Technologies
Top 10 Mattresses for Side Sleepers of 2025, Expert-Tested and Approved
Mattresses for side sleepers need to promote spinal alignment and give proper support throughout the night. These picks from our sleep experts will deliver.
Our Experts
- American Board of Family Medicine, Family Medicine
- State of Illinois, Medical Examining Board License
Education
- University of Northern Iowa, BA
- Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine, DO
Your sleeping position is an important factor to consider when mattress shopping. If you sleep on your side, a soft yet supportive mattress is the one you’ll need. These will relieve pressure and keep joint pain at bay, all while maintaining proper spinal alignment. However, finding the perfect mattress can be tricky, which is why CNET’s sleep experts have done the legwork to find the top options that provide ample support to help you get a good night’s sleep.
A recent CNET survey found that 46% of US adults are willing to invest in a better bedroom setup to improve sleep quality. Our team has tested hundreds of beds from myriad brands, ranging from household names like Tempur-Pedic and Purple to unique brands such as Sonu and Airweave. So, whether you’re a hot or heavy sleeper, on a strict budget or dealing with back or hip pain, there’s a bed on this list for you.
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What’s the best overall mattress for side sleepers?
After countless hours of testing over 300 beds, our team chose the Layla Hybrid as the best overall mattress for side sleepers. Thanks to its unique flippable design, it offers two sides with varying firmness levels — a quality we rarely see among hybrid mattresses. Both lean on the softer side of the firmness scale, offering the pressure relief side sleepers need. It has an airy memory foam feel that’s more responsive than traditional memory foam, so it’s a nice accommodating middle ground in terms of feel.
Video: Best mattress for side sleepers
Watch CNET senior video producer Owen Poole review the best mattress for side sleepers.
Best mattresses for side sleepers in 2025
- Dual-sided for two firmness options
- Soft and airy responsive memory foam feel
- Great for side and combination sleepers
- Hybrid construction offers more support than all-foam
- Not a true budget choice
- May not be the best for heavier back or stomach sleepers
Why we chose the Layla Hybrid mattress: If you’re a side sleeper unsure what firmness profile you need, Layla Hybrid could be the right bed for you, thanks to its dual-sided design. This unique, flippable mattress has a different firmness level on each side, and both are suitable for side sleepers.
How it sleeps: Our one-of-a-kind Mattress Smasher 9000 device rated the Firm side of the Layla Hybrid a 5.3 out of 10 on the firmness scale and the Soft side a 3.1. This 13-inch-tall bed has a soft, airy memory foam feel that leans on the responsive side. It features a layer of long-lasting pocketed coils in the middle, increasing the support and durability of the mattress. On either side of this coil system are poly foam and copper gel-infused memory foam layers. Though the copper gel infused into the memory foam is intended to help keep you cooler, it sleeps more temperature-neutral than actually cooling.
One of the main reasons we chose this mattress as the best overall for side sleepers is that you have two chances to get the firmness right for your personal preferences — if one side feels too soft or firm, all you have to do is flip it over. This flippability also adds to the lifespan of your mattress.
Overall, it’s a comfortable and accommodating two-in-one mattress with a price that’s hard to beat for the quality. A queen-size Layla Hybrid retails in that middle-tier price range for $1,699, but Layla frequently offers discounts that bring the price point down a couple of hundred dollars.
Runner-up: The Nest Bedding Sparrow is a responsive, pressure-relieving hybrid mattress with a pillow-top feel that sits between medium and medium-soft, making it perfect for side sleepers. At $2,132 for a queen, it’s slightly more expensive, but it’s worth noting that Nest Bedding offers solid discounts and superb company policies, such as a 365-night trial period and a lifetime renewal exchange.
- Heavy-duty construction supports up to 1,000 pounds
- Micro-coils provide more pressure relief and motion isolation
- Cooling cover helps with temperature regulation
- Not a budget option
- Might be too firm for light side sleepers
Why we chose the Titan Plus Elite mattress: We were immediately impressed by how supportive and luxurious this mattress feels. Specifically designed to hold up to 1,000 pounds, the new Titan Plus Elite by Brooklyn Bedding offers the perfect combination of support and cushioning for heavier side sleepers. To top it off, there’s a 2-inch plush pillow top with cooling fibers to help keep you cooler throughout the night.
How it sleeps: This responsive bed has a slight hint of a memory foam feel due to a layer of thousands of individually wrapped micro-coils. These small coils increase the bed’s motion isolation capabilities (which is great if you sleep with a partner) and enhance that cushioning sensation.
Thanks to its heavy-duty coil system and high-density foams, you won’t have to worry about sagging with this ultra-durable mattress. It has zoned support and pressure relief in the right places, which is crucial for side sleepers. It lands around a medium (perhaps a hair into medium-firm), ideal for heavy individuals and couples — the heavier you are, the more you’ll sink into the mattress and the softer it usually feels.
Though it has Titan’s GlacioTex materials on the top, this mattress sleeps more temperature-neutral than actively cooling. It offers excellent edge support — another feature to look for if you share the bed.
At $2,398, it’s not necessarily a budget option, but the brand frequently offers discounts that can bring the price for a queen down to $1,800, which we think is a steal for a bed this nice.
Runner-up: The Saatva HD is another great choice designed to support heavier people. This high-end mattress has a super supportive innerspring system and Lumbar Zone technology to promote healthy spinal alignment. One downside is that this bed requires a particular Saatva HD Foundation, as it’s not compatible with regular foundations or box springs. At $3,399, it’s on the pricier end, but it is worth looking into if you’re considering a premium mattress.
- Fans of dense memory foam will appreciate the feel
- Plenty of pressure relief
- Some of the best policies in the game
- Great price during Nectar’s frequent sales
- Too soft for back and stomach sleepers
- Not for those looking for a neutral feel
- Retails on the expensive side
- Hybrid construction is supportive for all body type
- Soft and plush pillow top
- Great pressure relief and edge support
- Optional cooling cover upgrade
- Super heavy sleepers may want a slightly firmer bed
- Not suited for back or stomach sleepers
Why we chose the Helix Sunset Luxe mattress: The Helix Sunset Luxe is surprisingly soft yet offers a ton of support. This responsive hybrid mattress has a comfortable and plush pillow-top feel that most people like. Thanks to the soft and cradling comfort foam layers, its medium-soft firmness profile is ideal for side sleepers seeking pressure relief around the shoulders and hips.
How it sleeps: The Helix Sunset Luxe has a plush pillow-top feel that’s mostly neutral with a trace of memory foam — it’s like sinking into a cloud. We were impressed by how supportive it is despite feeling so soft. Its durable coil system has a specific Zoned Lumbar Support design intended to keep your spine neutrally aligned, which is a great feature to look for in a mattress if you have back issues. The heavy-duty pocketed coils provide plenty of support for all body types, including heavier sleepers.
The Tencel cover on the Helix Sunset Luxe is a breathable, hypoallergenic material that helps wick moisture away. However, it isn’t truly cooling, so if you are a very hot sleeper, you may want to consider adding the optional cooling cover for an additional cost.
While it’s ideal for side sleepers, this mattress could also work for some combination sleepers who favor their sides. The bed’s perimeter is reinforced with durable steel coils, creating solid edge support — important for those sharing the bed with a partner, kids or pets.
Helix frequently offers discounts that slash the prices way down, often taking the price for a queen from $2,374 to $1,899 or less, which we think is pretty good for a premium bed like the Helix Sunset Luxe.
Runner-up: The Helix Moonlight Helix Sleeps offers multiple mattress lines with varying feels and firmness levels through its Core, Luxe and Elite collections. If you’re interested in a Helix bed but need help determining which one is right for you, check out Helix’s nifty sleep quiz.
- GelFlex Grid provides support and pressure relief
- Breathable materials are good for hot sleepers
- Medium firmness level is great for side and combination sleepers
- Not everyone will like the feel of the GelFlex Grid
- Not as supportive for heavier sleepers
Why we chose the Purple Mattress: The original Purple Mattress is simultaneously soft and supportive, providing the pressure relief needed if you have hip or shoulder pain as a side sleeper. Its responsive GelFlex Grid comfort layer cradles those pressure points while supporting your back and spine. Not to mention, the breathable grid design helps you sleep cooler — another perk if you’re suffering from chronic pain.
How it sleeps: Purple mattresses all incorporate this unique GelFlex Grid feature made of hyper-elastic polymer. This proprietary material is incredibly stretchy and durable, providing a soft surface that cradles and supports your curves. Shaped in a grid with thousands of individual air channels, it naturally sleeps cooler by allowing your body heat to escape.
«One benefit of the GelFlex Grid is it does an excellent job of helping the mattress sleep temperature. Because the material has very little surface area, the bed has amazing airflow, which helps prevent heat buildup and it doesn’t retain heat like some types of foam. I slept on a Purple Hybrid mattress for years, and I noticed this benefit a lot during the summer months,» says Owen Poole, CNET senior video producer and mattress expert.
Lying on the Purple Mattress, you can feel the grid beneath you more than most of the other more expensive Purple mattresses. Our experts rate the Purple Mattress medium on the firmness scale or around 5 out of 10. Its all-foam construction (meaning no coils) is best for sleepers on the lighter side, under 230 pounds. If you’re heavier, we recommend checking out the Purple Restore Hybrid.
Runner-up: The Nolah Signature Hybrid is a medium-soft mattress with a perforated AirFoam layer that cushions your shoulders and hips. It also has targeted support zones to help relieve tension in high-stress areas.
- Comes in multiple firmness options
- Super impressive cooling technology
- Great price point for the quality
- Supportive hybrid design with pocketed coils
- Optional cloud pillow top is an additional cost
- Not for those looking for a memory foam feel
Why we chose the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe: The Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe is a super cool bed — literally. In addition to its exceptional cooling technology, this mattress comes in three firmness options, so you can choose the right one for you. It has a soft, neutral foam feel and a supportive hybrid design that works for all body types.
How it sleeps: Many mattress brands claim their beds are cooling, but few actually are — Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe being one of them (which is why it also took the crown as the best for hot sleepers on our top cooling mattresses list). I was impressed by how cool-to-the-touch its GlacioTex cover is, which truly helps you sleep cooler rather than just temperature neutral.
This supportive hybrid design of the Aurora Luxe includes a high-density foam base, durable pocketed coils and Brooklyn Bedding’s proprietary foam layers: Gel Swirl memory foam, Supreme Response comfort foam and CopperFlex.
For strict side sleepers, we recommend opting for the Soft model. If you’re on the heavier side or more of a combination sleeper, check out the medium firmness option. The firm version, which we think is more medium-firm, is best for stomach and back sleepers.
Runner-up: If you’re looking for another maximum cooling mattress and budget isn’t a concern, check out the Tempur-Pedic Luxe Breeze. At $5,599, it’s one of the more expensive beds we’ve tested. It comes in multiple firmness options, with soft being the best for side sleepers.
Read more in our Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe review.
- Lifetime warranty
- Suitable for side and combination sleepers
- Accommodating blended foam feel
- May not be supportive enough for heavier people
- $99 return fee
- Only one firmness option
Why we chose the Nolah Original mattress: Though a queen-size Nolah Original 10″ retails for $1,449, it’s typically on sale for as low as $999 — a smoking deal for the quality. This all-foam mattress has a unique yet accommodating mixed or blended foam feel. It has some sinking sensation like memory foam but is much more responsive and bouncy.
How it sleeps: The Nolah Original has a simple design of three layers of various foams and a Tencel cover on top. The foams include Nolah’s 8-inch SolidSleep foam foundation, 1 inch of AirFoam Ice and 1 inch of Zoned AirFoam Ice. The zoned layer is perforated around the shoulders to add pressure relief and softness for side sleepers, while it’s firmer in the middle for lumbar support.
If you’re of average to heavy weight, you’ll likely find this mattress to feel somewhere between medium to medium-soft, like most of our CNET sleep experts found. If you’re lighter like me, this mattress may feel slightly firmer than that, around a 5 to 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale.
We recommend a hybrid mattress if you are on the heavier side or weigh 230 pounds or more. The Nolah Original Hybrid is $300 more and offers a medium firmness profile and a neutral hybrid feel, another great option for heavy side sleepers.
Runner-up: The Dreamfoam Hybrid mattress retails for $799 but is often a couple of hundred dollars cheaper during the brand’s frequent sales. Thanks to its supportive comfort foams, it offers a soft neutral foam feel and an accommodating medium firmness level. This is another option for side and combination sleepers that offers impressive bang for your buck.
For more discounts, check out our Best Mattress Deals.
- Dual coil layers support those with back pain
- Foam layers provide plenty of pressure relief
- Great motion isolation and edge support
- Comfortable cool-to-the-touch cover
- On the expensive side
- Only available in one firmness level
- Too soft for strict stomach or back sleepers
Why we chose the Leesa Legend Chill Hybrid mattress: Side sleepers with back pain need a softer bed with enough support to keep the spine in healthy, neutral alignment. That’s where the Leesa Legend Chill Hybrid mattress comes in. Its medium-soft to medium firmness profile provides ample pressure relief for the shoulders, hips and knees and sufficiently supports the back and neck.
How it sleeps: The Leesa Legend Chill has a dual coil system with zoned support and a micro-coil layer for increased motion isolation and enhanced pressure relief. It features a cushioning cool-to-the-touch quilted cover that can also help reduce pain by preventing overheating at night.
In testing, we found this bed between medium-soft and medium, confirmed by our Mattress Smasher’s rating of a 4 out of 10 on the firmness scale, which puts it right in the sweet spot for side sleepers and combination sleepers who favor their sides. It also has reinforced edge support, a huge plus if your partner is a bed hog.
A queen-size retails for $2,800, which is expensive. Thankfully, Leesa often runs significant sales, bringing the price down by at least a few hundred. It’s a luxurious mattress that’s worth the money if it’s in your budget and you’re looking for a five-star hotel feel.
Runner-up: The Casper Dream Max is another great option for side sleepers with back pain, thanks to its medium-soft profile and zoned support for spinal alignment. It’s also expensive, but it will be a lot less if you catch Casper during one of its frequent sales.
- Non-toxic; made with natural and organic materials
- Incredible pressure relief for side sleepers
- Durable, hybrid design
- On the expensive side
- Not recommended for back or stomach sleepers
- Unique design is perfect for side sleepers
- Great choice for couples
- Soft and accommodating neutral foam feel
- Has multiple firmness options
- Requires Sonu’s custom sheets
- Might be too soft for back and stomach sleepers
- Expensive
Why we chose the Sonu Sleep mattress: Designed explicitly for strict side sleepers, the Sonu Sleep System is one of the most unique beds we’ve ever tested. It has a patented «comfort channel» in the top third of the mattress, a large cutout designed to keep your arm comfortable while lying on your side.
How it sleeps: Sonu has three firmness options: Push, Hybrid and Firm. Our sleep experts found the Hybrid model to be a flat medium on the firmness scale, and it has a soft and accommodating neutral foam feel — it’s not sinking like dense memory foam, yet not overly bouncy, either. This mattress is an excellent choice for couples who sleep primarily on their sides. With your arm and shoulder nestled in the cutout, they won’t fall asleep or go numb as they might on regular mattresses. It makes cuddling a whole lot more comfortable. This bed also offers solid edge support and sound motion isolation, two great features for couples to look for in a bed.
There are a few downsides to this bed’s unique construction, one of which is that Sonu’s custom-made fitted sheet is required to accommodate the comfort channel. Sonu’s sheets are 100% long staple cotton; no other materials are currently offered. So if you strongly prefer a certain material for your sheets, this mattress may not be for you. Given its firmness level and the comfort channel cutout, we don’t recommend this mattress for back sleepers.
Firmness data for the best mattresses for side sleepers
At CNET, our sleep experts use subjective and objective methods to test mattress firmness to thoroughly assess how it feels and who it’s best for. Subjectively, we use our extensive experience and expertise to test and analyze a bed’s construction, describing where it lands on the firmness scale to the best of our ability. How firm a mattress feels can differ drastically from person to person, so we describe firmness from the perspective of varying body types, weights, genders and sleeping positions.
Our Mattress Smasher 9000 is a super cool, proprietary CNET device that objectively assesses mattress firmness. This unique machine presses down into the mattress with a predetermined amount of force (to simulate whatever body weight we want to test), calculating how far its arm goes into the mattress to determine its firmness on a scale of 1 to 10. We always test a new mattress subjectively first, then follow it up with the Mattress Smasher to see how well it backs up our claims.
From softest to firmest, here are the objective firmness levels gathered when testing the best mattresses for side sleepers with our Mattress Smasher 9000.
How we tested the best mattresses for side sleepers
Our sleep experts have been testing mattresses, bedding and sleep technology for years, dedicating thousands of hours to honing our craft of honestly and thoroughly reviewing beds and sleep-related products. We’ve tested well over 300 beds from dozens of brands like Casper, Helix, Nectar, Purple, Leesa and many more.
Our bed testers have varying body weights and types, heights, genders and sleep preferences, allowing us to provide an overarching assessment of each mattress from multiple viewpoints. We take pride in our mattress testing methodology, which includes analyzing characteristics such as firmness, feel, temperature regulation, motion isolation, edge support and special features.
Firmness
One of the primary characteristics we look for when selecting the best mattresses for side sleepers is firmness, which implies the amount of pressure relief the bed offers. During our testing process, our experts of varying weights and body types take turns lying on the bed in each sleeping position to determine how well they’ll cradle our primary pressure points — mainly shoulders, hips and knees. When lying on your side, the mattress must offer some «give» around these areas. If a mattress is too firm, it can push back on these pressure points too much and cause soreness, pain and even numbness.
As I mentioned, firmness is subjective and varies from person to person — the driving force behind the creation of our Mattress Smasher 9000. With the mattress placed on the platform, we activate the device, which presses its arm into the middle of the bed. Our corresponding software then provides the objective firmness level on a scale of 1 to 10, with being the softest and 10 the firmest.
We never recommend a mattress with a high firmness score for side sleepers. The sweet spot for side sleepers is typically around medium-soft, give or take some, depending on your weight, body type and personal preferences.
Feel
The feel of a mattress is another important element we analyze and review. Influenced by the types of foams and coils used in its construction, the feel of a bed is exactly how it sounds — what does it feel like when you lie on it? Is it bouncy and responsive? Is it easy to switch positions? Or does the dense memory foam conform around your body and hold your shape for a while? Does the mattress have a soft, plush pillow top feel, or is it more neutral? Are the coils or zoned support noticeable? We do our best to describe precisely what it feels like to lie on each bed to help you determine if it’s right for you without having to test them all yourself.
In determining the best feel for side sleepers, we look for beds with a softer and more plush sensation that cradles your curves and offers plenty of pressure relief for your hips and shoulders.
Read more: Why The Foam in Your Mattress Matters
Temperature regulation
Each individual’s preferences, body type and even health conditions can influence how hot or cold a mattress feels. We’ve also found that mattress brands exaggerate the cooling capabilities of their beds. This is why we detail how hot or cool the mattress sleeps during our testing process so that you have a more accurate understanding of how it feels to lie on it. Does the mattress sincerely feel cool to the touch and give a satisfying chilling sensation for hot sleepers? Or will it sleep more temperature-natural? Do the materials retain body heat and keep you warmer?
Other external factors affect what the temperature of a bed feels like to you, such as bedroom environment, the bedding you use and the pajamas you sleep in. At our mattress facility, we test beds in temperature-controlled rooms without sheets or bedding to analyze their construction and materials and explain how they affect the overall temperature of the bed.
Motion isolation
Motion isolation is a simple term for how well the mattress deadens movement across its surface. A bed with good motion isolation is essential for light sleepers or those sharing the mattress with a partner or pets. We test a bed’s motion isolation capabilities by having one expert lie on the bed while another flops around and switches positions. Does the person lying feel the movement through the mattress, or is it subtle and less noticeable?
For the second method, we set a glass of water on the edges, rolling toward and away to see if the glass falls or the liquid sloshes over. Typically, beds with dense memory foam perform the best in this category. More responsive mattresses tend to have worse motion isolation.
Edge support
Edge support refers to the strength of the bed’s perimeter, another important factor to keep in mind if you sleep with a partner or pets or tend to sleep on the edge. Testing the edge support involves analyzing how well the mattress holds its shape and structure when we sit and lie on the perimeter. Does it cave in and give the sensation we’ll roll off, or is it super sturdy and supportive?
We also push down on the edges with our fists to observe how much it compresses under pressure. Many mattress brands add reinforcements around the edges — whether coils or firmer foams — to enhance the edge support. Having solid edge supports helps to create a stable and consistent sleeping surface across the entirety of the mattress.
Special features
Mattress brands often offer beds with special features, such as covers with cooling technology for hot sleepers or zoned support specifically for people with back issues like sciatica. We always test and review these additional characteristics to determine if they live up to the brands’ claims and to let you know which sleeper type would benefit most.
Learn more: How We Test Mattresses
What to consider when buying a mattress for side sleepers
The mattress characteristics that side sleepers should look for are different from those of strict stomach or back sleepers. Here are the main things to keep in mind if you favor your side when you sleep.
Firmness
Soft mattresses are typically more pressure-relieving than firm beds. With firm mattresses, the surface pushes back into your pressure points, which can cause pain and soreness and may even throw off the alignment of your spine. Softer beds are better for side sleepers (and combination sleepers who favor their sides) as they offer more contouring and cushioning beneath pressure points like your hips and shoulders.
Body type
In most cases, the heavier you are, the softer a mattress feels because you’ll typically sink deeper into the layers than a lighter individual, and vice versa. It’s worth mentioning that this is not always the case, as it largely depends on the bed’s construction, the materials used and the placement of its layers of foam and coils.
Heavier sleepers over 230 pounds can usually get away with side sleeping on a firmer bed because it’ll feel a tad softer than for average or lightweight individuals. The reverse applies to lighter individuals under 150 pounds, who may want to opt for a true soft to medium-soft mattress so it won’t feel too firm.
Mattress type
The design and construction of your mattress directly influence how it feels and how long it lasts. Hybrid beds with coils tend to last longer than all-foam mattresses. Knowing what you want your bed to feel like will help narrow down your options. Do you like the sinking, contouring feel of dense memory foam that’s super slow to respond? Or do you like a bouncier mattress that’s more responsive and easier to switch positions? A soft and plush pillow top that feels like floating on a cloud? Or a mixed, neutral feel somewhere in the middle?
Sleeping position
We review four main sleeping positions on each mattress: back, stomach, side and combination. If you’re a strict side sleeper, a softer mattress is going to be key as firm mattresses are going to be too uncomfortable and unforgiving.
Back and stomach sleepers should opt for firmer mattresses that provide enough support to keep your spine neutrally aligned through the night. If the mattress is too soft while you’re lying on your back or stomach, you’re more likely to experience discomfort and even pain from the curvature of your spine and neck.
Combination sleepers switch positions throughout the night. We typically recommend a middle-of-the-road medium (leaning into medium-firm at times) for combination sleepers, but it will depend on which position you spend the majority of your time in.
Health concerns
If you suffer from pain — whether back, hip or joint — it’s important to keep this at the forefront while mattress shopping. Side sleepers with back pain should seek a bed that lands around a medium and offers a balance of support and pressure relief. If you have hip or shoulder pain, a softer mattress can help take some pressure off those sensitive joints.
What we’re testing next
At our expansive mattress testing facility in Reno, Nevada, our team of sleep experts is constantly reviewing new beds from all sorts of brands. We’re currently testing brand-new mattresses from brands including:
Mattresses you should avoid
If you’re a strict side sleeper, we recommend steering clear of mattresses on the medium-firm to firm end of the scale. Beds that fall under this category include:
Saatva Classic: This mattress comes in three firmness levels, all of which we deem too firm for strict side sleepers. The plush soft model of the Saatva Classic could be doable for heavier side sleepers or combination sleepers who favor their sides, but we wouldn’t recommend the luxury firm or firm models.
Plank by Brooklyn Bedding: As the name implies, Plank is extremely firm. Plank Firm and Plank Firm Luxe are flippable, one side being medium-firm and the other a true firm — both sides much too firm for side sleepers. These mattresses are better for back and stomach sleepers who need substantial spinal support.
DreamCloud Hybrid: The Mattress Smasher 9000 scored the DreamCloud Hybrid a 7.13 out of 10 on the firmness scale, confirming our consensus that it’s between medium-firm and firm.
Tips for sleeping comfortably on your side
The numbers vary, but studies have shown that anywhere from 50% to 75% of people sleep on their sides. Aside from being comfortable, this sleeping position has certain health benefits, such as reducing the risk of sleep apnea and improving gut functioning. Side sleeping is also recommended during pregnancy (many providers specifically recommend the left side) as it can help improve blood flow to the organs and keep pressure off the liver. Having the right mattress is key, as side sleeping can have adverse effects if you’re lying on one that’s ill-suited for it.
There are a few things you can do to ensure that you’re sleeping soundly and comfortably on your side, including:
Use the right pillow
The pillow you use can drastically affect your overall sleep experience. Side sleepers typically need taller, loftier pillows that adequately support the head and align the spine and neck. A pillow that’s too flat will cause your head and neck to bend down and out of alignment with your spine, which can cause pain and discomfort.
Read more: Best Pillows for Side Sleepers in 2024
Add more cushioning
Using more pillows for extra padding is another way to increase comfort while sleeping on your side. Try keeping a soft and fluffy pillow between your knees to help relieve pressure on your back and promote better spinal alignment. You can also keep a pillow under your armpit if you have shoulder pain and need some additional pressure relief.
Consider a mattress topper
If your mattress is too firm but you’re not in a position to spend the money on a whole new bed, consider adding a mattress topper to your sleep setup. Doing so can change the firmness of your current bed, so side sleepers should look for a soft and plush topper.
Mattresses for side sleepers FAQs
What type of mattress is best for side sleepers?
Memory foam is one of the best mattress types for side sleepers because it allows you to sink in, hugging your body’s curves and helping to relieve pressure points. According to our testing, the top memory foam mattress for side sleepers is the Nectar Luxe.
A soft hybrid mattress with a plush pillow top is another great option for side sleepers who don’t like that dense memory foam sensation and would rather feel like they’re more “on top” of the bed.
Should side sleepers have a soft or firm mattress?
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again — side sleepers should opt for a soft to medium mattress. Mattresses in this range offer enough give to alleviate pressure around the hip and shoulder joints and usually retain enough support to keep your spine aligned while lying on your side.
Are firm mattresses bad for side sleepers?
Firm mattresses aren’t always bad for side sleepers. But they aren’t typically great for side sleepers, especially those under 150 pounds. If your mattress is too firm, it won’t offer the give and cushioning your shoulders and hips need. This can disrupt your sleep by causing you to wake up with pain and even numbness or tingling from insufficient blood flow.
It ultimately comes down to personal preference, but most side sleepers do best with softer options or more medium-firm mattresses, like our top pick, the Layla Hybrid.
Is a memory foam or hybrid mattress better for side sleepers?
Memory foam and hybrid mattresses are both good for side sleepers. The best option will depend on your preferences and needs. Our top overall pick for side sleepers, the Layla Hybrid, is a hybrid mattress. Side sleepers tend to do well with hybrid mattresses because they offer a nice balance of pressure relief and support, but those who like an even softer mattress may prefer all foam options.
Can a mattress topper help side sleepers?
If you’re a side sleeper in need of a new sleeping setup but aren’t in a position to spend money on a whole new bed, a soft and plush mattress topper is a reasonable investment to consider. It will change the feel of your current bed and may help relieve pressure from your joints.
Technologies
Everything You Need to Know About iOS 18.4 Before iOS 19’s Reveal
The update brought new emoji, controls and more to your iPhone.
Apple will hold its Worldwide Developers Conference on June 9, where we will likely get our first glimpse of the upcoming iOS 19 software for iPhones. When Apple released iOS 18.4 in March, the update brought some bug fixes and security patches to all iPhones, as well as a handful of new iPhone features, which included new emoji and a recipes section in Apple News.
Read more: What You Need to Know About iOS 18.5
Here are some of the new features iOS 18.4 brought to your iPhone. Just a reminder that only people with an iPhone 15 Pro, Pro Max or the iPhone 16 lineup can access any Apple Intelligence features for now. If you have any other iPhone, you won’t have access to those features.
All the latest emoji, and my new favorite
Look at that emoji. It’s called face with bags under eyes, and I love it. The tired expression, the bags under its eyes, it’s all just great. And you can use that emoji and others with iOS 18.4.
There are eight new emoji the update brings to your iPhone, including:
- Face with bags under eyes
- Fingerprint
- Splatter
- Root vegetable
- Leafless tree
- Harp
- Shovel
- Flag of Sark
Google unveiled these emoji as part of Unicode 16.0 in September.
Read more: iOS 18.4 Could Ship With My New Favorite Emoji Next Month
Priority Notifications with Apple Intelligence
People with an Apple Intelligence-compatible iPhone got a new feature in iOS 18.4 called Priority Notifications.
«Apple Intelligence can show you notifications that may be important in a separate section on the Lock Screen, so you can catch up on what you may have missed,» Apple writes in the feature’s description. «You can still swipe up to view all notifications.»
After I downloaded the update, priority notifications were turned off by default, but you can turn them on by going to Settings > Notifications > Prioritize Notifications and tapping the toggle next to Prioritize Notifications. Then you can select which applications to prioritize notifications from. So if you want to prioritize Messages and Mail, you can disable notifications from other apps, like Game Center.
Read more: What You Need to Know About Priority Notifications on iOS 18.4
Apple Intelligence in the Control Center and beyond
If you have an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone, you can now access Apple Intelligence features in more places with iOS 18.4.
The first place you can access these features is in your Control Center. To find these controls, swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen to open your Control Center, tap the plus (+) sign in the top-left corner of your screen and tap Add a Control. There is a new section in this menu called Apple Intelligence & Siri, and it has three controls: Talk to Siri, Type to Siri and Visual Intelligence. Tap one or all of these to add them to your Control Center.
You can also now open Visual Intelligence from your iPhone’s Action Button in iOS 18.4. Go to Settings > Action Button and you can assign Visual Intelligence to open when you press your Action Button.
You can also disable Visual Intelligence from the Camera Control button on the iPhone 16 lineup. To do so, go to Settings > Camera > Camera Control and tap the toggle next to Press and Hold under Launch Visual Intelligence. Now the Camera Control button will just open your camera.
Ambient music in Control Center
If you like playing music in the background while you work, do chores or relax, you can now easily access ambient music in your iPhone’s Control Center with iOS 18.4.
To find these controls, swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen to open your Control Center, tap the plus (+) sign in the top-left corner of your screen, tap Add a Control and you should see a new section of controls called Ambient Music. There are four ambient music options: Sleep, Chill, Productivity and Wellbeing. Tap one (or all) of these controls to add them to your Control Center. Once the controls are in your Control Center, tap control, and it will start playing music.
You can also change the playlist for each control. To do so, go into your Control Center, tap the plus (+) sign in the top-left corner of your screen, tap the ambient sound control you want to edit and then tap the playlist to the right of Playlist. If you’re in the Chill control, for example, the default playlist is Laidback Lo-Fi. Once you’ve tapped the playlist, you’ll see more options — Mellow Piano, Ambient Unwind or even the option From Library, which pulls from your music. Tap the playlist you want and it will be assigned to that control.
I love this addition to my iPhone because I always struggle with picking out a playlist at the beginning of my work day. Tapping the Productivity control makes it easy to play music when I’m waiting for my coffee to kick in and don’t want to make a musical decision yet. However, I do wish all these controls could be grouped into one control or widget.
This is also an interesting addition to your iPhone considering your phone can already be turned into a white noise machine with Background Sounds. It feels like Apple is trying to make your iPhone the first device you turn to when you need music to help you fall asleep or be more productive, potentially icing out other services offering similar playlists, such as Spotify or YouTube.
Read more: All the New Controls in Control Center on iOS 18.4
Sketch mode in Image Playground
Image Playground is the Apple Intelligence image generator. In iOS 18.4, Apple introduced an art style called Sketch to the app. The new style creates a fully colored image that looks like a sketch you might see in someone’s notebook. However, there are still plenty of imperfections in these photos.
Image Playground had two art styles before this update, one called Animation — which created 3D images — and the other called Illustration — which made cartoony images.
Preauthorized Payments menu in Wallet
If you use your Wallet app for multiple subscriptions and payments, you can now see them all in one menu in iOS 18.4. Open Wallet, then tap the three dots (…) in the upper right corner of the screen to open the dropdown menu. Tap Preauthorized Payments to see all your subscriptions and payment plans you use your Wallet app for. This also makes it easy to see a subscription you forgot you had so you can cancel it and save yourself some money.
In an early beta version of iOS 18.4, this menu in Wallet was called Subscriptions & Payments.
Recipes in Apple News
Apple News Plus costs $13 a month and gives you access to articles from major publications, puzzles and now — recipes.
In iOS 18.4, subscribers can access a new section in Apple News called Food, which is filled with recipes from publications such as Food & Wine, Good Food and others. Subscribers can save recipes to their devices to access them offline later, and a new cook mode will display instructions on full screen so you can easily follow along with recipes while in your kitchen.
The new Food section also has stories on restaurants, healthy eating tips and more, but let’s be honest — having access to all those recipes is a great addition. Apple’s inclusion of this feature is likely the tech giant trying to take on other publications’ cooking and recipe sections.
The New York Times, for example, launched its Cooking section in 2014, and the Times said it had nearly 600,000 Cooking subscribers by 2020. The section isn’t included in the publication’s basic subscription plan, so you must either pay an extra $6 per month or subscribe to a more expensive plan to access this section.
But Apple isn’t charging extra for access to recipes like the Times. That makes an Apple News Plus subscription more valuable to home cooks or anyone trying to become a better chef at no extra cost.
Read more: Become a Master Chef at Home With Apple News Food
The new Vision Pro app
If you have a Vision Pro headset connected to your iPhone, you’ll get a new Vision Pro app in iOS 18.4.
Apple writes in the app’s description that the app can help you learn about new visionOS features, explore new content, spatial experiences and more.
I don’t have a Vision Pro but I can still download the app in the App Store. Because I don’t have a Vision Pro, I can’t do much with this app other than see what apps the Vision Pro can use. For example, if I tap into the section for new apps and games, I can’t buy or download any of the apps because they require a Vision Pro to use.
Good on Apple for not letting people buy or access apps they can’t use. I can see a company letting someone buy a similar app that needs specialized equipment and then the company shrugs when someone complains they don’t have the right device for the app.
More default app changes
When Apple released iOS 18.2 in December, that update let you change the default apps for messaging and calling. And with iOS 18.4, Apple is letting some people change more default apps.
One new default app category is Translation. With the update, you can change your iPhone’s default translation app — Apple Translate — to another third-party app, like Google Translate.
And according to 9to5Mac, people in the European Union can also change their default navigation app. Apple Maps is the default for this category, but people in the EU can change it to another app, like Waze.
Podcast changes
The iOS 18.4 update also brings a few new updates to the Podcasts app. If you want to add a Podcast widget to your home screen, you now have more options, including Shows and Library. Choosing a Shows widget will play episodes from a particular show you follow, and choosing a Library widget will play episodes from a list you specify in your library.
There are also two new ways to get to different settings in Podcasts in the update, Podcasts Settings and Notification Settings. You can find these by opening the Podcasts app and tapping your profile image in the top-right corner of your screen. Podcast Settings will take you to the Podcasts menu in Settings, and Notification Settings will take you to your Notifications menu in Settings.
Siri, Apple Intelligence and iPhone Apps
With iOS 18.4, Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhones can use Siri to learn more about first-party apps on the iPhone. To access this, go into an app such as Messages, Mail or Settings, then tap twice across the bottom of your screen to type requests to Siri. Siri will then show you a few suggestions based on the app you’re in.
So if you’re in Phone, Siri will display «What can I do in Phone?» Tap this suggestion and you will get a list of actions you can do in the app, like make a call or a FaceTime call and, strangely, open Phone. Thanks, Siri, I never would have thought I’d be able to open Phone after I opened Phone.
Apple Intelligence coming to more people
One of the hurdles to accessing Apple Intelligence is having a compatible iPhone, but for many people around the world with an appropriate device, those features are still walled off. But that changes with iOS 18.4.
Apple wrote in iOS 18.4’s update notes that Apple Intelligence is available in more languages, including French, Japanese and Spanish. The tech giant also wrote that people in the EU can access Apple Intelligence for the first time with the update.
Here are the full release notes for iOS 18.4.
Apple Intelligence (All iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max)
- Priority notifications appear at the top of your notifications, highlighting important notifications that may require your immediate attention.
- Sketch is now available as an additional style option in Image Playground, allowing you to create gorgeous sketch drawings.
- Apple Intelligence features support eight additional languages and two additional English locales, including English (India, Singapore), French (France, Canada), German (Germany), Italian (Italy), Japanese (Japan), Korean (South Korea), Portuguese (Brazil), Simplified Chinese, and Spanish (Spain, Latin America, US).
Apple Vision Pro App
- The new Apple Vision Pro app, automatically installed for users with Apple Vision Pro, helps you discover new content, spatial experiences, and quickly access information about your device.
Apple News+
- Recipes from some of the world’s best recipe publishers are now available on Apple News+.
- Recipe Catalog allows you to browse or search to find the perfect dish and save it to your Saved Recipes.
- Cooking mode lets you easily follow step-by-step directions.
- The Food section also includes stories about restaurants, kitchen tips and healthy eating.
Photos
- New filters to show or hide items that are not contained in an album, or synced from a Mac or PC, in the Library view in Photos.
- Reorder items in the Media Types and Utilities collections in Photos.
- Consistent filtering options in all collections, including the ability to sort by oldest or newest first in Photos.
- Option to sort albums by Date Modified in Photos.
- Ability to disable «Recently Viewed» and «Recently Shared» collections in Photos Settings.
- Hidden photos are no longer included for import to Mac or a PC if Use Face ID is enabled in Photos settings.
This update also includes the following enhancements and bug fixes:
- Safari recent search suggestions help you quickly get back to previous search topics when starting a new query.
- Setup Assistant streamlines steps parents need to take to create a Child Account, and enables child-appropriate default settings if parents prefer to complete setting up a Child Account later.
- Screen Time App Limits persist even after a child uninstalls and reinstalls an app.
- App Store includes summaries for user reviews so you can get helpful insights from other users at a glance.
- Pause and resume of an app download or update on App Store without losing progress.
- New widgets for Podcasts including a Followed Shows widget to track your favorite shows and a Library widget to get to your most used sections, such as Latest Episodes, Saved and Downloaded.
- Ambient Music offers the ability to instantly play music from Control Center, giving access to a set of hand-curated playlists that offer soundtracks for daily life.
- Apple Fitness+ Collections can now be added to Library.
- Matter-compatible robot vacuum cleaners can be controlled in the Home app as well as be added to scenes and automations.
- Support for 10 new system languages including Bangla, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu.
Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit:
https://support.apple.com/100100
For more iOS news, here’s what features were included in iOS 18.4 and iOS 18.3. You can also check out our iOS 18 cheat sheet and what we hope to see in iOS 19.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for May 21, #444
Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Strands puzzle No. 444 for May 21.
Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.
Today’s NYT Strands puzzle was a toughie for me. Even when I had the letters, I struggled to unscramble some of the answers. If you need hints and answers, read on.
I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.
If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.
Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far
Hint for today’s Strands puzzle
Today’s Strands theme is: Three’s a crowd
If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: You and me.
Clue words to unlock in-game hints
Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints, but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:
- PLUM, MOLE, SOLE, COLT, BLOT, BOLT, SOUR, DOUR, RUDE, TINS, WINS, TORE, COUP, COLD, BLOW, BLOWS, SENT, TENS.
Answers for today’s Strands puzzle
These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you’ve got all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:
- PAIR, MATCH, TWINS, COUPLE, TWOSOME, PARTNERS
Today’s Strands spangram
Today’s Strands spangram is DOUBLETROUBLE. To find it, start with the D that’s three letters down on the far-left row and wind across and up.
Quick tips for Strands
#1: To get more clue words, see if you can tweak the words you’ve already found, by adding an «S» or other variants. And if you find a word like WILL, see if other letters are close enough to help you make SILL, or BILL.
#2: Once you get one theme word, look at the puzzle to see if you can spot other related words.
#3: If you’ve been given the letters for a theme word, but can’t figure it out, guess three more clue words, and the puzzle will light up each letter in order, revealing the word.
Technologies
Every iPhone 17 Air Rumor: What to Know About a Slim New iPhone
Speculation around a thinner iPhone raises questions about battery capacity and camera features. Here’s what we know so far.
Rumor has it, we may soon see an ultra thin iPhone. The rumored iPhone 17 Air — or it might be called the iPhone Slim — could potentially replace the current iPhone Plus amid Apple’s next iPhone release in the coming months.
The buzzed-about «Air» is getting a lot of attention in the iPhone 17 rumor mill, but the prospect also has people asking if Apple may have to sacrifice features to get a super thin phone.
Here’s the skinny on what we could expect with the newest iPhone.
iPhone 17 Air release date: Is the slimmer iPhone coming this year?
For nearly a decade, Apple has held an event in September to announce its new phones. This year we expect Apple to reveal the iPhone 17 series, including the rumored iPhone 17 Air.
If the iPhone 17 Air rumors are true, Apple would be the latest to join the ultra-thin phone trend this year. Last week, I got to try out Samsung’s new lightweight Galaxy S25 Edge after previewing it and a slew of shockingly thin phones at the Mobile World Congress in March.
The iPhone 17 lineup may be the last to follow this fall-release model, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and a report from The Information. Starting with the iPhone 18, Apple will reportedly split its phone releases so that lower-cost iPhones launch in the first half of the year (previously reserved for iPhone SE models) and higher-end pro models are announced in the latter half. That would likely mean a rumored iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, Air and new foldable iPhone model could debut in fall 2026. Keep in mind that an iPhone Flip or Fold has been rumored for years.
You’ll likely be able to preorder a new iPhone the Friday after the announcement, with the phone shipping a week later.
What will the iPhone 17 Air cost?
Early rumors about an iPhone 17 Air hinted that it could cost even more than the iPhone 17 Pro, but a March Bloomberg report suggested the phone could cost around $900. That price tag would align with the rumor that the «Air» could replace the Plus, which currently costs $899. For comparison, Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge starts at $1,100.
However, there’s also the question of how tariffs could affect the price of an iPhone. Amid President Donald Trump’s ongoing tariff drama, Apple has mostly escaped additional taxes by stockpiling inventory and getting most of its products on a tariff exemption list.
Apple has moved some production of US iPhones to India to avoid the steeper tariffs imposed on China. However, Trump recently said he pushed Apple CEO Tim Cook to move US iPhone production from India to the US. How much all of this could affect iPhone prices is yet to be determined.
Regardless of how tariffs play out, Apple is expected to raise the price of the iPhone. These price hikes are rumored to start with the iPhone 17 line, so prepare now to pay more for «Air.»
iPhone 17 Air camera: potential downgrade?
Among the rumored potential sacrifices Apple may have to make to get a skinnier phone is limiting the camera features.
The rumored iPhone 17 line is getting a new camera bar that extends across the width of the phone. But Front Page Tech shared an iPhone 17 Air video in February that showed a physical mockup of the phone based on rumors. One of the more surprising reveals was a smaller camera bar with one lens on the left, suggesting the «Air» phone has a single rear camera, similar to the iPhone 16E ($599). It’s not clear if the camera would be the same as the 16E or if Apple would go the route Samsung did and include the main camera from the iPhone 17 Pro.
The single camera theory is backed up by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and a Bloomberg report, which said that the rumored Air may not have the ultrawide and 5x telephoto lenses that have become staples of Apple’s premium iPhones.
In a bit of good news, it’s also rumored that the front-facing «selfie» camera on all iPhone 17 models, including the Air, will be upgraded to 24 megapixels, according to analyst Jeff Pu.
iPhone 17 Air vs iPhone 17 Pro
It may be getting a lot of attention, but the rumored Air appears to be less an advanced Pro model and more a replacement for the Plus.
However, rumors are that the Air would have a 6.6-inch display, according to analysts Jeff Pu and Ming-Chi Kuo. If accurate, that would mean the Air’s display is slightly smaller than the iPhone 16 Plus, with a 6.7-inch display, but larger than the iPhone 16 Pro, which features a 6.3-inch display. The iPhone 16 Pro Max leads with a 6.9-inch display. It’s unclear if the 17 Air’s screen would be a Pro Motion display like the one found on iPhone Pro models.
If the rumored Air lives up to its name, then the biggest potential advantage it could offer over a Pro is its size and weight. A Bloomberg report from March notes that the iPhone Air could measure 5.5mm thick, compared to the iPhone 16 Pro at 8.25mm.
Mac Rumors reported that a leaker on the Korean-langauge Naver blog, going by «yeux1122,» said that the rumored iPhone 17 Air weighs approximately 145 grams (5.11 ounces). Compare that to the iPhone 16 Pro, which weighs in at 199 grams (7.03 ounces). If this rumor proves true, the Air would be just slightly heavier than the iPhone 13 mini, which weighs 141 grams (4.97 ounces).
Bloomberg’s report also notes that the iPhone 17 Air is expected to have super slim bezels compared to the rest of the line, along with a Camera Control button and a Dynamic Island cutout in the display.
iPhone 17 Air battery life expectations
Among the challenges of slimming down an iPhone could be figuring out how to reduce the battery size without compromising battery life.
Initially, it was assumed that a skinnier iPhone would simply have a reduced battery life since there would be less space to house a large battery. But more recently, AppleInsider reported that a skinnier iPhone might use a silicon-anode battery that could help extend its battery life.
Yeux1122 said the battery capacity is 2,800mAh, based on details that originate with «mass production confirmed sample,» according to MacRumors. It added that a high density battery in the Air could increase its «actual capacity» by 15 to 20%.
If the rumored iPhone 17 Air does use the silicon battery technology, it would be the first iPhone to do so.
Are iPhone Air rumors and leaks to be trusted?
Rumors are just that. The speculation leading up to the iPhone’s release is often based on insider knowledge or leaked information from the teams working on the iPhone’s design, but those plans can continue to evolve and are not necessarily reflected in the final product. We’ll only be able to confirm these rumors with certainty when Apple officially releases the next iPhone and we can see it for ourselves.
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