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June 23, 2022
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Over half of seniors sleep on their side. While doing so has many health benefits, it can also be the source of shoulder and back pain if you’re using the wrong mattress. To help all of the side sleepers out there, we researched and tested some of the top mattresses in the industry to find out which ones work best for those who sleep on their sides.
We used the following factors to select and evaluate the best mattresses for senior side sleepers.
Cost for a queen: $1,049
Trial length: 120 nights
Warranty: Lifetime
Just over $1,000 and packed with innovative technology, The Nolah Original surpasses the typical memory foam mattress in durability, pressure relief, and cooling, making it perfect for side sleepers.
The 10-inch mattress has a Tencel cover and is composed of three foam layers. It’s made of Nolah AirFoam, which is composed of billions of microscopic air bubbles that distribute body weight for maximum pressure relief. This layer puts four times less peak pressure on your shoulders, hips, and lower back than memory foam. This layer also cushions your joints and bones and promotes spinal alignment, reducing painful inflammation.
Most of our testing team agreed that they liked the feel of Nolah’s proprietary foam. The general consensus about its pressure-relieving ability was among the best they’d experienced with foam mattresses, but they weren’t sure four times better was entirely merited. Support and cooling worked as they should, and received satisfied and very satisfied ratings from our testers. We’ll have to trust Nolah’s lab-tested results regarding the mattress’s long-term durability, as our testing only lasted two weeks.
When you add your mattress to your online cart, Nolah gives you the option to reduce the total amount you’re paying by $70 if you select the option to remove your risk-free trial. Once you make your purchase, The Nolah Original ships for free via FedEx. If you prefer, you can add white-glove delivery for $125. You can return the mattress for any reason during the four-month trial period and receive a full refund, minus a $99 transportation fee.
Cost for a queen: $1,199
Trial length: 100 nights
Warranty: 10 years
The hybrid Helix Midnight is medium-firm and made with OEKO-TEX and CertiPUR-US materials. The Midnight is a terrific choice for couples with different sleeping habits since it comfortably supports stomach and back sleepers as well. It also has excellent motion isolation.
The $1,199 Midnight gives side sleepers significant pressure relief with body-hugging contours. Below the pressure-relieving layers of foam are up to 950 individually wrapped 8″ steel coils. These coils reduce motion transfer, strengthen mattress edges, and support your body, so you sink just enough. Side sleepers reported good-to-exceptional shoulder, hip, and lower back pain alleviation. Our testing team liked the Midnight’s support, and their partners noted the testers’ straight, aligned spines. With a 1,000-pound weight capacity, all of our testers under 325 pounds felt well supported.
Helix Midnight delivers between three to 10 business days from the company’s website. Helix gives a 15 percent discount to teachers, veterans, and first responders. You’ll get a full refund if you return your mattress within 100 days. Helix requires a 30-night break-in period before accepting a return.
Cost for a queen: $1,049
Trial length: 120 nights
Warranty: Lifetime
Just over $1,000 and packed with innovative technology, The Nolah Original surpasses the typical memory foam mattress in durability, pressure relief, and cooling, making it perfect for side sleepers.
The 10-inch mattress has a Tencel cover and is composed of three foam layers. It’s made of Nolah AirFoam, which is composed of billions of microscopic air bubbles that distribute body weight for maximum pressure relief. This layer puts four times less peak pressure on your shoulders, hips, and lower back than memory foam. This layer also cushions your joints and bones and promotes spinal alignment, reducing painful inflammation.
Most of our testing team agreed that they liked the feel of Nolah’s proprietary foam. The general consensus about its pressure-relieving ability was among the best they’d experienced with foam mattresses, but they weren’t sure four times better was entirely merited. Support and cooling worked as they should, and received satisfied and very satisfied ratings from our testers. We’ll have to trust Nolah’s lab-tested results regarding the mattress’s long-term durability, as our testing only lasted two weeks.
When you add your mattress to your online cart, Nolah gives you the option to reduce the total amount you’re paying by $70 if you select the option to remove your risk-free trial. Once you make your purchase, The Nolah Original ships for free via FedEx. If you prefer, you can add white-glove delivery for $125. You can return the mattress for any reason during the four-month trial period and receive a full refund, minus a $99 transportation fee.
Cost for a queen: $1,949
Trial length: 180 nights
Warranty: 15 years
The Saatva Classic is ideal for side sleepers and is the luxury mattress brand’s best-selling product. With three firmness levels, you can choose the version of the mattress that works best for your body weight and firmness preference. Exclusively online, the brand cuts out the middleman by selling directly to the consumer. This sales method enables Saatva to sell its four-star, hotel-worthy mattresses for significantly less cost (up to 70 percent) than comparable mattresses in the traditional retail space.
The Classic stood out to our team because of its excellent support and comfort systems. With its dual-coil design, foam-lined edges, recycled carbon steel tempered for stability, and proprietary Lumbar Zone technology, the Saatva provides side sleepers with the strong support they need. Its ample pressure-relieving properties, such as a plush Euro pillow top that cradles and cushions your body, extra lumbar padding for spinal alignment, and three firmness options offer balance of support that a side sleeper needs. After two weeks of testing, several members of our side-sleeping team who experienced moderate to significant back pain said the Saatva Classic reduced their back pain by at least two points on the one to 10 pain scale.
After buying a Saatva mattress online, you have a full year to try it out. If not, Saatva will pick up the mattress and refund your money, minus a $99 processing charge. And don’t worry: returns are never resold. Rather, Saatva donates them to veterans’ shelters.
Cost for a queen: $2,399
Trial length: 100 nights
Warranty: 10 years
The Legend stood out to our team for its top-notch support and motion isolation. However, we also loved that the mattress is made-to-order with sustainable and CertiPUR-US certified materials from the brand that recycles and repurposes the polyester from 60 recycled water bottles with every queen-sized mattress. In addition, its springs are developed from recycled steel, and the company donates one new mattress to a child or family in need for every 10 sold.
The Leesa Legend’s proprietary foam and micro-pocket spring provide side sleepers with targeted and vital hip and shoulder support, which helps relieve pressure and reduce lower back pain. The mattress’ first foam layer has a hole-punched design to ensure you sleep cool and conforms to your body for support. Layer two, which is the memory foam recovery layer, is excellent and relieves pressure points through enhanced body contouring. Our side-sleeping test group for the Leesa Legend was impressed with the mattress’ high-quality pressure relief and ability to regulate temperature naturally. Its stabilizing foam foundation and 1,000+ active-response pocket springs offer edge-to-edge support and minimize motion transfer. This helps you stay asleep no matter how often your significant other tosses and turns at night. Several individuals also emphasized how much better they slept on the Legend because the motion isolation kept them from waking up any time their significant other moved.
Leesa ships within three to five days of your purchase and provides free no-contact delivery. You have 100 risk-free nights to try out your Leesa Legend mattress and determine whether it’s the best fit for you. While this trial is shorter than the four months to one year offered to similar mattress brands, such as Saatva, it’s still an ample time frame to get to know your mattress. If you return your bed during the allotted time frame, you’ll receive a full refund, and Leesa will donate it to a child or family in need.
To learn more about our favorite mattresses for seniors, be sure to check out our helpful guides:
Memory foam, latex, and hybrid mattresses are all quite suitable for side sleepers, but in most cases, the choice comes down to a matter of preference. Memory foam and latex contour to the shape of your body, relieve pressure points and keep your spine aligned. Hybrid mattresses provide critical support for heavier side sleepers or anyone who prefers a firmer mattress.
Most side sleepers prefer soft mattresses, which provide better pressure relief for your hips and shoulders and proper spinal alignment. However, mattresses that are too soft can strain your spine because of the gravitational pull on your body. Medium-soft and medium mattresses tend to provide a good balance of soft yet supportive.
Sleeping on your side is very healthy, and has many benefits. For instance, assuming your spine remains aligned while you rest, it reduces the severity of sleep apnea, acid reflux, and snoring by keeping your airways open. Additionally, it’s been proven to prevent neck and back pain.
