Choosing the Best Mattress for Your Sleeping Position

Many people who deal with sleep-related discomfort mistakenly think that changing up their sleeping position will do the trick. If only a quarter turn could make all their aches and pains disappear! In reality, there is no such thing as the perfect sleeping position. Back sleeping, side sleeping, and stomach sleeping each have advantages and disadvantages.

That’s why, when it comes to health, sleepers should remember that the best sleep is good sleep. Forcing your body into an unnatural position is not the way to achieve that. Instead, focus on adapting your sleep environment to make up for the disadvantages of your sleep style.

Your sleeping position determines how your body weight is distributed over the surface of the mattress. The zones that exert the most weight are the pressure points that you should keep in mind when shopping for a mattress.

The ideal mattress is one that combines the support you need with the comfort you want. Identify your sleeping position below to learn how to choose the most comfortable mattress for you.

Side Sleeper

According to a study in the Nature and Science of Sleep, the two most popular sleeping positions are both variations of side sleeping. When shopping for mattresses, side sleepers are in luck—because they are so common, many mattresses are designed with their needs in mind.

According to Healthline, these are some of the pros and cons of sleeping on your side:

Pros

• Aids digestion
• Can calm acid reflux
• Helps prevent constipation
• Encourages healthy blood flow
• Good for brain health

Cons

• Hard on the shoulders and hips
• May knock the spine out of alignment
• Can cause joint and back pain

Firmness

Side sleepers experience extra pressure on their hips and shoulders and therefore require a mattress that cushions these zones and provides contouring support. The best type of mattress for side sleepers will be on the softer side, with a medium to medium-soft firmness level.

Construction

Memory foam mattresses offer the perfect amount of cradling support for this sleeping position, adapting to high-pressure zones while keeping the spine straight. Latex mattresses provide a similarly adaptive feel and body contouring effect. However, because latex has to be farmed and processed, these mattresses tend to be more expensive and may not have quite the same life span.

Our Recommendation

The Nectar Mattress features four adaptive foam layers that are both densely supportive and breathable at once. Its smart and simple design provides the perfect balance of cushion and resistance for side sleepers.

Back Sleeper

Some people believe that the healthiest sleeping position is on the back because it allows for a neutral neck position. However, there are downsides to the “sleepy soldier” and “shooting star” positions as well.

WebMD notes the following pros and cons associated with back sleeping:

Pros

• Prevents premature wrinkles
• Easier on the back than other sleeping positions
• Discourages acid reflux
• Encourages natural spinal alignment
• Neutral position for the neck prevents pressure build-up

Cons

• Causes snoring
• Aggravates sleep apnea
• Can cause lower back pain near the pelvis

Firmness

Because back sleepers exert their body weight more or less evenly over the mattress, they are able to sleep on mattresses of various firmness levels. Still, medium-firm to firm mattresses are generally recommended. Back sleepers should watch out for their hips, though, and prioritize a mattress that offers zoned support.

Construction

Hybrid mattresses offer the perfect mixture of comfort and support for back sleepers. The foam layers provide pressure relief and cradling comfort, while the coil base prevents sleepers from sinking in too much, especially in the sensitive lumbar region.

Our Recommendation

The Purple Hybrid Mattress combines responsive support coils and open-cell memory foam for medium-firm comfort and a cooling night of sleep. Purple’s patented grid layer offers a uniquely bracing experience, cradling hips and shoulders while supporting the back’s natural arch.

Stomach Sleeper

With only 7% of adults sleeping on their stomach, this is the least common sleeping position, probably because back sleeping may cause chronic back pain. If you are part of this minority of sleepers, you should be especially concerned with your choice of mattress, as proper support is the only way to overcome the negative aspects of this sleeping position.

Healthline reports that you can expect the following potential outcomes with sleeping on your stomach:

Pros

• Helps reduce snoring

Cons

• Bad for spinal alignment
• Increases pressure on the neck and shoulders, causing stiffness
• Pressure on muscles and joints may lead to numbness or tingling
• Disadvantageous to circulation

Firmness

Stomach sleepers will find that the most comfortable mattress is firm or medium-firm, however, the exact firmness will depend on the weight of the sleeper. Too soft a mattress will overarch the spine, while too firm a mattress will prevent the spine from resting in its natural curve.

Construction

The best type of mattress for stomach sleepers is an innerspring or a hybrid mattress, both of which offer strong support.

Our Recommendation

The Awara Mattress is a fantastic option for stomach sleepers, featuring a soft latex layer that cushions the hips and a coil layer that offers necessary structure and alignment. Latex will keep sleepers from overheating and the organic cotton top layer is highly breathable and a healthy surface for resting your head.

Combination Sleeper

This is someone that moves in their sleep, switching between back, stomach, and side sleeping. Some factors associated with changing sleeping positions throughout the night include age, sex, BMI, and tobacco use.

Firmness

Medium-firm is widely considered the most adaptive firmness level for combination sleepers. Medium-firm mattresses tend to offer a pleasant balance of comfort and support no matter what sleeping position you may be in.

Construction

A dense and structured foam mattress or a hybrid mattress is recommended for combination sleepers.

Our Recommendation

The Saatva Mattress is the best all-around mattress for combination sleepers as well as an intriguing option for all other sleepers, as customers can choose their desired firmness level. Whichever firmness level you choose, you can rest easy thanks to a supportive coil layer to relieve pressure so you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on a new day.