As Naimish Baxi, MD, a physiatrist and spinal specialist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Paramus, New Jersey, previously told SELF, the best mattresses for side sleepers include a two key features to hold up the hips and shoulders: pressure-easing top layers and zoned, or targeted, support. The Nectar Premier Mattress has both.
Made with three main layers of foam, the Nectar Premier seriously impressed a SELF staffer who’s also a fitness instructor and, thus, wants a bed that will ease muscle soreness and joint aches: “I wake up without back pain, regardless of my sleeping position,” she wrote in her review of the mattress. “This mattress gives the perfect amount of support for what I need.”
She was also happy to report that Nectar’s breathable cover and gel-infused foam layer help keep temps down. “One of the first things I noticed when I unboxed this mattress and hauled it onto the platform bed? That it’s cool—cold, even—to the touch,” she said.
Product specs
Material: Memory foam | Firmness: Soft (6 out of 10) | Trial period: 365 nights | Warranty: Lifetime | Shipping: Free shipping
Best Firm Memory Foam Mattress: Plank Firm
Plank Firm
Pros
- Flippable design gives firmness options
- Strong edge support
Cons
- Not as cooling as other mattresses
- May need to air out for a long time due to off-gassing
Plank makes no bones about what it’s selling with its Plank Firm, calling this the “firmest, flattest, and most supportive sleep”—and our testers agree. “Most back and stomach sleepers will like this bed—especially those who like a firmer mattress,” says one tester.
What’s especially cool about this mattress is that it’s flippable, and each side has a different level of firmness—either an 8 or 9 out of 10. Our testers say they felt no sinkage on the extra firm side; on the firm side, a layer of foam makes the mattress feel slightly more plush.
Product specs
Material: Memory foam | Firmness: Flippable: Firm (8 out of 10) and Extra-firm (9 out of 10) | Trial period: 120 nights | Warranty: 10 years | Shipping: Free shipping
What are the benefits of memory foam mattresses?
Memory foam mattresses tend to be softer and less bouncy than hybrid mattresses or traditional innerspring mattresses, and they’re often described as having a squishy or sinking feel after you lie down on one. That’s a result of its materials, Dr. Russo says. The thick layers of foam respond to body heat and pressure by getting softer, so when you lie down on one of these beds, you’ll feel it molding to your shape. Memory foam can also help limit motion transfer, which comes in handy if you share your bed with a restless partner (or if you’re the tosser and turner).
The material may also do your spine a solid. “Memory foam mattresses can support spine health by conforming to the body’s natural curves, maintaining proper alignment, and reducing pressure points,” Robert McLaughlin, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Boston Concierge Orthopedics, tells SELF.
What to consider when buying a memory foam mattress
Sleeping position
Because they adapt to the body’s shape and weight, memory foam mattresses may be especially appealing to side sleepers, Kavita Trivedi, DO, a spine rehab expert at UT Southwestern’s O’Donnell Brain Institute in Dallas, tells SELF. Sleeping in this position places additional weight on your shoulders, hips, and knees, and a mattress with a little more give usually does a better job at preventing that pressure from building and getting uncomfortable or even painful, Dr. Baxi previously told SELF. For some side-sleeping people, a memory foam mattress has just the right amount of sinkage to provide them with the pressure relief they need.
