Is sleeping on your side good for you?
If you’ve ever tried to consciously change your sleeping position (perhaps due to a medical procedure or a strange bed), you probably know that it’s hard to fight your natural inclinations. The good news for side sleepers is that there’s broad consensus among experts that it’s at least as good as any other option.
Houston Methodist sleep experts say sleeping on your side has “the least negative impact on health.” How great! The only thing worse than sleeping on your side is not getting enough sleep or sleeping in a different position!
I’ve always envied people who sleep on their backs, but sleeping on your back is the “worst position” According to the Mayo Clinicwho considers sleeping on your side to be “a good way to sleep.”
What type of mattress is best for side sleepers, hybrid or memory foam?
We prefer hybrids for side sleepers. Since you’re putting more weight on a smaller surface area, you might think memory foam is better than a hybrid mattress that has a layer of springs (often called coils). On memory foam, you sink into a little spongy cloud and get support on your sides. The problem is that when you’re sleeping well and not moving around much, over the course of a night, that foam will slowly but surely compress beneath you. If it’s just a layer of cheap foam, after a while you’ll feel like you’re sleeping on a yoga mat. That’s why mattresses with multiple layers of foam of different weights are better, and why we like hybrids even more. That layer of springs means the foam doesn’t compact as much in my experience. A good hybrid gives you the opportunity to sleep for six hours straight without needing to change positions, which isn’t necessarily the case for me on an all-foam mattress. Hybrids also tend to sleep cooler because there is less solid foam mass to absorb heat.
What is the ideal firmness for side sleepers?
Most side sleepers prefer softer mattresses, which usually means memory foam rather than innerspring mattresses. However, throughout the night, you’ll want to make sure you have a mattress with enough support. All mattress types can offer that, but be sure to pay close attention to the firmness scale the company advertises and the firmness options it includes. Also keep your body type in mind, as the higher your body weight, the firmer the mattress you’ll want.
What is the best type of mattress for heavy side sleepers?
I’m a big guy, smaller now than when I first started testing mattresses, thanks to semaglutide, but still a big guy. I’ve found that the bigger you are, the firmer you want your mattress to be, as otherwise your body weight will compress the foam and springs beneath you too much.
