Woman sleeping comfortably on her Koala mattress, which is one of the best mattresses for side sleepers in Australia

The best mattress for side sleepers

Tell us, what’s your favourite position? Sleeping position, that is. Ease up! No judgement here. Everyone has their favourites. Some of us might even shake things up a bit by sleeping on our front, back and sides. But for now, this one goes out to all the side sleepers, because there are a lot of you — over 50% to be exact. If you’re part of that statistic, we see you. And we want you to have the best night’s sleep, every night of the week. So, what’s the best mattress for all you side sleepers? We’ll give you a hint: it’s about having all the right support in all the right places. Because if you’ve ever woken up with a sore shoulder or aching hips, it might be time for an upgrade.
Woman sleeping comfortably on her Koala mattress, which is one of the best mattresses for side sleepers in Australia More than 50% of Australians sleep on their side, which is why we design Koala mattresses with hip and shoulder support in mind

The best mattress for sleeping on your side

What should the side sleepers of the world be aware of when shopping for a new mattress? Well, we know that a large number of Australians are side sleepers. So to make sure that we’re really delivering comfort to all of our customers, we run loads of tests, specifically with someone sleeping on their side. We had a chat with Stephanie Roberts Baxter, Sleep Business Manager at Koala. She told us all about the very clever testing that goes into each mattress and what side sleepers in particular should be looking for.

It’s all in the shoulders and hips

“When you’re lying on your side,” says Stephanie, “the key is for your shoulder to be able to sink more than your hips and for your hips to remain supported. “One of the questions we’re constantly asking ourselves is ‘Have we designed something that’s going to alleviate pressure on the shoulder for our side-sleeping customers?’” We think we can safely say that yes, we have, Steph. You see, the Kloudcell technology that we invented and that we put into the comfort layer of Koala mattresses has been designed to reduce pressure and encourage spinal alignment. Kloudcell is much more responsive than memory foam, which you just sink into. With Kloudcell, you really do feel like you’re sleeping on a cloud! Plus this layer is removable and flippable. Very handy! Okay — so softness under your shoulders and support under your hips. Tick.

It’s also about alignment

Another thing to look out for is spine alignment: you want your spine to be straight while you sleep. “Your hips are the heaviest part of your body,” says Stephanie, “so if they’re sinking into your mattress but your shoulders aren’t, this is going to pull you out of alignment.” So, overall, the best mattress for sleeping on your side is one that provides full-body support and takes the pressure off your hips and shoulders. Stephanie knows how important this is, and she goes on to say, “This is why we’ve also designed a range of pillows that allows your head to sink in and support your neck. It really gives you that spinal alignment and hopefully a great sleep.”
Young woman smiling after discovering her Koala mattress offers extra support for side sleepers with lower back pain If you’re waking up with back pain, it might be time to get a new mattress

Are you waking up with aches and pains?

This is a tricky one. If you find you wake up with a sore neck, back or hip pain or other little aches and niggles, it could be down to your mattress. So, what’s the best mattress for side sleepers with lower back pain? Well, again, one that’s supportive, no matter what your preferred sleeping position is. It’s important to consider your personal preference for a soft or firm mattress. But as a general rule, the most important thing is that your body is supported in the right areas. And here’s where we have you covered. Our Kloudcell Comfort layer is flippable – one side is firm while the other is medium firm – so you can customise your sleeping experience. You're very welcome. Stephanie explains pressure points for side sleepers. “If you've got something that's very firm against your shoulder, when you wake up in the morning, that pressure throughout the night will likely have caused some pain. The same goes for your hips. If they’re sinking into the mattress all night, you might feel some pain in the morning.” Not getting enough good-quality sleep can really mess with us — physically and mentally. If injury or illness is affecting your sleep, we’d recommend seeking extra advice on how to get comfy and catch some much needed ZZZs.

Is there a Koala mattress just for you?

Whether you’re a side sleeper, front sleeper, back sleeper or something in between, choosing a mattress can be hard work. That’s why we’ve created this Koala quiz. By answering a few questions, you’ll be well on your way to finding out which Koala mattress is just the right fit for you.

Get ready for an epic sleep

You getting a good night’s sleep is all we really want. And we’re always on the lookout for ways to make this happen. That’s why we do extensive user testing on new mattress designs, sometimes making more than a hundred samples to get the feel exactly right. Buying a mattress online has never been easier. We’re so sure that a Koala mattress is worth it that we’ll even let you try one out for 120 nights. That’s right — you can sleep on your new mattress for 120 nights, and if you decide it’s not for you, we’ll give you your money back. Pretty good, hey? As Gwen says, whatchya waitin' for? Squiz our guide on buying a mattress, and find the one that gets you jumping straight into bed.
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