Best mattresses for side sleepers (and scrolling through TikTok in bed)

A miserable mattress shopping experience inspired two Silicon Valley software engineers to found Tuft & Needle in 2012, promising their customers “quality craftsmanship without the gimmicks.” Their highly rated, medium-firm T&N Original Mattress is popular on r/Mattress, where the vast majority of users gush about its premium support, softness, and durability, as well as the company’s customer service and overall value.

The mattress contains three different layers of material: just-bouncy-enough T&N Adaptive Foam for optimal pressure relief; a breathable cover for cool sleeping; and a high-quality support layer for all-night comfort. It's designed to fit on virtually any box spring, platform, or frame, but can also be placed directly on the floor (if that’s your thing) without losing its shape.

Layla is newer on the online mattress scene compared to the likes of Casper, Purple, and other big brands. But, they've reinvigorated the category in a big way with their Flippable Hybrid Mattress that hopes to provide a solution to a bevy of sleep ailments. Two unique features separate Layla's mattress from the rest: Its flippable nature and copper infusion.

The fact that the Layla Hybrid bed can be flipped and used in different ways makes it a no-brainer for those who change up their sleep position at a moment's notice. Craving a softer mattress one night, but a firmer one the next? Layla is both — all you have to do is flip.

Those copper-infused layers make for a specially designed pocketed coil system that helps achieve enhanced support no matter what side you end up sleeping on, too.

No matter your sleeping style, no one likes waking up in a sticky knot of sweat-soaked sheets. Enter: the Leesa Original Mattress, a medium-firm foam mattress from the eponymous bed-in-a-box brand that contains a recovery layer of memory foam, a support layer of dense foam, and two inches of LSA200 Foam Technology. The latter’s microcell structure permits ample airflow to reduce moisture while providing enough support and pressure relief for even the most scrupulous of side sleepers. 

Specs aside, you’ll sleep even better on a Leesa once you find out what it does beyond the bedroom: The company donates one mattress for every 10 they sell, and has contributed more than 30,000 units to date.

The 100% completely handmade Birch mattress is a stellar and smart pick for eco-conscious shoppers because of its environmentally-sound construction and its amazing warranty (25 years!), making this our pick for the best eco-friendly mattress.The six-layer mattress is made completely from organic materials, and breaks down as follows:

• Layer 1: Constructed from highly breathable soft organic cotton.

• Layer 2: Made with natural wool fibers and rayon to create a fire-retardant layer that is free of plastics.

• Layer 3: The comfort layer — it's 100% all-natural, organic cotton that provides amazing comfort and temperature regulation. Retains shape and elasticity for years. 

• Layer 4: Natural responsive latex that cushions pressure points and provides contour support.

• Layer 5: Individually wrapped pocketed coils made from steel give reinforced support for side, back, and stomach sleepers alike. 

• Layer 6: A base layer made of all-natural, organic wool batting to round out the durability factor. 

Birch describes their mattress as "farm-to-bed," citing their ethically sourced organic cotton. (You can read more about their practices on the website.) If anxiety about the environment is keeping you from getting a decent night's sleep, then this mattress is an excellent choice.

Zinus’ main draw is its ridiculous affordability: You can get its California king-sized mattress for a fraction of the price of other brands’ twins. Impressively, though, this 17-year-old company from Seoul doesn’t sacrifice comfort to bring you a bargain. 

Designed to be as calming and cozy as a mug of green tea, Zinus’ 12-inch, medium-firm mattress contains a two-inch layer of gel-infused memory foam featuring natural green tea extract and active charcoal for lasting comfort and freshness. This material sits upon several inches each of cloud-like comfort foam; body-conforming high-density foam; and durable, high-density base support foam, all of which is enveloped by a knit jacquard cover. Zinus recommends you place its mattresses on a box spring for extra support, but they’ll do just fine on the floor or a platform, too.

The process of making a Sleep On Latex mattress begins in the forests of Sri Lanka, where rubber trees are harvested and turned into a strong, all-natural Dunlop latex material the brand calls Pure Green foam. This innovative material comes free of synthetic products and fillers, and boasts leading international health certifications so you’ll never lose sleep over your mattress’ makeup.

You’ll find a two-inch comfort layer and a six-inch base layer of Pure Green foam inside every SOL model, each of which comes with a soft, airy cover made from organic cotton and organic New Zealand wool. SOL’s Medium Firmness mattress is ideal for side sleepers who weigh more than 225 pounds or so, as it provides thickness and firmness without being rigid or overly bouncy, and doesn’t sag with use. 

“Life’s too short to be uncomfortable,” reads Purple’s slogan — which, fair! The company has taken that mantra to heart by scientifically engineering its mattresses with a unique material called Hyper-Elastic Polymer, a grid-shaped, pressure-releasing, temperature-neutral, and nontoxic material that’s more than 20 years in the making. Originally licensed to makers of critical care hospital beds, shoe insoles, backpack straps, and toy balls, Hyper-Elastic Polymer makes every Purple mattress a triple threat of spine support, no-feel motion transfer, and free air flow. This cushioning technology forms the top layer of every Purple mattress; the rest of it is comprised of soft and medium-firm high-density polyurethane foam.

The medium-firm Purple Hybrid Premier with a 3-inch Grid height (previously known as the Purple.3) is the model considered to be best for side sleepers, as it conforms rather close to the body while maintaining a supportive density.

It’s the mattress heard ‘round the podcasting world: Casper. Pledging “[great] sleep, simplified,” the millennial brand’s award-winning Original model features four different layers of comfort and support, including an easy-to-clean cover; a breathable, open-cell layer that sleeps cool; a memory foam layer for pressure relief; a Zoned Support layer that’s firm under your hips and soft under your shoulders for improved alignment; and a supportive base layer for additional durability. 

For a bed-in-a-box company, Casper notably excels in the realm of add-ons. Customers are given a wide range of extra perks to choose from, including pillows, bed frames, a gradually dimming “Glow Light,” bedding, a nightstand, and even a dog bed — all of which ship straight to your doorstep and require minimal assembly (if any).

We’d be remiss if we didn’t also mention Casper’s headline-making lawsuit against a handful of mattress-review blogs that reviewed them negatively, one of whose acquisitions it later financed in a move Vox/Recode described as “bizarre.” Publicity like that might turn off some potential customers, but that’s your call to make.

Tons of people have issues when it comes to overheating at night. If you too find yourself drenched in sweat when the sun rises, Tempur-Pedic could be the solution you need. 

"Our breeze mattresses were designed in our thermal laboratory to help manage the micro-climate between your mattress and your covers for a cooler, deeper sleep all night long," claims the bed brand on their website. "Research suggests a cooler sleep environment helps you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer with less tossing and turning… for better quality sleep."

Thanks to the three separate cooling layers within this mattress, you'll feel more comfortable as soon as you lay down — one for instant cooling, the next for retaining that coolness, and one more for extreme breathability (which allows heat that normally gets trapped under the covers to be cycled outside of the mattress). Below that are three more layers of comfortable and supportive memory foam to help round out the quality of the mattress.