Do you often wake up with a stiff and sore shoulder and wondering who took the oil out of your joints? I review the best mattress topper for side sleepers that also supports your hips and shoulders.
If you are in a hurry and just want to know what the best mattress topper for side sleepers is, I recommend the Dormeo Mattress Topper.
Are you a side sleeper? Have you ever slept on a hard mattress?
Did you wake up with a stiff and sore shoulder and wondering who took the oil out of your joints?
Replacing a mattress can be expensive, besides, when sleeping over at someone else’s house, it’s not like you can take your own mattress with you. Maybe a pillow (my mother takes her pillows with her wherever she goes) but not a mattress.
Fear not, I have an answer.
It’s time you invest in a mattress topper. Today I review the best mattress toppers for side sleepers, as well as for side sleepers with lower back pain, or hip pain.
Looking for a new mattress? Read my guide on what to consider when buying a new mattress or bed.
The Best Mattress Topper For Side Sleepers That I Will Be Reviewing Today:
- Editor’s Choice – Dormeo Mattress Topper
- ELEMUSE Dual Layer 4 Inch Memory Foam Mattress Topper
- Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR Supreme Mattress Topper
- Linenspa 2” Gel Infused Memory Foam Mattress Topper
- ViscoSoft 4” Pillow Top Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper
- Sleep Innovations 4-inch Dual Layer Gel Memory Foam
- LUCID 2 Inch 5 Zone Lavender Memory Foam Mattress Topper
- Marine Moon Mattress Topper
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Is Memory Foam Good For Side Sleepers?
Memory foam is designed to conform to your body, while keeping your spine straight.
This means it will allow the mattress to sink in beneath your hips and shoulders, so that your spine remains as straight as possible.
But memory foam also comes in different levels of firmness.
What Is The Best Mattress Topper To Relieve Pressure Points?
I would recommend a memory foam topper with the right level of firmness for your body.
If you are bigger or heavier, you’ll need a firmer topper, otherwise your whole body will sink into it.
For smaller lighter people, go for a very soft memory foam topper.
Don’t forget about your pillow. If you do not have the correct size pillow for your shoulder width, or if your pillow is too flat or so soft and fluffy your head just sinks into and droop down towards the mattress, this can put additional pressure on your shoulder which can lead to shoulder pain. Read my review for the best pillow for shoulder pain here.
What Are Mattress Toppers Made Out Of?
- Memory foam
- Normal foam
- Shredded foam
- Down feathers
- Shredded polyester fibres
- Shredded natural fibres like cotton or bamboo (rayon/viscose fabric)
What Thickness Mattress Topper Should I Get?
It’s a bit of a personal choice.
For memory foam, get the right firmness.
For down feathers or shredded foam, the thicker the softer and more luxurious it will be. Like sleeping on a cloud.
What Is The Best Cooling Mattress Topper For Side Sleepers?
In my opinion the Dormeo Mattress Topper is the best for a cool night’s sleep.
It is the best mattress topper for side sleepers because it gives you the best of both worlds. The octasprings provide excellent ergonomic support for your body, spine, shoulders, hips and neck, while the smart cooling technology ensures hot air is circulated away from your body, ensuring a cool night’s sleep.
Getting a Mattress Topper Set Up
Most mattress toppers have the same setup, although some could take significantly longer to finish. When you unpack one, you’ll quickly notice how the topper appears to be shallower in depth than it does in photos. This isn’t by accident.
The topper must be given time to deflate itself until it can not extend any longer. The average wait time is about three or four hours, though it might take longer to see the best results. You’ll know that deflation is complete when it’s about three inches thick; you’ll be free to rest on top of it after that.
Washing Your Topper
Mattress toppers contain an outer covering that’s machine washable. Many of them contain fabric that’s designed to limit the spread of viruses and pathogens. Wash them the same as you do your comforter, making sure to put it back on the memory foam or gel only when it’s fully dry.
Some coverings could last longer if you wash them by hand. When in doubt, go with the manufacturer’s recommendations for washing.
To clean the foam itself, lightly use a damp cloth and spot-remove any visible dirt.
But if you really want to be clever, I suggest you invest in a mattress protector, it will keep your new mattress topper clean, dry and hygienic for as long as possible.
The 8 Best Mattress Toppers For Side Sleepers: Product Review
Editor’s Choice for the best mattress topper for side sleepers
Dormeo Mattress Topper
Founded in 2002, Dormeo is a more traditional brand that exists outside of the Amazon website, making many types of sleep products, like mattresses, toppers and pillows.
The Dormeo mattress topper is made of “octa-springs”, which is a fancy way of saying the topper is filled with “springs” that are made out of memory foam, versus your usual slab of memory foam that most other toppers are made out of.
The “springs” not only allow for air to circulate for coolness, but it provides more support for your body and spine than a traditional flat piece of memory foam. And because it’s not just a slab of memory foam, they actually use 50% less material making their products more environmentally responsible.
It has a removable, washable cover that also has hundreds of pockets to allow for even more air circulation.
Because they are a real world company (outside of just Amazon), they have a great Customer Care team, helping Dormeo earn an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and proudly boasts that they pick up the phone within 2 minutes when customers reach out.
Pros:
- Editor’s Choice for the best mattress topper for side sleepers
- 3 inches thick
- Octaspring technology – springs made out of memory foam for extra comfort
- Ergonomic Zoning – allows for more support for certain parts of your body
- Smart, cooling technology built into every part of the topper
- Removable and washable cover for extra hygiene
- Non slip
- Excellent Customer Care team
- Very highly reviewed on Amazon
Cons:
- Pricey – but you get an excellent product with great Customer Care
ELEMUSE Dual Layer 4 Inch Memory Foam Mattress Topper
The Elemuse mattress topper is a 4 inch dual layer topper, made up of 2 inches of cooling gel infused memory foam, topped with another layer of 2 inches of soft quilted bamboo cover filled with ultra-soft down alternative fibers, giving the best of both worlds. Support for your spine, with a soft, sink into sleep layer for extra comfort.
Memory foam is excellent for all sleeping positions, and especially supportive for side sleepers as it allows your spine to remain straight by supporting your hips and shoulders in the right way. That’s because memory foam conforms around the curves of your body, while keeping your neck and spine in its natural alignment, thereby preventing back, neck or shoulder pain, regardless of the position you are sleeping in.
The pillow top layer can be removed and washed, and has a fitted elastic edge so it wraps around your mattress corners, keeping it in place easily.
The memory foam layer is hypoallergenic, and comes with a CertiPUR-US certification. While the pillow top layer is OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified.
As a bonus, both the cooling gel and the bamboo pillow top provide a cooling effect for hot sleepers.
Before using, make sure you unroll the topper and leave it flat in a well-ventilated room for 2-3 days before using it.
Pros:
- Dual layer with 2 inch memory foam + 2 inch pillow top = 4 inches
- Removable and washable top layer
- CertiPUR-US + OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified
- Support for spine, hips, neck and shoulders regardless of sleeping position
- Cooling gel and the bamboo pillow top provide extra cooling effect for hot sleepers
- Can hold up to 245lbs of body weight without creating compressed areas
Cons:
- Like all memory foam, you have to leave it for a few hours to a few days to fully expand
- Some people have complained that it’s too soft for their liking
Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR Supreme
The Tempur-Pedic brand has made a big name for itself over the years, producing some of the most in-demand mattresses around. Besides this model, they also have some other types of mattress toppers available.
The topper almost appears to cling to mattresses below, giving the user an almost weightless experience during sleep.
Expansion time is also fast, taking less than three hours to reach its maximum thickness.
It’s also a very good mattress topper for anyone with back pain, with many people reporting that their back pain was much better after switching to this topper.
Pros:
- Best mattress topper for side sleepers with lower back pain!
- 3” thickness
- Memory foam
- Tempur-Pedic is a well known brand that has been around for decades, and they are highly reviewed on Amazon with lots of 4 and 5 stars
- Removable washable cover
- Setup is straightforward
- No sliding or movement when shifting to a side position
Cons:
- Depending on the temperature of the room, heat may linger inside of the topper a bit longer than expected
- Rather pricey
Linenspa 2″ Gel Infused Memory Foam Mattress Topper
The Linenspa Infused Memory Foam Topper is two inches thick but more than capable of providing relief for side sleepers. Open up the cover and you’ll see what makes it so: soft and plush memory foam. Hitting all the pressure points, the topper molds into the shape of any weight that rests on top of it.
It doesn’t come with a cover; try to find one that’s the same shape if you can. But it should perform well and stay in one place without one. Your body will stay cool for the entirety of your sleep session, even when the room temperature is a little high. For smooth mattresses, bunching could be a problem. In that case, a cover would help to keep it in one place.
Pros:
- Best mattress topper for cooling down if you are a hot sleeper!
- 2” thickness
- Also available as in a 3” thickness
- Memory foam
- Infused with temperature regulating gel beads that capture and dissipate heat to keep you cool
- CertiPUR US certified
- Budget friendly
Cons:
- No removable cover, you simply put your normal sheet over it like you would your mattress
- Like all memory foam, you have to leave it for a few hours to a few days to fully expand
ViscoSoft 4” Pillow Top Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper
The ViscoSoft is a 2.5” gel memory foam topper topped with another 1.5” of down alternative mattress pad.
This means you get the benefit of the memory foam that contours to your body plus a fluffy top layer for extra coziness.
The mattress pad is removable and washable and acts as a mattress/mattress topper protector.
Because memory foam has a distinctive smell that puts a lot of people off, a smell that does dissipate eventually, as I can confirm from personal experience, they’ve made some changes to their formula. This means there is almost no chemical smell when you first unpack it.
Pros:
- Editor’s Choice for the best mattress topper for side sleepers with hip pain!
- 2.5” gel infused memory foam topper topped with a 1.5” of down alternative mattress pad
- Thanks to a new formula, the chemical smell associated with memory foam is almost entirely gone
- Removable and washable mattress pad
- Mattress pad cover is made from 100% 300 thread count cotton
- CertiPUR-US certified
- 60-Day [No Hassle] Money Back Guarantee
- 5-year warranty for manufacturing defects
- Made in America
Cons:
- A small number of people feel that the memory foam layer is not firm enough for their bodies
Sleep Innovations 4″ Dual Layer Gel Memory Foam Enhanced Support
The Sleep Innovations mattress topper is a dual layer topper, with 2” of gel memory foam, topped with another 2” of quilted fibre fill.
So you get the benefit of the contouring and supporting memory foam, plus a soft plush quilted topper.
Pros:
- 2” of gel memory foam, topped with another 2” of quilted fibre fill
- Removable and washable cover
- Made in the USA
- CertiPur-US certified
- 10 year limited warranty
Cons:
- There were some reports of people only receiving the memory foam layer, not the quilted fibre layer, but it looks like the company has now resolved this issue permanently
- There seems to be some quality control issues, as some shoppers find that the memory foam do not recover after a few weeks of use, leaving a permanent dent in the foam
LUCID 2″ 5 Zone Lavender Memory Foam Mattress Topper
This is one weird looking mattress, but really it’s just the memory foam cut into swirls and patterns to create a bit of a psychedelic effect.
The swirls and patterns form 5 different zones to reduce pressure at different points of body contact.
The patterns also allows for better airflow so it moves hot air produced by your body away, so heat doesn’t just build up continuously during the night.
The memory foam is infused with lavender which is designed to be relaxing.
There is also a 3” option, and an option with gel infused memory foam for an extra cooling effect.
Pros:
- 2” thickness
- Memory foam cut into swirls and ridges
- 3 year warranty
- Lavender scented
- 5 different zones to accommodate different points of body contact
Cons:
- The lavender smell won’t last very long, and I suspect it’s merely a way for them to disguise the chemical smell that is usual for memory foam
- Where the zones on the mattress meet it creates a point of weakness that can easily rip
Marine Moon Mattress Topper
The Marine Moon mattress topper is more of a traditional mattress topper that looks very similar to the duck down mattress topper I used to own, but it’s made of a “down-alternative” filling, which just means it’s a polyester filling designed to be as fluffy as duck down.
It has a 400 thread count cotton cover, and it is deliberately overfilled to make it soft and fluffy with extra high loft.
It really is like sleeping on a cloud.
If you find it going flat after a few month’s use, simply put it in the tumble dryer on a low heat for 20min to fluff it up again.
Pros:
- It claims to be 3” thick, but in reality it’s more like a 1.5-2” thickness
- 400 thread count cotton cover
- Fluffy, like sleeping on a cloud, or a marshmallow
- Down-alternative filling
- Hypoallergenic
- 30-NIGHT TRIAL
- Re-fluff in the tumble dryer
Cons:
- The straps to attach it to your mattress are too short, and many people have complained they can’t wrap the straps around their mattress.
- It takes a few days to fully inflate before you should use it
Editor’s Choice
My choice today is the Dormeo Mattress Topper. It is the best mattress topper for side sleepers because it gives you the best of both worlds. The octasprings provide excellent ergonomic support for your body, spine, shoulders, hips and neck, while the smart cooling technology ensures hot air is circulated away from your body, ensuring a cool night’s sleep.
It’s also removable and washable, this gives it a much longer lifespan and you don’t have to buy an additional mattress protector.
Because memory foam has a distinctive smell that puts a lot of people off, a smell that does dissipate eventually, as I can confirm from personal experience, they’ve made some changes to their formula. This means there is almost no chemical smell when you first unpack it.
Give it a go and decide for yourself.
Now that you’ve found the best mattress topper for your needs, why not have a look at my pillow or bedding guides and get some amazing sheets to make your sleeping experience even more luxurious.
For more tips on having a good night’s sleep, please take a look at my guide to sleeping better.