Buying Guide: The Best Mattress for your Preferred Sleep Position

Choosing a mattress that works best for your own unique sleeping style is essential for getting good quality sleep. One of the first preferences to take into consideration when choosing a new mattress is your typical sleeping position. In order to decide what type of mattress will work best for you, answer this: do you tend to sleep on your side, your back, or your stomach?

Certain mattress features work better for certain sleeping positions. If you’re sleeping on a mattress that's the wrong fit for your go-to position, then your comfort levels and sleep quality will likely suffer. Read on as we go more in depth into each of the three main sleeping positions, so that you can choose the very best mattress for your needs.

Side Sleepers

If you’re a side sleeper, you're in good company: nearly three fourths of us are! In general, sleeping on your side is gentle on your neck, but can put extra pressure on your extremities, possibly leading to muscle soreness and impared circulation. Because of this, side sleepers typically do best with softer mattresses that allow for adequate circulation. Firm mattresses could leave you with a tingly arm or pins-and-needles in your hip. Memory foam or hybrid mattresses are good choices for side sleepers, as they offer an ideal mix of comfort and support. 

A good option for a side sleeper would be the popular Nectar mattress. With its quilted gel memory foam, the Nectar mattress conforms to your body and molds itself around your pressure points, providing a comfortable and supportive sleep to side sleepers. Because of its contouring abilities, this is a great choice for couples who have differing sleep preferences.

Back Sleepers

If you're a back sleeper, you're in luck! Though it's not very common, it's frequently praised by sleep experts as the "ideal" sleep position. Back sleeping is quite good for back and spinal health, as well as for circulation. Generally speaking, a back sleepers' best bet is a medium-firm mattress that provides consistent pressure point support. 

The key for back sleepers is to find perfect middle ground: soft enough that that the small of your back is comfortable, but firm enough that your hips and shoulders stay level. If you opt for a mattress that's too soft, you could end up with sinking hips. But go too firm and you could end up with too much resistance, leading to back pain.

A good choice for a back sleeper would be the Tempur-Adapt mattress in medium. It provides the optimal amount of support for a back sleeper. It pairs premium spring coils with their original Tempur support layer for a perfect blend of comfort and pressure-relief. Additionally, its innovative cover provides a cooling feeling, keeping you comfortable all night long. And when you buy from Sleep First, you get an exclusive 20-year Tempur-Pedic warranty! The first 10 years of the warranty are covered directly by Tempur-Pedic® themselves. After that, Sleep First offers you an extra ten years covered directly by ServeCo, a global leader serving huge companies and their customers for more than three decades.

Stomach Sleepers

If you're a stomach sleeper, it's likely that you've heard it's not the most beneficial position for your back. But never fear: as long as you're choosing the right mattress, you can get all the support and comfort you need without having to give up your beloved sleep position. 

To counteract the potential spinal misalignment of this position, stomach sleepers should pay extra attention to the firmness of their mattress. They need good spinal support and pressure point relief, so they generally do best with firm mattresses. Because this position also tends to generate the most body heat, stomach sleepers benefit from cooling technology. Finally, because they tend to sprawl out, strong edge support is important.

A good choice for stomach sleepers is the Sealy Hybrid Chill. It’s especially great for stomach sleepers who tend to get hot and sweaty, as it pairs exclusive Posturepedic Technology™ with innovative cover technologies to provide excellent support and pressure relief. Additionally, its DuoChill™ cooling system keeps you at the perfect temperature, while it's Immersion™ advanced memory foam and Comfortsense™ foam conform to your unique shape and provide you with a breathable, comfortable sleep. It also has an excellent coil edge system and zoned support technologies, so you get excellent and lasting support, no matter how close to the edge you like to sprawl.

When you’re considering which mattress is right for you, this is simply one of the factors to take into account. The best way to know which mattress feels just right is to come into a store and try out the options for yourself! When you’re ready to find your next mattress, come visit us at your nearest Sleep First. We’ll be waiting to help guide you towards your perfect night’s sleep.