An Overview of The Best Sleep Number Settings for Side Sleepers

In this world, there are 3 kinds of people: the ones who sleep on their backs, the ones who sleep on their stomachs and the ones who sleep on the side. Each one of these categories is special in its own way, but there is one thing they all have in common: the need for a good night’s sleep. It pretty obvious that each particular sleeping position comes with advantages and disadvantages (just like every other thing in this world), but today, we’re going to address the needs of side sleeper.

Check out our article about How to Put a Sleep Number Bed Together

Benefits of Side Sleeping

Sleeping on the side is probably the most common sleeping position in the world. There are also believes that sleeping on either the left of right side can provide several health benefits. Has your grandmother ever told you to sleep on your right side when you got stomach aches? Truth is that sleeping on the side will allow your spine to rest in a natural position, but it also helps prevent snoring, because your nasal passages allow for more airflow. If you’re experiencing back pain, there are chances that your physician will recommend you sleep on the side. It’s also an ideal position for pregnant women, to help alleviate some of that belly strain.

Side Sleeping Positions

Believe it or not, there are actually sub-positions (can we call them that?) to the side sleeping position. Let’s go over the most common side sleeping positions and discover what they mean.

The fetal position is so common, there’s even a phrase developed for it: sleeping like a baby. It is believed that about 40% of adults prefer this position, because it somehow offers comfort because of the knees that are bent towards the chest, reminding us of our womb positioning. However, it isn’t necessarily the healthiest pose, as bending the knees too much could lead to joint pains.

If you’re experiencing back pains and love sleeping on the side, you might want to place a thin pillow between the legs, in order to fully support your upper leg. The pillow that elevates the leg will also help keep the spine aligned. This way, you lower back, and your hips won’t feel that much pressure.

The log position (a.k.a. sleeping like a log) is common with about 15% of the adult population. The stiffness of this position may lead you to think that it’s highly uncomfortable, but you’d be surprised how beneficial it actually is. First of all, your spine will stay straight, because your torso is also straight, and your arms follow your body’s line. Sleeping like a log also helps with acid reflux problems, as well as keeps airways open enough to prevent people from snoring.

Last, but not least, there’s the yearner position, adopted by about 13%. Ever wondered why they call it that? It’s because, even if the body is almost in the exact same position as with log sleepers, the arm is elevated, as if the sleeper was reaching (yearning) for something.

If you are a side sleeper looking for a mattress, there is one basic thing to know: sleeping on your side creates pressure points on both your hips and your shoulders, so you need a softer mattress compared to people who sleep on their stomachs and need a firm mattress to prevent the spine from getting out of alignment. Every other feature you’re looking to obtain is just personal preference, but a soft mattress is not negotiable for people who like to sleep on their side.

In the following paragraphs, we are going to go over the layers and softness/firmness levels of all the current Sleep Number mattresses. We’re looking to establish which one of these models does the best job in alleviating pressure points created at your shoulders and hips. At a first glance, it seems that all Sleep Number mattresses are the same, mainly because their most advertised features have been included on most models. It’s true that features like remote control, SleepIQ tracking and firmness customization are present on almost all Sleep Number mattresses, but there are some differences that stand out.

Read through the entire article to discover more information on the layers that are added to each mattress, layers which contribute to the softness and cushioning of the bed. A common mistake is assuming that because you can adjust the sleep number of a mattress (a.k.a. how much air goes into the chambers), you can achieve the perfect level of firmness.

The Top Sleep Number Settings for Side Sleeper Reviews

Conclusion

So, all these products bring us down to the final question: which is the best Sleep Number mattress for side sleepers? There are only 2 obvious choices, the i8 and the i10. Since the latter is the most luxurious mattress in the Sleep Number series and promises to alleviate pressure in the same 7 points of your body as the i8, we really see no reason why the i8 can’t be considered the best mattress for side sleepers. The i8 features all the things you’d expect to get from a Sleep Number mattress. Depending on the size of the mattress you choose, you can benefit from either one of two air chambers, the latter being normally referred to as DualAir technology. Thanks to the remote control, you can adjust the firmness of the mattress at a number that ranges from 1 to 100, the latter being the highest level of firmness possible.

However, there is a common disbelief that circulates around the following idea: owning a Sleep Number mattress, which is known for allowing people to customize the firmness, means that you automatically get a mattress as firm as you want. Wrong! There are other important things besides the dual air chambers that allow firmness customization. You can’t just purchase the most basic Sleep Number model, set it to 0 and assume you have the softest mattress in the world.

The added layers of supports that go above the air chambers are super important and they contribute to softness and cushioning. And that’s why Sleep Number mattresses like the i8 and above are the best choices for side sleepers. Because they integrate levels of foam that regulate firmness up to a point where pressure points created at the shoulders and hips are alleviated.