

I was hesitant to test the Nectar Premier for cooling because memory foam mattresses are notorious for trapping heat. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how cool this bed slept. The mattress cover is breathable and cool to the touch. When I used the thermal gun after lying on the bed for 5 minutes, the temperature had only increased by 4.3 degrees, which indicates excellent cooling. I think the Nectar Premier is a great choice for hot sleepers looking for a memory foam mattress.

Since the Nectar Premier doesn’t contain coils or reinforced edges, I had low expectations for its edge support. When I sat on the edge of the mattress, it sunk a bit under my weight. When I laid down directly on the edge, I didn’t feel very stable and thought I might fall off the bed. When I pulled out my yardstick to measure the sinkage, I found the layers had collapsed about 2 inches. The edge support on this mattress isn’t the worst I’ve ever seen, but I would recommend an innerspring bed with stronger edge support to folks with mobility issues.

Based on the pressure map results, I think the Nectar Premier is a great pick for side and back sleepers. This mattress falls at a 6 out of 10 on our firmness scale, making it a medium-soft bed. This firmness level is great for side sleepers who need soft contouring around the hips and shoulders. I also think sleepers struggling with back and hip pain could find relief on this bed.

• Phone: (888) 863-2827, available 7 days a week
• Email: support@nectarsleep.com
• Live chat: Chat available 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. PST, 7 days a week
• View showrooms: Store locations

Nectar offers fast and secure payments through Visa, Discover, Master Card, American Express, PayPal, AmazonPay with financing options through Affirm financing program and Split It program.

Nectar also offers an extra 5 percent off of their best onsite offer for military members, healthcare professionals, and first responders.

The WinkBed contains coils, but isn’t as bouncy as some other hybrid mattresses I’ve tried. I was eager to see how well this bed performed on my motion isolation test. Based on the seismograph, I can say this bed has good motion isolation. Although it has a layer of coils, the foam layer and plush pillow top really put in the work to absorb motion and decrease motion transfer. If you sleep with a restless partner, you’re unlikely to be woken up by their movement.

Although the WinkBed is a luxury hybrid mattress, I thought it had a supportive fee similar to transitional innerspring mattresses. The extra-tall layer of individually wrapped coils act as the main support system. These coils feature multiple support zones, meaning their firmness fluctuates depending on where sleepers need more support. When lying on the WinkBed, I felt very lifted and supported, and my spine was properly aligned when side and back sleeping. I definitely felt more “on” the bed than “in” it, and I think sleepers looking for firmer support could really enjoy the WinkBed.

The WinkBed contains several materials that are designed to promote cooling. The extra-tall layer of pocketed coils provide space inside the mattress for air to flow without becoming trapped. More cooling comes from the Tencel cover, which is naturally moisture-wicking, and the gel-infused Euro pillow top. When I used a thermal gun to record the mattress’s temperature, I found it only increased by 7 degrees after 5 minutes of resting on it. This indicates good temperature regulation. I even thought the bed was cool to the touch, so I’d definitely recommend it to hot sleepers.

I was impressed by the edge support on the WinkBed, especially when sitting on the edges. I used a yardstick to measure how much the bed sunk under my weight when sitting and was surprised that it had only sunk less than half an inch. I felt slightly less stable when lying on the edges, but I still think it’s strong enough for couples and people with mobility issues.

Using a specialized mat, we tested pressure relief on the Luxury Firm model of the WinkBed. When we took a look at the graphic afterward (called a “pressure map”), we saw an even distribution of weight and pressure when back sleeping. However, there was a bit more pressure building at the hips and shoulders when side sleeping. Because of this, I would recommend the Softer model of the WinkBed for side sleepers. This model should be just soft enough to add a bit more sinkage and prevent pain in side sleepers.

• Phone: (888) 863-2827, available 7 days a week
• Email: support@nectarsleep.com
• Live chat: Chat available 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. PST, 7 days a week
• View showrooms: Store locations

WinkBeds allows payments through different methods like Visa, Discover, American Express, Master Card, GooglePay, and ShopPay. They also offer financing options through Bread Pay and Katapult.

If you’re a military member or first responder, WinkBeds also offers an additional $50 discount on mattresses.

I was super-impressed with the motion isolation on the Nolah Evolution. When we took a look at our seismograph, we saw very small lines with minimal spiking, which indicates low disturbance. Even though the bed contains bouncy coils, the top layers of foam help absorb motion and prevent it from traveling to the other side of the bed. Based on these results, I think this mattress is great for couples, especially if one or both partners tend to toss and turn. You may detect larger movements, like getting in and out of bed, but your sleep shouldn’t be disturbed otherwise.

When I tested this bed, I found it incredibly supportive. The main support system is Nplah’s patented HDMax EcoSupport Coils, which do a great job at keeping the sleeper lifted and propping the spine into neutral alignment. The two comfort layers and transition layer were pressure relieving, but also supported my joints. The mattress’s support is enhanced even more from the inch of high-density support foam under the coils. This layer gives the coils something to bounce off of when weight is applied.

As I’ve mentioned before, coils in mattresses do a lot to help with airflow and keep the bed breathable, and the coils in the Nolah Evolution do just that. Additional cooling comes from the two comfort layers. The first comfort layer contains Nolah’s ArticTex fibers, which help cool down the foam. The next layer of AirFoamICE is similar to Nolah’s proprietary AirFoam, except this foam is infused with graphite, which helps prevent heat trapping. Although I haven’t tested this mattress with our temperature-reading thermal gun yet (stay tuned), I think this bed sleeps pretty cool and can help prevent overheating.

In addition to helping with overall support, the 8-inch layer of HDMax Eco Support Coils help with support along the Nolah Evolution’s edges. The coils are wrapped with Edge-Tech support foam, which reinforces the edges and ensures the bed’s perimeter will be just as strong as the center. When I tested the edges myself, I found solid support. The edges were just as supportive as the rest of the bed, and I felt very secure.

The Nolah Evolution is a medium-firm mattress, so it should provide a nice balance between pressure relief and spinal support for side sleepers. This was confirmed by the pressure map, which shows minimal pressure building at the hips and shoulders when side sleeping. I personally felt a lot of sinkage and pressure relief in those areas when side sleeping, and felt like my joints were being hugged by the bed. Most side sleepers should be very happy on this mattress, but side sleepers with preexisting hip pain might want a bed that’s just a tad softer.

• Phone: 866-403-6615, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. CST, Monday–Friday
• Email: support@nolahmattress.com, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. CST, Monday–Friday
• Live chat: Available 8 a.m.–5 p.m. CST, Monday–Friday
• View showrooms: Store locator

Nolah accepts payments from Visa, Master Card, American Express, Discover, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, PayPal, and Shop Pay. They also offer financing through Affirm’s financing program.

Nolah does not offer any additional discounts for groups of people.

I was very satisfied with the motion isolation abilities of the Saatva Rx. When I took a look at the seismograph, there were some spiking lines, but I didn’t find these too concerning since they went right back down immediately. This tells me that you might feel large movements from a partner, such as getting out of bed, but typical tossing and turning shouldn’t wake you up.

I gave the Saatva Rx 5 stars for support because of its sturdy construction that’s durable and comfortable for sleepers of all weights. The mattress contains microcoils and pocketed coils, which work together to support the spine. Additionally, the first layer of foam you’ll feel contains zoned support, so its firmness fluctuates depending on where you need the most support.

The Saatva Rx is an overall good mattress for hot sleepers looking to stay cool. With a tall section of coils, there’s plenty of room for air to flow in and out of the bed without getting trapped. The organic cotton cover is naturally breathable, and the gel-infused memory foam helps the bed sleep even cooler. When I tested the Saatva Rx’s cooling abilities with a thermal gun, I recorded an 8-degree increase in temperature after laying on it for 5 minutes. This qualifies as good cooling, and I think hot sleepers can be very satisfied on this bed.

The edge support on the Saatva Rx is a bit all over the place. When I sat directly on the edge of the mattress, there was a lot of sinkage and the layers collapsed under my weight. When I tried actually lying on the edge, I felt much more supported and didn’t see a ton of sinkage. Edge support is the most important when you’re lying down and sleeping, so I’m satisfied with the Saatva Rx’s performance in this area.

I think the Saatva Rx is an excellent choice for side sleepers needing pressure relief. Looking at our pressure map, there’s not a whole lot of pressure building at the hips and shoulders when side sleeping. Likewise, I found great pressure relief when sleeping on my back. I felt comfortable in either sleeping position and don’t foresee pain or stiffness becoming an issue.