To drift off comfortably, side sleepers need a mattress with cushioning and support — why not add some luxury into the equation? The best Saatva mattresses for side sleepers come with all the pressure relief you need, plus a premium finish for added dreaminess.
The Saatva Classic currently takes the number one spot in our guide to this year's best mattress for all sleep styles, impressing our testing team with a blend of pillow-y relief and enhanced back support. But even out favorite mattress isn't a one-size-fits-all solution, as your body type, sleep needs and preferences all play an important role in finding the right bed.
Saatva makes a mattress for almost every type of side sleeper, and in this guide, we've rounded up five of the best to shop today. With this year's Saatva Presidents' Day sale underway, now is the right time to buy a Saatva mattress for your side sleeping comfort.
What type of mattresses do side sleepers need?
There are three key features found in all the best mattresses for side sleepers: plenty of cushioned pressure relief, usually (but not always) a depth of 12 inches or more (this often goes hand-in-hand with cushioning), and a medium to medium-firm feel (around 5-7/10 on the firmness scale).
Cushioning and depth are required to cradle the touch points where the body presses into a mattress — for a side sleeper, this is the hips and shoulders. Contouring comfort layers help prevent pressure build-up in these areas, to alleviate aches and pains. But it can't all be softness, as a stronger supportive core is required to hold the spine in a neutral position. Combine these features, and you have a mattress to suit a side sleeper.
What is the best Saatva mattress for side sleepers?
Below, we've rounded up our favorite Saatva mattresses for side sleepers, all featuring the cushioning and support that you need when lying on your side. These are our top picks, but comfort and firmness are subjective and largely dependent on sleep style, body type, and weight — plus, different people favor different mattress types. Our choices might not line up with yours, so make sure to consider your own needs and preferences when choosing a Saatva mattress for side sleepers.
1. Saatva Classic Mattress
Best for: all-round performance
The Saatva Classic Mattress ticks all the boxes, a luxury hybrid innerspring with a high-quality finish, exceptional lumbar support, and a bucketful of pressure relief. While it doesn't have the multiple foam layers of other side sleeping mattresses, a cushioned 3-inch pillow-top keeps the shoulders and hips comfortably cradled throughout the night.
We tested the Classic in a Luxury Firm (7/10 on the firmness scale) feel for our Saatva Classic Mattress review and found it largely comfortable for side sleepers. However, dedicated side sleepers, particularly those with a lighter build, should opt for the Plush build (3/10) instead.
2. Saatva Contour5 Mattress
Best for: body-hugging contouring
The Contour5 is Saatva's premium memory foam mattress choice, and as the name suggests, this bed does contouring best. The high-density memory foam adapts to every curve of your body to cradle the touch points and relieve pressure.
The complex build of the Contour5 includes two layers of dense, body-hugging foam, with three inches of premium 5lb memory foam at the core of the mattress. Adaptive but without the sink of softer foams, in our Saatva Contour5 mattress review we reported that it's good for all sleeping positions. The Contour5 is available in both a medium and firm feel, with medium the best choice for most side sleepers.
3. Saatva Zenhaven Latex Mattress
Best for: buoyant pressure relief
A dual-sided mattress with an eco-friendly latex build, the Saatva Zenhaven is for side sleepers who enjoy a bit of bounce with their pressure relief. Natural latex has a buoyant feel that means while the Zenhaven gently contours to your shape, you won't sink into the bed. That's good news if you're a side sleeper who likes to shift from one side to the other during the night.
One of the best organic mattresses, the Saatva Zenhaven features dual-sided firmness. Flip it one way to enjoy Luxury Plush (4-5/10) and the other for Gentle Firm (7-8/10). We expect the Luxury Plush to best suit side sleepers, but if you have a bigger build, the Gentle Firm feel might be the better option. The good news is, you can flip and experiment until you find what works for you.
4. Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid Mattress
Best for: side sleepers with back pain
Hybrid mattresses can be excellent for side sleepers if they have the right support, cushioning, and firmness: the Memory Foam Hybrid delivers all three. In our Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid Mattress review our testing panel found that this bed offers excellent spinal alignment, suitable for alleviating back and hip pain when lying on your side.
The Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid isn't the plushest mattress, and lightweight side sleepers might find it too firm (one of the best mattress toppers can help.) However, if you're a side sleeper who values support over cushioning, this is an excellent choice. it's also one of the cheapest beds in the Saatva line, so one to consider if you're on a budget.
5. Saatva HD Mattress
Best for: heavier side sleepers
The Saatva HD Mattress has been designed for sleepers with bigger builds, featuring an enhanced weight capacity of up to 500lbs per person. This luxury innerspring mattress pairs a tempered steel spring base with layers of contouring foam and responsive latex, for a medium feel with durable support.
Many of the best mattresses for heavy people are on the firmer side, which can be uncomfortable for side sleepers. The HD uses a thick pillow-top to increase cushioning and aid pressure relief, so you can lie on your side without experiencing numb arms and dead hips in the morning. Be aware, however that if you weight under 300lbs, the HD is likely to feel firmer.
Which Saatva mattress for side sleepers should you buy?
The best Saatva mattress for you will be one that suits your specific sleep style, taking into account your budget, depth and mattress type preference.
The Saatva Classic is our number one mattress pick, and the multiple firmness options means it suits a variety of sleep styles. Offering superb pressure relief and excellent lumbar support without excess sink, the Classic in a Plush Soft firmness is best for side sleepers who like gentle cradling and freedom to move around.
If you prefer a plusher, sink-in feel, try the Contour5, a luxury memory foam mattress which hugs the body to provide cushioned pressure relief. The Saatva Zenhaven is another all-foam build, but the use of buoyant latex foam means it best suits side sleepers who want a bed with some bounce.
The Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid Mattress is the cheapest option, and the strong support helps ease back and shoulder pain. This is also the firmest choice, so better for side sleepers with bigger builds. However, if you weigh over 250lbs, we recommend the Saatva HD: this luxurious hybrid has an increased weight capacity and a thick pillow-top.
But don't worry if you pick the wrong Saatva mattress for your side sleeping preferences. Saatva offers a 365-night mattress trial (plus a lifetime warranty) on all mattresses, giving you ample time to adjust to the feel of the bed and decide if it works for you. However, there is $99 returns or exchange fee.
