The Best Mattress for Side Sleepers
Some of us sleep on our backs, others on our sides, and still others a combination of positions. For side sleepers, finding the right mattress is sometimes difficult because of the awkward positions their bodies can be in during the night. Side sleeping puts extra pressure on the shoulders and hips; pressure that's not typically felt by those who sleep on their back or front. Therefore, it's important for side sleepers to make sure they have a mattress that is comfortable enough, yet firm enough to support them in order to get a good night’s sleep.
Don't believe the hype that says one specific mattress is better for side sleepers than others. According to the experts at WebMD, there is so much variation in terms of body size and shape, as well as individual preferences of comfort that it's impossible to say specifically what the best mattress is. WebMD also insists that you need to spend 15 to 20 minutes lying on a mattress before you can even begin to get a good idea of how your body will react to it. That means mattress shopping can be a day-long experience if you do it right.
Special Issues for Side Sleepers
If you sleep primarily on your side you have a couple of special considerations to deal with that back and front sleepers don't. The first is keeping your spine aligned. This one issue is largely responsible for much of the back and neck pain experienced by side sleepers. The problem is, the spine was designed to stay as straight as possible within reason; when we're standing that's usually not much of an issue, as long as we stand up straight. But when we lie down, weight and gravity enter into the equation making it much more difficult for the spine to remain in proper alignment.
The second issue for side sleepers is the position of the shoulders and hips. If you sleep on your right side for example, your right shoulder and hip will bear much of the weight of your upper body during the night. Without a mattress that properly supports these two areas, you're likely to wake up with moderate to severe pain in both joints. For back sleepers, this is less of an issue because pressure is much more evenly distributed across the shoulders and the buttocks. Front sleepers also don't have big problems with hips and shoulders because the chest supports the majority of the weight.
What to Look For in a Mattress
With any sleep position, you're always looking for a good balance between support and comfort. More often than not, side sleepers need a mattress that is a bit more firm in order to keep their spinal cords aligned and their hips and shoulders fully supported. To that end, you'll need to lie on a given mattress and take notice of how your shoulders and hips feel. They will be the body parts that will determine the proper firmness.
If you feel like your shoulders and hips are sagging, even slightly, that's a good indication that a mattress is too soft. This will definitely throw your spine out of alignment and cause at least moderate pain for many people.
On the other hand, if you feel as though your shoulders and hips are being pushed upward to an uncomfortable level, the mattress is too firm. While it won't be such a great issue in terms of spinal alignment, it will put unnecessary pressure on your hips and shoulders that will almost always cause pain. Ideally, a mattress with proper firmness is one that allows you to lie still without being able to take particular notice of your shoulders and hips.
Mattress Construction for Side Sleepers
For all intents and purposes there are four basic mattress types you'll be looking at:
- innerspring (a.k.a. coil spring)
- latex and memory foam
- adjustable air
- waterbed
Innerspring mattresses are mostly a good choice for side sleepers with no other pain issues. Because the surface area on which the side sleeper lies is not nearly as large as that for back or front sleepers, pressure points with innerspring mattresses don't tend to be such a big deal. An innerspring mattress usually provides a good amount of support and comfort. The only thing about coil spring mattresses is the fact that the comfort level can be drastically different from one model to the next. So if you plan to go with a coil spring, take the time to test each one of your options before choosing.
The Foam Mattress
When it comes to foam, you can choose between latex or memory foam. With latex you have an additional two subsets: natural latex and synthetic latex. While these two types of latex are technically different, you probably won't notice anything in terms of comfort and firmness. Synthetic versus natural really depends on your view of whether natural products are better. Where the big difference lies in terms of foam is latex versus memory foam.
Latex foam is typically more comfortable for side sleepers because it provides good firmness and reasonable comfort. Memory foam, on the other hand, is significantly less firm and "hugs" the body, making it uncomfortable for many side sleepers. It's not uncommon for such individuals to feel as though they are being "swallowed" by their memory foam mattress. Again, the choice between latex and memory foam is one of personal preference.
Air and Waterbed Mattresses
In terms of adjustable air mattresses, they might be the best choice overall for side sleepers. The greatest benefit of these mattresses is the fact that they can be adjusted from one night to the next in order to find that maximum level of comfort and support. Side sleepers find this benefit especially helpful because their comfort level can change more drastically based on temperature and humidity.
Finally, the typical waterbed mattress is usually a bad idea for side sleepers. Because of the narrow profile of the side sleeper he is more apt to sink into a waterbed, therefore getting neither the support nor comfort needs. Waterbed mattresses are typically better for those who sleep on their backs.
If you're an individual with multiple sleep positions, including your side, choose your mattress based on the most dominant position you use. If there is no dominant position, make your choice based on side sleeping. It is the most difficult position to find the right comfort level for.