There’s a certain stubbornness in the way Australians sleep. We sprawl. We tuck our legs up. We fold ourselves into shapes only a contortionist might recognise. And more often than not, we end up on our sides, curled like a question mark, hips sinking, shoulders bearing the brunt of the night. It’s the most common sleeping position here and across the world, but it’s also the one that can cause the most grief when the mattress under you isn’t right. That’s why choosing the right mattresses for side sleepers matters; they’re designed to ease those pressure points and keep you comfortable through the night.
Think about the quiet hours before dawn. The air cool, a magpie calling somewhere down the street, and you lying there trying to get comfortable. Your hip’s pressing into something too firm. Your shoulder feels pinched, like it’s caught between rock and hard place. That’s the side sleeper’s burden. The wrong mattress can turn a night’s rest into a small battle you fight alone in the dark.
This is where the talk about pressure relief begins. And it’s not marketing spin or some fancy buzzword dreamt up by the bedding industry. Pressure relief is real. It’s the difference between waking up stiff as a fence post or rising with the sort of ease that makes the day ahead feel bearable.
The Side Sleeper’s Dilemma
When you lie on your back, your weight spreads fairly evenly across your body. Your spine rests straight, shoulders and hips share the load. But shift onto your side and things change. The body narrows at the waist, the shoulders and hips become the main points of contact. All that weight funnels into those joints.
If the mattress is too hard, the pressure builds. Blood flow slows. Nerves protest. You toss, turn, wake up half a dozen times. Too soft and your hips sag, dragging the spine out of line. Either way, you’re in strife. Over weeks and months, this can build into something bigger, aching joints, headaches from tense shoulders, even back pain that follows you long after you’ve left the bed.
That’s why side sleepers need something different. Not a cloud to sink into, nor a slab to lie flat on. What’s required is balance. Enough cushioning at the shoulders and hips to ease the pressure, yet enough support to keep the spine straight. Like surfing a wave: lean too far forward, you’re under; lean too far back, you’re gone. The sweet spot lies in the middle.
What Makes a Good Mattress for Side Sleepers
Australians love a straight answer. So here it is: the best mattresses for side sleepers are usually in the medium to medium-soft range. They cradle without swallowing you. They hold your spine like a mate’s steady hand on your shoulder. But that’s just the start.
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Zoning and Support
The clever mattresses these days come with zones built in. Firmer around the lower back and hips, softer around the shoulders. This zoning allows your heavier parts to rest without sinking too far, while your shoulders can settle deeper, keeping the spine level. It’s engineering made invisible.
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Materials Matter
Memory foam gets a lot of attention, and for good reason. It moulds to your body, spreading weight and easing those pressure points. Latex is another choice, springier and cooler, with a natural resilience that suits Aussie climates. Mattresses that blend zoned coils and foam offer the perfect balance of support and contouring comfort.
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Breathability
Side sleeping often means parts of your body are buried in the mattress. Without airflow, you overheat. That’s why materials that breathe, wick moisture, and stay cool in summer are vital here. Nobody wants to wake drenched in the middle of a January night.
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Edge Support
Side sleepers often drift close to the edge. If the mattress collapses there, you’re left clinging on like you’re about to fall off a cliff. Strong edge support stops that and makes the whole bed usable.
The Australian Context
In Australia, we’re shaped by heat, humidity, long days, and nights when the easterly comes roaring through. A mattress has to survive all that. It has to breathe, handle sweat, and not collapse after a few seasons. Side sleepers here need comfort that endures, not just in glossy catalogues but in the slog of everyday life.
And there’s a cultural truth too. Aussies don’t like fuss. We want things that work, no nonsense. A good mattress is like a decent pair of boots. You don’t brag about them. You just put them to use, day after day, night after night, and they do their job without drama.
Listening to Your Body
If you wake with a sore hip, don’t shrug it off. If your shoulder aches each morning, that’s your body telling you the mattress isn’t doing its job. A good one will reduce tossing and turning, improve circulation, and keep your spine aligned. It won’t fix every ache in your life, but it’ll give you a fighting chance.
Remember, mattresses aren’t a one-size-fits-all proposition. Your weight, shape, and preferences matter. A lighter person might need something softer to sink enough at the shoulders. A heavier person may need firmer support so the hips don’t sag. Couples often need a compromise that keeps both happy.
Longevity and Investment
A mattress isn’t cheap, not if you buy one worth having. But think of the hours spent there. A third of your life, give or take. That’s more time than you’ll spend in the office, more time than at the pub, more time than behind the wheel. For side sleepers, every cent counts double, because the wrong mattress magnifies the wear and tear.
Good mattresses are backed by a manufacturer’s guarantee of up to 10 years. Some can last even longer if treated well. Rotating, protecting, keeping them clean. It’s not glamorous but neither’s waking each morning feeling battered.
Stories from the Side
I’ve spoken to friends, family, neighbours, and the yarns are always similar. One bloke in Fremantle swore he’d put up with his hip pain for years, thinking it was just age catching up. Turns out it was his old mattress, sagging in the middle like a dried creek bed. He bought a medium-soft mattress and the pain vanished in weeks.
Another mate, a nurse who spends twelve-hour shifts on her feet, found relief in a latex mattress. She said it was like lying in cool sand at the beach, supportive yet forgiving. The tension in her shoulders eased, and for the first time in years, she wasn’t waking at 3am.
These aren’t medical miracles. They’re reminders that what we lie on shapes our waking life.
Choosing Your Mattress
When shopping, don’t just press a hand into the display bed and call it done. Lie down. Take your time, stay there for ten, fifteen minutes, let your muscles and body relax. Curl on your side in your normal sleeping position. Feel your hips are cradled, your shoulders nestle. Is your spine straight? Are you comfortable? That’s the test.
Final Thoughts
Side sleeping is natural, common, and in many ways healthy. But without the right mattress, it can leave you sore, restless, and dreading the night. Pressure relief isn’t a luxury for side sleepers, it’s essential. The right balance of softness and support can change the way you wake, the way you move through your day, even the way you see the world.
Picture it: the early hours again, the country hushed, a breeze rattling the gums outside. You roll onto your side, hips cushioned, shoulders sinking just enough, spine straight. No aches, no nagging pressure. Just the simple, profound comfort of being held well through the night.
That’s what the right mattress gives. And if you’re a side sleeper in Australia, it’s what you deserve.
Find the Right Mattress in Perth & WA
At Simply the Best, we know how important the right mattress is for side sleepers. Our collection of luxury mattresses is designed with comfort, support, and durability in mind—perfect for Australian conditions. Whether you’re in Perth or anywhere across WA, you’ll find options that bring the balance of softness and support your body needs for truly restorative sleep.
