Many people are side sleepers – and for good reason! Sleeping on your side is an incredibly comfortable position. But what happens when you have the wrong mattress?

If you’ve ever woken up with a sore back or hips after sleeping on your side, chances are that the mattress you slept on wasn’t ideal for side sleepers. During the night, your spine was likely pushed out of alignment and too much pressure applied to certain areas of your skeletal system, resulting in your ever-present back, hip, and shoulder pain.

Side sleepers need mattresses that can conform to the shape of their body in order to alleviate pain in high-pressure areas of the body as well as to ensure that their spine remains aligned. When a mattress meets this criterion, side sleepers will find that they get the best rest and wake up feeling refreshed and pain-free.

So, if you’re a side sleeper, which mattress is best?

That’s what we’re delving into in this article. Plus, we’ll also go in-depth on why spinal alignment and pressure point relief is so important.

The Importance of Spine Alignment and Pressure Point Relief for Side Sleepers

Keeping the spine in a neutral position while you sleep is essential. When the spine isn’t aligned, it leads to back pain and general discomfort. It can even be a factor in exacerbating the pain of existing digestive problems.

Having the correct mattress for side sleeping helps to ensure that the body is contoured and supported well enough that the spine remains in its upright, neutral position. Mattresses that provide greater contouring ability are ideal for side sleepers, as they can easily mold around the shape of the body.

To determine whether your spine is in the correct alignment when you’re in bed, have someone take a photo f your back. If your spine is aligned, your body will appear straight. If it’s not, your hips or shoulders might look like they’re sinking further into the bed than your legs and head are, which means that your mattress is too soft.

Pressure point relief is super important, too, since sleeping on your side puts a lot of pressure on your hips and shoulders. In this case, both areas serve as pressure points and should be pillowed and supported to minimize pain.

Which Is Best: A Soft or Firm Mattresses?

It’s been shown that side sleepers do best on a mattress that falls somewhere between a 5 and a 7 on the firmness scale. These mattresses will still be soft  but are firmer than mattresses that are categorized as a number 1.

Factors like body weight and general mattress preferences play into this, too, of course, but generally speaking something within this range will suit you the best if you regularly sleep on your side.

So, in general, a medium mattress is best for side sleepers. The exact firmness level will depend on personal preferences and body size, though, so it’s important to know what your body needs to be comfortable before factoring in what you want.