We all have a favourite sleeping position, whether you naturally curl up on your side, lie flat on your back or prefer sleeping on your front. But did you know that the position you sleep in can also influence which mattress feels most comfortable?
Choosing the right mattress isn’t simply about deciding between soft and firm. Your sleeping position affects where your body places pressure on the mattress and how much support different areas need throughout the night.
If you’re searching for the best mattress for side sleepers, back sleepers or front sleepers, here’s what to consider when choosing your perfect match.
What is the best mattress for side sleepers?
Side sleepers usually benefit from a mattress that provides a balance of cushioning and support.
When you sleep on your side, much of your body weight is concentrated around your shoulders and hips. A mattress that can gently adapt around these areas can help you settle into a comfortable sleeping position while still providing support through the rest of your body.
For this reason, medium and medium-firm mattresses can be particularly suitable for side sleepers, although your preferred feel will always come down to personal comfort.
Memory foam and hybrid mattresses can also be great options because their comfort layers adapt to the contours of your body.
What type of mattress is best for side sleepers?
There isn’t just one mattress construction that works for side sleepers. Different materials offer different benefits, so it’s worth thinking about the type of sleeping surface you prefer.
Hybrid mattresses
A hybrid mattress combines springs with comfort layers such as memory foam, creating a balance of cushioning and responsive support.
Our Zoned Hybrid Deep Memory Foam Mattress combines adaptive memory foam with responsive pocket springs and supportive shoulder zones, making it particularly well suited to side sleepers.
The zoned design helps provide support where your body needs it while allowing comfortable cushioning around areas such as your shoulders.
Memory foam mattresses
Memory foam responds to your body heat and weight, allowing it to mould around your shape while you sleep.
This contouring feel can be especially appealing for side sleepers who want cushioning around their shoulders and hips.
Our Cooling Memory Foam Mattress has a medium-firm sleeping surface and uses responsive memory foam alongside cooling gel, making it another great option for side sleepers.
Pocket sprung mattresses
Prefer a more traditional mattress feel? Pocket springs can provide responsive support while adapting independently to different areas of your body.
Our Wool 2000 Pocket Spring Mattress is available in different firmness options, with the medium-firm version offering softly supportive comfort that’s well suited to side sleepers.
Our best mattresses for side sleepers
If you’re looking for the best mattress for side sleepers in the UK, these Soak&Sleep options are a great place to start.
Zoned Hybrid Deep Memory Foam Mattress
Best for: side sleepers wanting cushioning and responsive support
Combining memory foam, pocket springs and supportive shoulder zones, this hybrid mattress offers the best of both worlds.
The memory foam provides adaptive cushioning while the pocket springs offer responsive support underneath, making it particularly suited to those who naturally sleep on their side.
Cooling Memory Foam Mattress
Best for: side sleepers who love the feel of memory foam
If you enjoy that gently cradled sensation associated with memory foam, the Cooling Memory Foam Mattress provides adaptive support with a medium-firm feel.
Its cooling gel-infused layer also helps counteract some of the warmth traditionally associated with memory foam.
Next Generation 1000 Spring Mattress – Medium
Best for: side sleepers who prefer a traditional sprung mattress
With 1,000 pocket springs providing adaptive full-body support, the medium version of our Next Generation 1000 Spring Mattress is designed with side sleepers in mind.
It offers a more traditional, responsive feel than memory foam while still adapting to the body as you move.
Wool 2000 Pocket Spring Mattress – Medium-Firm
Best for: side sleepers who prefer natural fillings
Combining two layers of pocket springs with British wool, this mattress provides softly supportive comfort.
Wool also naturally helps regulate temperature, making this a great option if you prefer natural fillings and a breathable sleeping environment.
What is the best mattress for back sleepers?
Back sleepers usually need consistent support across the body, particularly around the lower back.
A mattress that is too soft may allow the body to sink further than feels comfortable, while a supportive medium-firm or firm mattress can provide a more stable sleeping surface.
Pocket sprung and hybrid mattresses can both work particularly well because their responsive structures provide support as your body moves.
The medium-firm Next Generation 1000 Spring Mattress, for example, is specifically suited to people who sleep on their back.
Another option is the Wool 2000 Pocket Spring Mattress in Firm, which offers a firmer feel for back sleepers and anyone who simply prefers a more supportive sleeping surface.
What is the best mattress for front sleepers?
Front sleepers tend to benefit from a supportive mattress that prevents the centre of the body from sinking too deeply into the sleeping surface.
A medium-firm or firm mattress is often a good starting point because it provides more support through the middle of the body.
Natural pocket sprung mattresses can be particularly suitable if you prefer a firmer, responsive feel.
For a more luxurious option, the Harrison Spinks Natural 8250 Pocket Spring Pillowtop Mattress is available in different tensions. Its firmer option is recommended for front and back sleepers, while the medium version is better suited to side sleepers.
What if you change sleeping positions?
Not everyone stays in one position throughout the night.
If you’re a combination sleeper who regularly moves between your side, back and front, look for a mattress that offers both responsive support and enough cushioning to remain comfortable in different positions.
A medium or medium-firm mattress can provide a versatile middle ground, while memory foam and hybrid constructions adapt as you move.
Our Cooling Memory Foam Mattress, for example, is designed to adapt to different sleeping positions, making it a useful option if you rarely wake up in the same position you fell asleep in.
Does mattress firmness matter for your sleeping position?
Yes, but sleeping position is only part of the decision.
Your body weight, preferred level of cushioning and personal comfort all affect how firm a mattress feels to you.
As a general guide:
-
Side sleepers often prefer medium to medium-firm support with enough cushioning around the shoulders and hips.
-
Back sleepers may prefer medium-firm to firm support to create a stable sleeping surface.
-
Front sleepers often suit medium-firm or firm mattresses that provide support through the centre of the body.
-
Combination sleepers may prefer a balanced medium or medium-firm mattress that adapts easily as they move.
Remember that mattress firmness is subjective, so the most important thing is finding a mattress that feels comfortable and supportive to you.
Don’t forget your pillow
Your mattress isn’t the only thing supporting your sleeping position.
Choosing the right pillow can help keep your head and neck comfortably supported in relation to the rest of your body.
Side sleepers generally need a deeper, more supportive pillow to fill the space between the head and mattress. Our Soft As Down Box Pillow, for example, has a supportive 8cm box construction designed specifically with side sleepers in mind.
Back and front sleepers may prefer a lower-profile pillow, depending on their build and mattress firmness.
Find the right mattress for the way you sleep
Your favourite sleeping position is a useful starting point when choosing a mattress, but comfort will always be personal.
Side sleepers may appreciate a mattress with adaptive cushioning around the shoulders and hips, while back and front sleepers may favour a firmer, more supportive sleeping surface. If you move between several positions, a responsive medium or medium-firm mattress can offer a versatile balance.
Explore our mattress collection to compare pocket spring, memory foam, hybrid and natural mattresses and find the comfort level that suits the way you sleep.
