The Best Mattresses For Side Sleepers In Canada

Did you know that the majority of Canadians prefer sleeping on their sides? Sleeping on a mattress that balances softness and support is essential if you fit the profile. This will ensure that it contours without sinking too deep, cradling the joints and keeping the spine aligned. 

To help you prevent pressure points that lead to back, neck, shoulder, and hip pain when you wake up, we have done in-depth research to develop a guide on the best mattresses for side sleepers in Canada.

Let’s jump right into it!

Quick Answer: Best Mattress For Side Sleepers In Canada

1. Helix Sunset Luxe: Best Overall
2. Nolah Evolution Mattress: Best for Couples
3. Winkbed: Best for support
4. Bear Mattress: Best for athletes
5. Nest bedding Sparrow Mattress: Best durability
6. Oki Easy Mattress: Best spinal alignment
7. Purple Mattress: Best for heavyweight side sleepers
8. Polysleep: Best Value Mattress

Helix Sunset Luxe

What We Like	What We Don’t Like
It’s a durable luxury mattress	Not ideal for stomach or back sleepers
The comfort layer offers pressure point relief
Its gel layer absorbs excess body heat.
It has a breathable cover for airflow.
Promotes a neutral spinal alignment

The Helix Sunset luxe strikes an awesome balance between comfort and support thanks to its 6-layer construction. At the very top, it comes with a super soft, breathable Tencel cover. This means it will keep you comfortable by letting in cool air when it’s hot. 

Beyond that, although side sleeping helps to curb sleep apnea and snoring, the Tencel covers make the chances of you developing allergies that might trigger snoring even slimmer because it’s hypoallergenic. 

The Helix is fitted with a premium quilted pillow top that features temperature-regulating gel memory foam for extra comfort. Underneath, its comfort layers are formulated with memory foam that contours to the shape of your body for tailored pressure relief and ergonomic support. 

Of course, it has your back “literally” with up to 1500 individually wrapped steel coils that offer zoned support around the back, waist, and neck. Beyond that, the spring coils also cancel out motion transfer to promote peaceful, uninterrupted sleep if you share a bed with your partner.

Nolah Evolution Mattress

What We Like	What We Don’t Like
It has excellent motion absorption	It’s expensive on a tight budget
Offers state-of-the-art temperature regulation
It has a lifetime warranty.
It offers excellent pressure relief.

This is one of the top-rated mattress in Canada when it comes to temperature regulation. It features a top cover that is soft and cool on the skin. Underneath, you’ll find a 2-inch cooling quilted foam with high thermal conductivity to draw away excess heat. 

Compared to a traditional memory foam mattress that traps heat in the core, the Nolah Evolution comes with border gussets that dissipate excess heat. Similarly, its graphite-induced memory foam layer maintains a cool temperature while offering body-hugging comfort to prevent joint stiffness and pain.

If you don’t enjoy the sinking feeling that comes with a softer mattress, its deep, high, resilient foam layer will provide full-body support. Moreover, if you’re a restless sleeper, it will ensure that you can smoothly change from side to side without straining. 

With 8-inch Trizone support coils, you’re sure to receive 25% more support than traditional coil systems. Besides that, it offers impeccable edge support, prevents motion transfer, and facilitates the movement of air around the mattress to cancel out air.

Winkbed

What We Like	What We Don’t Like
It made with eco-friendly materials	It could be expensive on a tight budget
It promotes a neutral spinal alignment
It offers zoned support that targets various pressure points.
It’s breathable and absorbent.
It doesn’t have an off-gassing smell.

The Winkbed is an innerspring mattress that is engineered with a Euro pillow top for added softness to cushion the hips, shoulders, and knees from the pressure that causes pain. It also has a hyper-soft cooling gel foam that absorbs excess heat to keep you cool through a hot night.

The pocketed coils that are below the Euro pillow top allow the bed to breathe and maximize airflow around your body. This means you won’t get hit by a musty smell because of odour build-up when you get into bed. Furthermore, the pocket coils are designed with zoned support that keeps you from sinking in too deep.  However, if you weigh above 230 lbs, you might want to purchase the wink plus option.

Moreover, its top cover is made of eucalyptus-based Tencel; its raw material is harvested from responsibly managed forests that plant numerous trees. In addition to that, it uses 20 times less water to make the fabric, lowering the carbon footprint.

Besides being eco-friendly, this mattress is certPure certified because its foams have been made without flame retardants, mercury, lead, formaldéhyde, and other toxic plants. This way, you can sleep on the mattress without developing serious health conditions associated with toxins.

Bear Mattress

What We Like	What We Don’t Like
Ideal for combination sleepers	Not ideal for sleepers weighing less than 130lbs
Made with high-density support foam
It isolates motion for a peaceful night’s sleep.
Provides unmatched edge support
Great for side sleepers who weigh more than 230lbs
It comes with a lifetime warranty.

This hybrid mattress is carefully formulated with features that assist people who are involved in vigorous physical activities with muscle recovery. It consists of a cooling cover made of Celliant fabric that is a combination of 13 different thermo-reactive minerals. It will not only keep you cool, but it will also convert the excess heat into infrared energy, which is transmitted back to you. 

In addition to that, the Celliant may increase circulation and oxygen levels in tissues, facilitating a speedy recovery from physical activities. This means if you work out a lot or if you perform physically taxing activities, this mattress will promote peaceful REM sleep that is essential for body repair so that you can wake up in the morning feeling rejuvenated.

If you share a bed with a partner who is not a side sleeper, this mattress will give you awesome cushioning around the hips, shoulders, and knees without compromising on your partner’s comfort. Moreover, it’s a medium-firmness mattress ideal for sleepers who weigh more than 230 lbs because it won’t sink in too deep, throwing off our spinal alignment.

Lastly, if you’re easily woken up by your partner’s movement, this mattress’ contours to natural curves independently without transferring motion. Likewise, it’s reinforced with edge-to-edge coils along the perimeter to increase the surface area so you won’t feel like you’re falling off if you find yourself sleeping at the edge of the mattress.

Nestbedding Sparrow Mattress

What We Like	What We Don’t Like
It has a 365-night trial period	It might be too expensive if you’re on a tight budget
The returns and shipping are free	Its cover is not removable
It comes in three different firmness levels for customized comfort.
Its Energex foam is responsive, so it doesn’t leave an imprint.
Its individually wrapped coils isolate motion.
The middle layer alone when the mattress starts to compress

If you’re in search of a mattress that is as comfortable as it is supportive, the Nestbedding mattress could be ideal for you. Built with a combination of coil and proprietary foam that comes 12 inches thick, it cushions your pressure points to relieve you of muscle tension and prevent back pain. 

A non-removable cover that uses a thermic phase-changing cooling fabric will keep your mattress cool and comfortable on those hot summer nights. Not to forget, it’s designed with a lux design that gives it a premium look. Nevertheless, although the cover is not removable, we would advise you to put on a mattress protector that is resistant to spills and stains to lengthen its lifespan.

Beyond that, the bed is extremely responsive to maintain its shape for a long period because it snaps back to shape immediately after you wake up without leaving a body imprint.

Talking about firmness,  this mattress comes with three firmness options. As explained in our guide, you can choose one that suits your body weight. This way, you’ll be able to enjoy customized comfort for a pain-free, peaceful night’s sleep.

Oki Easy Mattress

What We Like	What We Don’t Like
Ideal for any sleeping position	Sinks in for people who weigh more than 230 lbs
Cushions sharp pressure points	Its motion responsive is not very effective
It has a long trial period of 365 days
Promotes a neutral spinal alignment
It doesn’t have an off-gassing smell.
Provides awesome temperature control

The Oki Easy Mattress offers generous comfort with 2-inch soft memory foam layers, while its transition layer consists of 2.5 inches of medium polyfoam. To put it into context, this duo works together to conform to your shape, evenly distributing your weight across the mattress to prevent back pain and muscle tension caused by pressure build-up.

Another thing, its comfort layers absorb most surface-level motion that might get transferred to your partner or vice-versa. Its support pocket coils are individually wrapped to prevent motion transfer and the springy noise common with earlier models of innerspring mattresses to seal the deal. 

The Oki mattress has an affordable price point that won’t break the bank compared to most mattresses in this guide. Of course, to say it’s affordable doesn’t mean it’s made of low-quality materials. In fact, it has a 10-year warranty, and if you’re not satisfied with its firmness or comfort, it comes with a 365-night trial in which you can return the mattress and get a refund.

Although the Oki easy mattress has some cooling features, its performance is average compared to the mattresses we’ve reviewed. Nonetheless, if you’re a hot sleeper, its cover made of cool-to-touch ice yarn will draw heat from your body and dissipate it when temperatures are normal. However, when it’s summer, and the temperatures rise, its memory foam layer might trap the excess heat.

Purple Mattress

What We Like	What We Don’t Like
It’s hypoallergenic	It doesn’t offer great edge support
It’s thermoregulatory	Not ideal for side sleepers that weigh less than 130 lbs
Designed to offer an instant response
Reduces pressure around cradle points like hips and shoulders
It offers excellent support to promote a neutral spinal alignment.

The Purple mattress comes with a firmness of 6 out of 10 to relieve pressure around the hips, knees, and shoulders as you sleep. This means you won’t wake up every day with muscle soreness that might affect your daily activities. More impressively, the Purple grid contours the body to provide a cushioning feel that promotes deep REM sleep. 

More impressively, this mattress will do you a solid by keeping you cool when it’s too hot, thanks to the Purple Grid technology contained in its top layer. Moreover, the Purple grid has open spaces that allow air to keep you cool and warn out musty smells.

If you’re prone to allergies, this mattress is designed with a hypoallergenic top cover that keeps away dust mites, pollen, and moulding. You won’t develop complications related to allergies while you’re sleeping.  

Unfortunately, this mattress can sag if you sit on the edge for too long. In the event you find yourself sleeping on the edge, you might roll off the bed and injure yourself. Also, you might need to flip the mattress every six months to prevent sinking and leaving a body imprint.

Polysleep

What We Like	What We Don’t Like
Ideal for lightweight side sleepers	Not ideal for side sleepers that weigh more than 230lbs
It’s antimicrobial
It’s budget-friendly
Cancels out motion transfer
Cushions pressure points
It has awesome temperature control.

The Polysleep mattress has a soft feel, a jackpot for strict side sleepers. It helps to facilitate unmatched pressure point relief around the shoulders and hips. Like most foam mattresses, it hugs the body to ease muscle tension and helps to relieve pain. Additionally, since it has a layer of firm foam to support the waist, your spinal alignment won’t be thrown off.

If you have little ones or pets that might accidentally wet or spill liquids on the mattress, you don’t have to worry because the polysleep comes with a spill-resistant top cover.  Likewise, to keep you cool and prevent odour buildup, it features an open-cell memory foam that facilitates air movement through the mattress.

Did we mention this mattress is responsive? Considering the form layers cradle to the body, this mattress is formulated with features that help to respond quickly to pressure. Moreover, it also helps to prevent body imprints and sagging on the mattress.

However, this mattress might not offer sufficient support if you weigh more than 230lbs. Even worse, it could throw off your spinal alignment and cause you back pain.

Importance of sleeping on a mattress design for side sleepers 

Targeted Pressure Relief 

Sleeping on the side puts a lot of stress on the hips, lower back,  shoulders, and knees since your body weight rests on those areas. This means if you sleep on a too-hard mattress, you’ll wake up stiff and sore around those areas. Nonetheless, most good mattresses for side sleeping positions are designed with a few inches of memory foam to cushion pressure points like the hips, knees, and shoulders.

Promotes a Neutral spinal alignment

To avoid waking up with a stiff and painful back while sleeping on the sides, keeping your spine in a neutral alignment is important. To achieve that, manufacturers have designed mattresses for side sleepers with a technology that helps to keep the spine in a neutral alignment.

Provides proper support 

Compared to back and stomach sleepers, side sleepers require more support around the waist, legs, and chest. To achieve sufficient support around those areas, most mattresses for side sleepers are designed with zoned support. This ensures that areas that need support receive it without compromising on the cushioning.

Keeps you cool

Most hot sleepers should prioritize comfort and contouring properties. A good mattress for side sleepers will also ensure that you sleep cool without distractions. This is because the mattresses are designed with breathable covers, aerated, and gel foam that helps to dissipate excess heat. 

Provides pain relief 

Believe it or not, a good mattress for side sleepers can help to relieve pain. More succinctly, most good mattresses for side sleepers are designed with memory foam that softens up when exposed to heat; this helps to distribute weight across to limit pressure points evenly.

In turn, you will go through the REM sleep cycle, which greatly releases hormones that can promote healing and pain relief.

Things to Consider When Purchasing the Best Mattress for side sleepers 

Mattress Type

Hybrid Mattress

From the name, you can tell that a hybrid mattress combines an innerspring support system with top layers of memory foam or latex. This means that you’ll get the benefits of each. Some hybrid mattresses also feature a transition layer of polyfoam micro coils underneath the foam comfort layers to minimize the drawbacks.

For side sleepers, the comfort layers in hybrid mattresses tend to provide contouring support for better pressure relief and promote a neutral spine alignment. Apart from its innerspring coils offering support, it also allows air into the mattress to help regulate the body temperature when it’s hot.

Latex

A latex mattress is built with latex comfort layers and a support base. This type of mattress is largely made of latex that’s harvested from rubber sap, then processed into latex using the Dunlop or Tulay method. Beyond that, some manufacturers also design synthetic latex using petrochemicals.

For side sleepers who weigh more than 230 lbs, the latex comfort layers gently contour to your body shape to relieve pressure points without the feeling of sinking in too deeply. This way, it will give you cushioning support to prevent shoulder and hip pain when you wake up in the morning. 

Another thing; if you sleep hot or you’re prone to allergies from dust mites, latex mattresses help to regulate temperature and also keep away allergens to achieve uninterrupted sleep. However, keep in mind that latex can cause a terrible allergic reaction.

Innerspring

The innerspring mattress is the oldest type of mattress with a support base of steel coils and comfort layers of foam or fiber. Compared to hybrid mattresses, the innerspring is less contouring. Nonetheless, if you’re a side sleeper looking for a mattress with excellent edge support, it looks no further than the innerspring.

Foam

Foam mattresses are designed with comfort layers and support bases made of viscoelastic foam.  Surprisingly, the first memory foam was invented in the 1960s by NASA to improve the safety of aircraft cushions. In the 1990s, memory foam then trickled down to the mattress industry. 

Most sleepers only had one issue with traditional memory foam: heat retention at the core. To solve the problem, manufacturers modified the foam to include gel; this way it will help to regulate body temperature. Similarly, some foam mattresses have open-cell for breathability.

For side sleepers, a memory foam mattress offers the best pressure relief. It does this by contouring your body shape to prevent shoulder and hip pain. On top of that, it promotes a neutral spinal alignment to prevent pain and reduces aches.

Airbed

The support in an airbed mattress comes from inflatable internal rubber chambers. The best part is that you can easily adjust its firmness by filling its chambers with air or removing it to fit your preference. Most modern airbed mattresses are remote-controlled, and some can even be paired with a smartphone app so you can enjoy customized comfort.

To give side sleepers maximum comfort, it has layers of latex, foam, wool, or other fibers. Other models come with adjustability around pressure points like shoulders and hips to keep the spine aligned. Not to mention, if you and your partner have different sleeping positions, you can opt for a mattress with two chambers so you can adjust your chambers differently.

Body Weight 

Less than 130lbs

If you’re a side sleeper that weighs less than 130 lbs, you might prefer a soft mattress with a firmness level of (2-3) or medium-soft for deep contouring to prevent body aches. In comparison, if you opt for a firm mattress, it might not offer pressure relief for the shoulders and hips. 

130-230lbs 

Side sleepers who weigh between 130-230 lbs need a mattress that can strike a balance between contouring and support. Based on that, we would recommend a mattress that is medium-firm or soft on the firmness scale of between 4 to 6. Sleeping on a  medium-soft to medium-firm mattress will ensure that your spine is not thrown out of alignment to prevent back pain.

More than 230lbs

If you’re a side sleeper that weighs more than 250 lbs, you might enjoy a mattress that is extra firm (9-10) since it can offer a sufficient support layer. However, a medium-firm mattress could be ideal if you need some extra cushioning for a body-hugging feel to prevent soreness around the hips and shoulders. 

Read about mattress for heavyweight person

Temperature Regulation

If you’re a side sleeper that also sleeps hot, you don’t have to worry anymore. All you need to do is just purchase a mattress with gel memory foam, open-air cell, or Tencel covers.

Most mattresses with gel memory foam are infused with beads that absorb excessive heat and dissipate it. To put it into context, if it’s summertime and you’re unable to sleep because of the heat, the gel will absorb the extra heat to induce peaceful sleep.

Not to mention, if you have hyperhidrosis, when it gets hot, the last thing you probably want is sleeping on a wet, uncomfortable mattress. To solve this, you could opt for a mattress for side sleepers designed with open-air cells and breathable top covers that help to circulate air and wick out excess moisture.

here is our guide on cooling mattress

Motion isolation

If you have a partner who sleeps restless, you might want to consider a mattress for side sleepers with motion isolation. This way, you won’t be woken up by your partner’s movement. 

Furthermore, a peaceful night’s sleep free from unnecessary interpretation will ensure that you enjoy REM sleep, that’s essential in promoting overall wellness and productivity during the day.

Quality

To get value for money, you’ll need to purchase a mattress with quality materials instead of cheap ones. Although it may seem like you’re saving a few bucks, cheap materials tend to break down fast and offer less support, ultimately causing you discomfort and even pain within 4 years. 

On the other hand, a more expensive mattress is more likely to last longer; on average, it can last up to 8 years.

Pressure Relief

Since side sleeping tends to apply a lot of pressure on the hips and shoulders, it’s important to consider purchasing a mattress designed with materials that can contour to the shape of your body. Furthermore, materials like memory foam and latex prevent hip and shoulder soreness when you wake up.

To add on, mattresses with body-hugging properties will also help to distribute your weight evenly across the mattress to relieve and prevent pain.

Warranties

The last thing you would want is to purchase a mattress with an egregious defect and no warranty policy. Even though most warranties rarely cover anticipated wear and tear or even spills, they can offer a replacement or repair of a manufacturing defect within the warranty period. Keep an eye out for prorated warranties since it means that the mattress company will only pay for half of the repair depending on how long you’ve had the mattress. 

Shipping

The best Canadian mattresses are delivered for free. What’s more, for easier shipping and to prevent molding or bedbugs, the mattress is compressed inside a plastic package before being placed in a box. However, an average queen’s mattress weighs at least 75 pounds, and it will take two people to get a new mattress safely upstairs. 

Once you get it in your room, all you have to do is just remove the packaging, and the mattress will retake its full size.

Then again, if you don’t want to carry the mattress from your doorstep, you could always opt for a company that offers a White Glove delivery service that involves delivering and setting up the new mattress in your room and even removing the existing mattress.

Returns

If you’re buying your mattress for side sleepers online, you don’t have to worry about getting stuck with a mattress with the wrong firmness. This is because most mattress companies have a night sleep trial of between 100-120 nights. 

Before the return, some companies might require you to keep the mattress for a 30-day break-in period before you can return it.

Size

It’s important to choose a mattress size that suits your lifestyle and space. For instance, purchasing a California king-size mattress won’t make sense if your room is small. On the other hand, if you have a family or pets that come into your room, it’s important to choose a mattress that’s large enough to accommodate everyone. 

Another thing, if you’re only replacing the mattress, but you’re not certain, you could always measure it. This way, you won’t have to send back the mattress because it’s too small or too big for the frame.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

To summarize, if we were to buy the best mattress for side sleepers in Canada, we would choose the Helix Sunset Luxe. This is because it’s a proper mattress designed with a cooling foam and an extra supportive layer that is durable. 

Nevertheless, all the mattresses we’ve reviewed in this article are designed with all the features necessary to promote healthy sleep free from discomfort and pain.

Medical Disclaimer: By accessing the higheye.ca website and/or purchasing any products or services through it, you acknowledge and agree to this Disclaimer. You also confirm that you have read, understood, and accepted its terms. Please note that the information and other content provided on this website, or in any linked references, are not intended to be professional medical advice and should not be treated as such. They are intended for informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for medical advice, treatment, or diagnosis from a qualified healthcare professional. If you have any medical questions or concerns, we recommend consulting with a physician or other medical expert.

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