When 74% of the population falls into bed at night, they curl up on either the left or right side of their body. Just like every sleeping position, there are pros and cons to sleeping on your side, and there are mattresses that are best suited for the position you sleep in. Buying the best mattress for side sleepers will ensure you reap the benefits and combat the consequences of sleeping on your side.
Pros & Cons Of Side Sleeping
Benefits Of Sleeping On Your Side
Due to the way your organs are positioned, there are benefits to sleeping specifically on the left side of your body. Sleeping on your left side alleviates acid reflux and heartburn, boosts digestion, helps drain toxins in the lymph nodes, improves circulation to the heart and is good for your brain. It also may help reduce snoring and symptoms of sleep apnea.
Doctors highly recommend expectant mothers sleep on their left side as well for optimal blood flow. Side sleeping is ideal for pregnant women because sleeping on their back may strain their lower back, and sleeping on their stomach could hurt themselves or the baby.
Drawbacks Of Sleeping On Your Side
When considering the best and worst sleeping positions for your health, sleeping on your side certainly isn’t the worst. Nevertheless, it can put pressure on your stomach and lungs, so you don’t want to lie in that position all night. Lying on your side, and specifically lying on one of your arms, also puts your arm at risk of going temporarily numb, as a result of poor circulation. This is called paresthesia, otherwise known as the “pins and needles” sensation.
Sleeping on your side may misalign your spine if your back is bent. If your back is bent, your spine is bent, and it’s strained. It’s important that side sleepers keep their back straight when they sleep.
Side sleeping can strain your shoulders too since they support much of your body weight throughout the night. Depending on your exact positioning, you may wake up with some sore spots and achy muscles.
Mattress Options For Side Sleepers
Since the side of your body has curves (shoulders, hips, knees, etc.), there are opportunities to create tension and build pressure in certain areas throughout the night. To avoid this, side sleepers require a softer mattress. On a firm mattress, they may end up sleeping with an unaligned spine, which could cause back issues in the long run. A soft mattress gives the perfect amount of support while also preventing potential stress or injury.
Memory foam is especially great for side sleepers. It is luxurious, soft and has pressure-relieving benefits. Memory foam adjusts to the shape and weight of your body and will slightly sink in when you lie on your side. That way, your muscles can relax into the mattress and your body won’t be stiff all night.
Best Mattress For Side Sleepers
The Serta iDirections Elite X8 Hybrid Pillow Top Mattress is a revered mattress that we consider to be one of the very best mattresses for side sleepers. It is designed to be highly supportive and aid in pain relief. It consists of four different layers of memory foam that offer temperature regulation, pressure point relief, comfort, and helps with proper airflow. A high-quality mattress will help keep your spine aligned throughout the night, impacting both your health and quality of sleep.
This mattress is also compatible with an adjustable base. Adjustable bases are great for side sleepers because they help evenly distribute your body’s pressure over the surface area of the bed, put less strain on your heart, encourage a healthier sleeping posture, and customize the position of your mattress to match the position of your body and maximize comfort.
Wake Up On The Right Side Of The Mattress
Sleep on your left and you’ll wake up on the right side of the bed each morning.
Mattress Warehouse is home to several mattresses that are perfectly designed for the overwhelming percentage of the population that sleeps on their side. If you want to explore the many mattresses we offer for side sleepers from the comfort of your own home, take our bedMATCHⓇ quiz.
Our state-of-the-art sleep diagnostic system bedMATCHⓇ uses scientific data and mathematical calculations to determine the best mattress for you. The quiz offers the opportunity to identify yourself as a side sleeper and point out the pain or issues you experience while sleeping through the night. Our technology will consider your input and tell you not only the best mattresses for side sleepers, but the best mattresses for you specifically. You won’t be disappointed.