While a mattress topper isn’t always necessary for a good night’s sleep, the right topper can work wonders on a bed that’s too firm or too soft for comfortable side sleeping. The best mattress toppers for side sleepers typically are soft to medium-firm and have at least 2 inches of supportive latex or memory foam. My mattress is much too soft for our liking, so the firmer Nolah Mattress Topper is my pick as the best mattress topper for side sleepers overall, but highlight more picks below that accommodate different needs and budgets.
We highlight 8 of the best mattress toppers for side sleepers, including the comfotable Nolah … [+] Mattress Topper.
For the past few months, I’ve thoroughly tested 11 different mattress toppers of varying heights, firmness levels and prices to determine which are truly the most comfortable and accommodating for side sleepers. It made a remarkable difference in our sleep quality from the very first night. Below, find our entire roundup of the coziest options we identified during our testing process.
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Best Overall Mattress Topper For Side Sleepers: Nolah Mattress Topper (Queen)
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Best Memory Foam Mattress Topper For Side Sleepers: Saatva Graphite Memory Foam Mattress Topper (Queen)
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Best Mattress Topper For Side Sleepers With Back Pain: Tempur-Adapt Topper (Queen)
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Best Medium-Firm Mattress Topper For Side Sleepers: Earthfoam Mattress Topper (Queen)
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Best Cooling Mattress Topper For Side Sleepers: Coop Retreat Mattress Topper (Queen)
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Best Soft Mattress Topper For Side Sleepers: Puffy Deluxe Mattress Topper (Soft, Queen)
Nolah
Nolah Mattress Topper (Queen)
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Material: Airfoam memory foam | Height: 2 inches | Trial: 30 days | Warranty: 10 years
Best for:
- People who prefer a firmer feel
- Sagging or overly soft mattresses
- People who toss and turn at night
Skip if:
- You already have a medium-firm to firm mattress
The Nolah Mattress Topper is a 2-inch mattress topper made from Nolah’s patented Airfoam, which is designed to promote airflow. According to Nolah, it’s also free of some viscoelastic chemicals that are commonly used in memory foam production. It’s available in two firmnesses, plush or luxury firm, and comes wrapped in a breathable organic cotton cover. Nolah recommends the plush for light or average-weight side sleepers and the luxury firm for heavier sleepers or back and combination sleepers. The firmer option is the one I tested—and I personally found it to be a good fit for side sleepers (unless you’re already on a firm mattress and you want a topper that provides extra cushion).
Honestly, this topper was a bit of an underdog. It didn’t make my initial list of toppers to test, but I eventually decided to add it and I’m really glad I did. After all of my testing wrapped up, this is the topper we put back on our bed—and I think that speaks for itself.
While the topper doesn’t feel extremely rigid, it noticeably increased the firmness and support level of our extra-soft foam mattress. My husband and I noticed better sleep from day one. We also really appreciated the corner straps. They were thicker than others we tried and were set further back from the corners, which keeps them more secure (despite my tossing and turning). There was also no detectable odor when we unboxed the topper, and it minimized motion transfer better than our mattress alone.
Read my full in-depth review of the Nolah Mattress Topper for more details.
The corner straps on the Nolah Mattress Topper are thick and keep the topper securely in place.
Viscosoft
Viscosoft Select High-Density Mattress Topper (Queen)
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Material: Memory foam | Height: 3 and 4 inches | Trial: 90 nights | Warranty: 5 years
Best for:
- Side sleepers on a budget
- Couples with different firmness preferences
- People who share a bed with kids or pets
Skip if:
- You have a very thick mattress
Viscosoft’s Select High-Density Mattress Topper is made from cooling, gel-infused memory foam. It has a solid, medium-firm feel, and you can choose between a 3- or 4-inch height. We tested the 3-inch version, which made our mattress feel significantly firmer.
I was truly shocked—in a good way—by this mattress topper. Even though it costs less than $200 for a queen, its quality is comparable to toppers we tried that were more than double or triple the price. It was also the second-firmest of the bunch, topped only by the Nolah topper, and really minimized motion transfer.
Straps on the Viscosoft Select High-Density Mattress Topper allow it to fit your mattress.
The mesh on the underside keeps it from sliding around, and the fact that the whole cover can be removed and thrown in the washer is a lifesaver if you have sticky toddlers or pets in the house. The straps are also adjustable, making it really easy to fit them to your mattress. However, I wouldn’t recommend this topper if you have a thick mattress. Ours is 15 inches tall, so the addition of this 3-inch topper made it a real battle to keep our fitted sheet on.
Check out my full Viscosoft Mattress Topper review for more information.
Birch
Birch By Helix Plush Organic Mattress Topper (Queen)
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Material: Organic latex | Height: 2 inches | Trial: 100 nights | Warranty: 10 years
Best for:
- People who prefer a medium firmness
- People who prefer organic materials
- Sleepers who don’t toss and turn frequently
Skip if:
- You’re on a budget
The Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper is made from 2 inches of organic latex, cotton and wool. Latex is a naturally durable material, and cotton and wool provide cooling and moisture-wicking properties to help regulate your temperature. The topper has also earned several certifications, like Greenguard Gold, that signify it’s very low in potentially harmful volatile organic compounds.
I would say the Birch topper has a medium firmness. It made our too-soft mattress feel slightly firmer, and it was comfortable for side sleeping. The main drawback of this topper is it has no straps or mesh to help it stay in place; it just lays on top of the bed. Unfortunately it was no match for my nighttime shifting.
It’s also the most expensive option, clocking in at more than $600 for a queen (when not on sale)—something to keep in mind if you’re working with a limited budget.
The Birch Plus Organic Mattress Topper’s 2 inches of organic latex, cotton and wool helps to … [+] regulate body temperature.
Saatva
Saatva Graphite Memory Foam Mattress Topper (Queen)
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Material: Memory foam | Height: 3 inches | Trial: 180 nights | Warranty: 1 year
Best for:
- Hot sleepers
- Side sleepers who prefer a medium firmness
- People who want plenty of extra cushion
Skip if:
- You have a thick mattress
Saatva’s Graphite Memory Foam topper is the brand’s best-selling topper, featuring 3 inches of cooling, graphite-infused memory foam inside of a soft, antibacterial cover.
This topper had a very minor and temporary odor when we unboxed it, but it disappeared quickly. It made our extra-soft mattress feel slightly firmer, although it didn’t make a huge difference in comfort. I’m a naturally cool sleeper, so I didn’t notice any major cooling effect from the graphite. However, my husband thought it made a slight difference.
The straps on this topper are also thick and well-made, keeping it securely anchored even with my tossing and turning. Still, a 3-inch topper on our tall mattress made it difficult to wrangle our fitted sheet into place.
The Saatva Graphite Memory Foam Mattress Topper offers plenty of cushion.
Tempur-Pedic
Tempur-Adapt Topper (Queen)
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Material: Memory foam | Height: 3 inches | Trial: None | Warranty: 10 years
Best for:
- People who prefer a softer feel
- Side sleepers who need extra pressure relief
- Hot sleepers
Skip if:
- You prefer a firmer feel
The Tempur-Adapt Topper is a 3-inch topper made from Tempur-Material, a patented, responsive memory foam. The topper has a soft, plush feel but still provides plenty of support.
Of all of the softer toppers we tried, this one was by far our favorite—truly cloud-like. It was cool to the touch and stayed noticeably cool throughout the night. It also conformed extremely well to our bodies. When I lay down on it, I could almost feel it compressing in some spots along my pressure points and filling in the gaps in others to keep my spine in healthy alignment. It made for an extremely comfortable night’s sleep. Unfortunately, the straps were too thin to keep this topper from shifting around on our bed significantly.
The Tempur-Adapt Topper’s Tempur-Material is ultra-plush and cloud-like.
Earthfoam
Earthfoam Mattress Topper (Queen)
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Material: Latex | Height: 2 inches | Trial: 100 nights | Warranty: 6 years
Best for:
- Side sleepers who like a medium firmness
- Sustainable shoppers
Skip if:
- You toss and turn at night
The Earthfoam Mattress Topper is an eco-friendly, organic latex option that’s about half the price of comparable organic options, like Birch and Avocado. It’s 2 inches thick and crafted from organic latex, wool and cotton.
The topper has what I’d describe as a true medium feel. On Earthfoam’s website, they advertise that it can make a firm mattress softer. However, I also found that it made our extra-soft mattress firmer.
We found this mattress topper very comfortable. Despite its thick cover, it didn’t trap heat at all. However, it has no straps or mesh to help it stay in place, so it does shift around on the bed.
Despite the thick cover on the Earthfoam Mattress Topper, it doesn’t manage to trap heat.
Coop Sleep Goods
Coop Retreat Mattress Topper (Queen)
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Material: Memory foam and microfiber | Height: 5 inches | Trial: 100 nights | Warranty: 5 years
Best for:
- Hot sleepers
- Very firm mattresses
- Budget-conscious shoppers
Skip if:
- You have a thick mattress
The Coop Retreat Topper is a 5-inch topper made of several individual baffle boxes (or giant marshmallows, according to my kids). Each chamber is filled with shredded memory foam and microfiber, so the topper is extremely soft but also has a lot of springiness and support.
This was probably the most unique topper we tried, and although we were definitely skeptical at first, it impressed us. The thin cotton cover and shredded memory foam allowed for plenty of air circulation to keep us cool, and the topper was soft and cushiony but still provided plenty of side sleeping support. Between the 5-inch loft and our 15-inch mattress, though, it was extremely difficult to get a sheet on.
The Coop Retreat Mattress Topper is on the thicker side at 5 inches.
Puffy
Puffy Deluxe Mattress Topper (Soft, Queen)
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Material: Memory foam | Height: 2.5 inches | Trial: 101 nights | Warranty: Lifetime
Best for:
- Shoppers on a budget
- Side sleepers who need a softer topper
- Those who toss and turn at night
Skip if:
- You prefer a firmer feel
The Puffy Deluxe Mattress Topper is made from 2.5 inches of memory foam in a lightweight, washable cover that goes on the mattress just like a fitted sheet. It’s available in firm or soft; I tested the soft version.
Of all the toppers we tried, this one stayed in place the best thanks to the pocketed cover—or “mattress pantyhose,” as my husband called it. It also features anti-slip grips on the underside to help keep it from moving from side to side on top of the mattress. It was very soft and cloud-like, much like the Tempur-Adapt Topper, but not quite as responsive. (Still, it would be a great choice if the Tempur-Adapt is out of your budget.)
The soft version of the Puffy Deluxe Mattress Topper still provides support while feeling plush.
Other Mattress Toppers For Side Sleepers I Tested
I also tried these three toppers, but I didn’t find them to be as great a fit for side sleepers.
Sleep Innovations Dual Layer 4-Inch Memory Foam Mattress Topper ($140): This Amazon Prime pick wasn’t terribly uncomfortable, but it was noticeably lower in quality than the others I tested. It had the strongest odor upon unboxing and by the time my testing was over, the cover had already started to pill.
Parachute Down Alternative Mattress Topper ($260): This mattress topper from Parachute was made really well, but it was exactly what you’d expect in a down alternative. It was soft and cloud-like but provided no extra support.
Helix Plush Mattress Topper ($129): The Helix Plush Mattress Topper was extremely soft, but it was so thin that I noticed no difference compared to my mattress alone. It reminded me more of a mattress pad or protector than a true mattress topper.
How I Tested The Best Mattress Toppers For Side Sleepers
In order to be as objective as possible, I set strict guidelines and criteria for judging each topper I tried.
First, my husband and I slept on each topper for 5 to 7 nights, making sure to keep all other bedding identical for each test. I kept detailed notes on comfort, pain and pressure relief for my neck and back, while comparing their firmness to my extra-soft foam mattress alone. I also noted the mattress topper’s odor after unboxing and how long the odor lingered; for all of the toppers, they either had no smell at all or a mild odor that dissipated within one hour.
Since my husband is a hot sleeper and I’m a cool sleeper, I also kept notes on how each topper affected our body temperatures and sweat. We noticed no differences in how much we sweat on any of the toppers, but some of them did feel noticeably warmer or cooler than our mattress alone.
Finally, we conducted motion tests to judge motion transfer and how well each topper stayed in place on the bed. These motion tests included my typical, excessive nighttime tossing and turning, along with a test where one of us moved, walked, danced or jumped on the bed while the other was lying down. There were some big differences among all of these mattress toppers in how well they stayed in place and limited motion transfer.
How To Pick A Mattress Topper For Side Sleepers
“Side sleepers generally benefit from a sleeping surface that provides good pressure relief and supports spinal alignment,” explains Dr. Chester Wu, a board-certified sleep medicine physician with Rise Science. If your current mattress doesn’t provide that, a mattress topper can provide an affordable fix or a stop-gap until you’re able to purchase a new mattress.
Here are some of the most important things to consider when choosing a mattress topper that’s just right for side sleeping.
Materials
Choosing the right material is key. For side sleepers, the best choices are memory foam or latex, which “have a good ability to contour to the body and provide pressure relief,” says Wu. Other materials, like down or down alternatives, won’t provide the same level of structure and support.
I can personally attest to this. I tried a down alternative topper filled with the softest, coziest microfiber fluff (the Parachute Down Alternative Topper), but it was too soft to provide any benefits for side sleeping.
Height
For the most part, the taller or thicker the mattress topper, the more supportive it is. The toppers I tested ranged in height from a scant 1.5 inches to a lofty 5 inches.
“Thicker mattress toppers, typically up to 4 inches thick, are often recommended for side sleepers because they provide additional cushioning and support to alleviate pressure points,” says John Gallucci Jr., a physical therapist and CEO of JAG Physical Therapy.
He explains that sleeping on your side puts extra pressure on your hips and shoulders, so a thicker topper can help promote better weight distribution and reduce this pressure with an extra layer of padding.
Firmness
For side sleeping, you generally want to choose a medium topper or one that’s going to give your bed a firmness that’s soft to medium-firm. If your mattress is too firm for side sleeping, then you should pick a soft or medium-firm topper to soften the overall feel. Contrarily, if your mattress is too soft, then you want a medium-firm or slightly firmer topper to achieve a balanced, medium firmness.
According to Chelsie Rohrscheib, a neuroscientist and the head sleep expert at Wesper, joint pain in the shoulders, hips and knees of side sleepers is often the result of too much pressure from a mattress that’s not supportive enough. A slightly firmer topper can help to distribute pressure more evenly.
“I recommend a medium-firm topper,” Wu says, “which cushions the shoulders and hips without letting you sink in too deeply.”
Our current mattress is rated “extra soft,” and my husband and I unanimously agreed that the two firmest mattress toppers we tried—the Nolah and the Viscosoft—were the most comfortable. They took our bed from extra soft to a very comfortable medium.
Another thing to consider here is that you can choose a contrasting firmness level as an easy fix for an uncomfortable mattress. “A topper can’t fix a mattress that’s significantly sagging or damaged,” says Wu, but it “can adjust the firmness of a mattress that’s too soft or too hard and can provide an additional comfort layer to an older mattress.”
Although the general recommendation for side sleepers is to go with a medium mattress topper, as mentioned above, you may decide instead to choose a soft topper if you’re on an uncomfortably firm mattress.
My Expertise
I’ve been writing about sleep and other aspects of wellness for more than four years. I’ve personally tested and reviewed several different sleep products in addition to the many toppers I reviewed for this article. As a side sleeper myself (who shares a bed with another side sleeper), I was especially well-suited to test these mattress toppers with the needs of side sleepers in mind. Additionally, I was able to tap my extensive network of health experts to interview a sleep medicine physician, a sleep researcher and a physical therapist for their best advice on choosing mattress toppers for side sleepers.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are Memory Foam Toppers Good For Side Sleepers?
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Are Memory Foam Toppers Good For Side Sleepers?
Rohrscheib explains that the best toppers are breathable and “made of materials that don’t easily break down or settle with use.” Memory foam fits the bill here, according to Wu, along with latex. These materials provide the necessary structure and support to keep your spine and neck in alignment.
Should I Flip My Mattress Topper?
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Should I Flip My Mattress Topper?
Some mattress toppers are made to be flipped, while others may have straps attached or a textured underside that makes them unsuitable for flipping. Regardless, you can rotate these toppers every few months to promote more even wear. If the topper has a removable cover, you may also be able to remove the cover, then flip the topper and reinsert it.
