Side sleeping is the most popular sleeping position in the UK, with WhatMattress putting it at around half of us. When you sleep on your side, your shoulders, hips and knees take most of your weight, so they need somewhere to sink. A softer mattress lets them do that while your spine stays level. That's why soft and medium-soft mattresses are so popular with side sleepers, lighter sleepers and anyone who wakes up with achy joints.
The risk is going too soft. If your hips dip too far, your lower back pays for it. That's why we've noted who should avoid each pick as well as who it suits.
We've chosen these ten by combining independent expert testing (Tom's Guide, Expert Reviews, Ideal Home, TechRadar, T3, WhatMattress and Which?) with real customer reviews. Prices change constantly in mattress sales, so treat the figures below as a guide and check the live price before you buy.
> **A quick note:** a mattress can ease pressure, but it can't treat a medical condition. If you have persistent pain, speak to your GP or a physiotherapist.
#1 · Best budget option
Zinus 8 Inch Green Tea Essential Memory Foam Mattress, CertiPUR-US Certified
Currently unavailable from the retailers we compare
User Score: 4.3 / 5 Expert Score: 3.8 / 5
Last updated: October 2026
Research Scores use expert reviews and verified retail customer reviews. Not based on personal testing.
Score breakdown
- Edge Support
- 5.5 / 10
- Value for Money
- 8.8 / 10
- Motion Isolation
- 8.5 / 10
- Temperature Regulation
- 6.0 / 10
- Comfort & Pressure Relief
- 7.2 / 10
For around £100 to £130 for a double in the 20cm depth, the Zinus gives you a genuinely soft, contouring all-foam mattress. It has three foam layers: a support base, a middle comfort layer, and a top layer of memory foam about 6cm thick, infused with green tea extract and activated charcoal. Zinus uses these to keep the foam fresh and absorb odours. They don't change the firmness; the memory foam is what gives the body-hugging feel. With no springs, Ideal Home found motion transfer very low.
- Type: Memory foam
- Depth: 20cm (25cm version available)
- Feel: Soft
Lighter side sleepers, spare rooms and students. Tom's Guide said it suits lighter side sleepers thanks to its soft, contouring "body-hug" feel. Ideal Home found it eased pressure on the shoulders and hips when side sleeping.
Ideal Home's tester, who prefers firm, found it too soft to offer much support. Tom's Guide says it doesn't support stomach sleepers or people over roughly 16.5 stone well enough. A deeper 25cm version costs around £100 more. Zinus doesn't run its own sleep trial, so check the retailer's returns policy.
#2 · Best for a sink-in feel
Dormeo Fresh Deluxe Memory Foam Mattress
£459.00
User Score: 4.2 / 5 Expert Score: 3.8 / 5
Last updated: October 2026
Research Scores use expert reviews and verified retail customer reviews. Not based on personal testing.
Score breakdown
- Build Quality
- 7.0 / 10
- Pressure Relief
- 7.5 / 10
- Value for Money
- 8.1 / 10
- Motion Isolation
- 8.0 / 10
- Comfort & Support
- 7.2 / 10
- Temperature Regulation
- 6.2 / 10
It's all about where the foam sits. The Memory Deluxe has double the memory foam of Dormeo's standard model, 4cm in total. Two centimetres are stitched directly into the quilted cover and two sit beneath it, so the cushioning starts right at the surface. Underneath is 16cm of Dormeo's breathable Ecocell foam, and the cover has carbon fibres woven in for a clean sleeping surface.
- Type: Memory foam
- Depth: 20cm
- Feel: Soft to medium
- Trial: 200 nights
- Warranty: 15 years
Side and front sleepers who want real cushioning. It holds a 4.7-star rating at Land of Beds, and Mattress Next Day shows a 4.9 out of 5 Trustpilot score across hundreds of reviews. One blogger said the softness was perfect for sleeping on her front or side.
Available from 5 sellers
- ebay
Dormeo Memory Deluxe Memory Foam Mattress King Size
UsedSize: King£363.70
- Jacamo
Dormeo Fresh Deluxe Memory Foam Mattress
Size: King£459.00
- amazon
Dormeo Memory Deluxe, Memory Foam Mattress, Firmness Medium/Soft, Size King
Size: DoublePrice checked: 1 November 2026 at 08:09 GMT
Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
£459.99
The same blogger found it less comfortable on her back, and Dormeo says back sleepers do better on something slightly firmer. It's foam only, with no springs.
#3 · Best for side sleepers with joint pain
Simba Hybrid Pro Rolled Mattress
£549.99
User Score: 4.6 / 5 Expert Score: 4.6 / 5
Last updated: October 2026
Research Scores use expert reviews and verified retail customer reviews. Not based on personal testing.
Score breakdown
- Edge Support
- 8.0 / 10
- Value for Money
- 8.2 / 10
- Motion Isolation
- 8.7 / 10
- Comfort & Support
- 9.0 / 10
- Temperature Regulation
- 8.8 / 10
The springs sit near the top, not buried deep. The Hybrid Pro has two layers of Simba's patented titanium Aerocoil micro-springs, around 5,000 in total. TechRadar notes they're split into 13 zones, and the foam base has softer areas to cushion a side sleeper's shoulders and hips. On top are graphite-infused Simbatex foam and a natural wool layer that helps regulate temperature, under a cool-touch cover.
- Type: Hybrid
- Depth: 28cm
- Feel: Medium-firm (softer end)
- Trial: 200 nights
- Warranty: 10 years
Side sleepers who need cushioning with real support, especially those with joint pain. Tom's Guide calls it an excellent choice for side sleepers who struggle with joint pain, and T3 gave it its best mattress award two years running. Which? found Simba has no minimum trial period, with free collection and a full refund.
Available from 6 sellers
- ebay
Simba Hybrid Pro Single Mattress - Brand New
£549.99
- John Lewis &
Partners Simba Hybrid® Pro Mattress, Medium/Firm Tension, Single
£899.00
- Very
Simba Hybrid Pro Rolled Mattress
£899.00
Simba rates it medium-firm, and T3 puts it at 6.5 out of 10, the softer end of medium. That makes it the least soft pick here, but a good compromise. Some Trustpilot customers mention dipping and difficulties returning faulty mattresses.
#4 · Best for pressure relief
Emma Original Elite Mattress
£479.00
User Score: 4.1 / 5 Expert Score: 4.4 / 5
Last updated: October 2026
Research Scores use expert reviews and verified retail customer reviews. Not based on personal testing.
Score breakdown
- Edge Support
- 7.3 / 10
- Value for Money
- 7.6 / 10
- Motion Isolation
- 8.9 / 10
- Support & Alignment
- 8.4 / 10
- Temperature Regulation
- 7.9 / 10
- Comfort & Pressure Relief
- 8.8 / 10
This is the mattress formerly sold as the Emma Hybrid Airgrid. Its AirGrid layer is a honeycomb of hyper-elastic polymer with thousands of air pockets, which cushions pressure points and springs back as soon as you move, without the stuck feeling of memory foam. Emma says it cools passively, with no graphite or gel. It sits in a 27cm, seven-layer build with breathable Airgocell foam, MemoryAdapt foam and a seven-zone spring core with reinforced edges. The removable cover washes at 40°C.
- Type: Hybrid
- Depth: 27cm
- Feel: Medium-soft
- Trial: 200 nights
- Warranty: 10 years
AirGrid layer springs back instantly without memory foam drag
Tom's Guide praised its excellent pressure relief
Cooling design without relying on graphite or gel
May lack lumbar support for some back pain sufferers
Not ideal for stomach sleepers or heavier sleepers
Expensive at full price (around £1,159 for a double)
Side sleepers and hot sleepers who want a soft, "floating" feel. Tom's Guide has named it among the best mattresses it has tested, praising its pressure relief.
Available from 4 sellers
- Very
Emma Original Elite Mattress
£479.00
- ebay
Emma Original Elite Mattress
£669.70
- ebay
New Emma Original Elite UK King Size 150*200*27cm Mattress RRP 2,000+
£924.70
Emma says stomach sleepers and heavier people who prefer a firmer surface should choose its Original or Original Lite instead. Tom's Guide warns that people with back pain may find…
#6 · Best for two feels in one mattress
EVE SLEEP UK WUNDERFLIP PREMIUM HYBRID DOUBLE - RRP £999
£414.70
User Score: 4.2 / 5 Expert Score: 4.3 / 5
Last updated: October 2026
Research Scores use expert reviews and verified retail customer reviews. Not based on personal testing.
Score breakdown
- Edge Support
- 7.6 / 10
- Value for Money
- 7.8 / 10
- Motion Isolation
- 8.3 / 10
- Comfort & Support
- 8.5 / 10
- Temperature Regulation
- 8.0 / 10
- Versatility & Customisation
- 8.8 / 10
It's two mattresses in one. The Wunderflip has a softer side and a firmer side, clearly labelled, and you flip it to switch. A zip-on comfort layer sits on top and acts a little like a built-in topper. Tom's Guide found it luxuriously soft. Expert Reviews felt both sides gave excellent cushioning, describing the soft side as medium-soft and the firm side as medium-firm.
- Type: Flippable hybrid
- Depth: 28cm
- Feel: Medium-soft side and medium-firm side
- Trial: 200 nights
- Warranty: 10 years
Side sleepers, and anyone who isn't sure how soft they want to go. If the soft side turns out too soft, you have a second option without returning the mattress.
Tom's Guide says the softer side is a little too soft for back and front sleepers, and the "firm" side isn't especially firm. It only comes in double, king and super king, with no single or small double. The list price is high (£1,099 for a double), but it's often heavily discounted.
#7 · Best for a quilted, hotel-style top
DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid 5ft King Size Memory Foam Mattress RRP £725
Check Amazon for the best price
User Score: 4.4 / 5 Expert Score: 4.5 / 5
Last updated: October 2026
Research Scores use expert reviews and verified retail customer reviews. Not based on personal testing.
Score breakdown
- Edge Support
- 8.6 / 10
- Value for Money
- 8.4 / 10
- Motion Isolation
- 8.5 / 10
- Comfort & Support
- 8.8 / 10
- Temperature Regulation
- 8.2 / 10
The top layer gives it a hotel-bed feel. It's a quilted foam-and-cashmere cover designed to keep you cool, over body-hugging foam layers and a pocket-sprung base. Tom's Guide described it as feeling like a "far more expensive mattress". T3 found it cosy yet supportive, and good at staying cool.
- Type: Hybrid
- Depth: 28cm
- Feel: Medium, with a plush top
- Trial: 365 nights
- Warranty: Lifetime
Side and back sleepers, particularly lighter side sleepers, for whom Tom's Guide calls it an excellent choice. DreamCloud backs it with one of the longest trials around: 365 nights, plus a lifetime warranty.
Available from 3 sellers
- amazon
DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid King Mattress 28 cm - Medium-Firm Memory Foam - Reinforced Edge Pocket Springs - Quilted Top - 365 Night Trial - Forever Warranty
Size: KingPrice unavailable — check on Amazon
See price
Check price(paid link) - amazon
DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid Single Mattress 28 cm - Medium-Firm Memory Foam - Reinforced Edge Pocket Springs - Quilted Top - 365 Night Trial - Forever Warranty
Size: SinglePrice unavailable — check on Amazon
See price
Check price(paid link) - ebay
DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid 5ft King Size Memory Foam Mattress RRP £725
RefurbishedSize: KingOut of stockLast seen at £499.99
Tom's Guide and TechRadar both found it too soft for heavier bodies. Tom's Guide flagged people of around 16 to 17 stone and above. Stomach sleepers should look at the firmer DreamCloud Hybrid instead.
#8 · Best for a plush top with firmer support
Simba Hybrid Luxe Mattress EU Queen 160x200 - BRAND NEW SEALED BOXED
£599.00
User Score: 4.6 / 5 Expert Score: 4.7 / 5
Last updated: October 2026
Research Scores use expert reviews and verified retail customer reviews. Not based on personal testing.
Score breakdown
- Edge Support
- 8.4 / 10
- Value for Money
- 7.5 / 10
- Motion Isolation
- 8.7 / 10
- Comfort & Support
- 9.2 / 10
- Temperature Regulation
- 9.0 / 10
It's Simba's most layered design: 31cm deep, nine layers and up to 5,700 springs, including three microspring layers and a steel spring support core. On top is a layer of British wool infused with bamboo, plus graphite-infused Simbatex foam and a cool-touch removable cover. Ideal Home named it the best mattress for side sleepers, and its tester loved the softer sleep surface. WhatMattress named it its best mattress overall.
- Type: Hybrid
- Depth: 31cm
- Feel: Plush top over firmer support
- Trial: 200 nights
- Warranty: 10 years
Side and back sleepers who want a plush, luxurious surface but don't want to sink too far.
Available from 3 sellers
- ebay
Simba Hybrid Luxe Mattress Single 90x190cm RRP £1249
Size: Single£599.00
- ebay
Simba Hybrid Luxe Double (4'6) Mattress Medium Firm
UsedSize: Double£822.70
- ebay
Simba Hybrid Luxe Mattress EU Queen 160x200 - BRAND NEW SEALED BOXED
Size: Queen£1,740.70
Reviewers disagree on how soft it is. Expert Reviews found it a little softer than the Hybrid Pro, but Tom's Guide rated it about 8 out of 10 for firmness, better for back and stomach sleepers. Expert Reviews also felt the bamboo made little difference to cooling. At around £1,799 for a double at full price, it's the most expensive mattress here.
#9 · Best for a classic memory foam hug
Nectar Premier 28cm Double Mattress - Medium Firm - Contouring Memory Foam - Cooling Top Layer - Back Pain Relief - Mattress in a Box - 365-Night Trial & Forever Warranty
Check Amazon for the best price
User Score: 4.3 / 5 Expert Score: 4.4 / 5
Last updated: October 2026
Research Scores use expert reviews and verified retail customer reviews. Not based on personal testing.
Score breakdown
- Pressure Relief
- 9.0 / 10
- Value for Money
- 8.5 / 10
- Motion Isolation
- 9.2 / 10
- Comfort & Support
- 8.8 / 10
- Cooling Performance
- 8.2 / 10
If you want the traditional slow-sinking memory foam feel, this is it. Tom's Guide describes the Premier as a soft, squishy hug that moves slowly to contour your body. In its side-sleeper testing, it found the Premier gave the best support of the memory foam mattresses it tried. It's sold at around £599 for a double in Nectar's UK sales.
- Type: Memory foam
- Feel: Soft to medium
Side sleepers with aching shoulders and hips who love memory foam.
Tom's Guide says it's too soft for most stomach sleepers and some back sleepers. UK sources also disagree on its firmness rating, so check Nectar's current UK listing before buying. Nectar is known for long trials and lifetime warranties, so confirm the terms for this model.
#10 · Best for traditional tufted comfort
Rest Relax Sleep Tempest Tufted Memory Foam Coil Sprung Mattress
£389.95
The Tempest brings back the classic tufted mattress style, with hand-tufted rosettes that compress the layers together and help them stay in place over time. It pairs memory foam comfort layers with a coil spring base, giving you the contouring feel of foam on top and the traditional bounce and airflow of springs underneath. The tufting isn't just decorative; it stops the foam layers from shifting or bunching, which can happen in cheaper stitched mattresses.
- Type: Hybrid (memory foam over coil springs)
- Construction: Hand-tufted with rosettes
- Feel: Medium-soft with traditional bounce
Tufting keeps foam layers secure and prevents shifting
Combines memory foam cushioning with spring support
Traditional coil springs offer good airflow and bounce
No independent testing or customer reviews available
No information on trial period or warranty
Pricing and retailer availability unknown
Side sleepers who prefer traditional mattress construction with modern foam comfort. The tufted build suits anyone who values long-lasting durability and wants the security of layers that won't separate or slide.
Without published trial terms, warranty details or verified customer feedback, it's harder to assess how the Tempest compares to the tested options above. If you're drawn to the tufted style,…
The bottom line
**Firmness scales aren't universal.** Most brands rate firmness out of 10, with 10 the firmest, but Emma reverses its scale so that 10 is the softest. Testers also often disagree with brand ratings. Read independent reviews as well as the label.
**Match softness to your position and weight.** Side sleepers usually suit soft to medium. Back sleepers usually need medium to medium-firm. Stomach sleepers generally need firmer support so their hips don't sink. The heavier you are, the firmer a mattress will feel, so heavier side sleepers often do better on medium than truly soft.
**Hybrid or foam?** Memory foam (like the Zinus, Dormeo and Nectar) gives a deep, hugging feel and isolates movement well, but can sleep warmer. Hybrids (like the Simba, Emma, Eve, DreamCloud and Brook + Wilde) add springs for bounce, airflow and easier movement.
**Use the sleep trial, but read the small print.** Which? found that around 5% of mattress owners returned a mattress during a trial. Some brands ask you to sleep on a mattress for a minimum number of nights first, and collection windows vary.