What are pressure points for someone lying on their side?

October 2, 2025 •

5 min read

According to a survey of 10,000 users, over 75% of people report sleeping on their side, a position that, while popular, can lead to discomfort from pressure points. For someone lying on their side, these areas bear the brunt of your body weight against the mattress, potentially causing pain and soreness in key joints and muscles. Addressing these pressure points is crucial for achieving a restorative and pain-free night's sleep.

Quick Summary

Pressure points for side sleepers are most notably the shoulders and hips, caused by poor spinal alignment or an unsuitable mattress. Learn how to alleviate discomfort by using proper support techniques and investing in the right bedding to improve your sleep quality.

Key Points

Identify Key Pressure Points: For side sleepers, the primary pressure points are the shoulders and hips, which bear the most body weight against the mattress.
Ensure Proper Spinal Alignment: Maintaining a neutral spine is crucial to prevent pressure buildup. A pillow between the knees and a supportive head pillow can help keep the spine straight.
Choose the Right Mattress: Side sleepers generally benefit from a medium-firm mattress that balances support and cushioning. Memory foam and hybrid mattresses are often ideal for pressure relief.
Utilize Strategic Pillow Support: Use pillows to provide targeted support for the neck, hips, and shoulders. A body pillow can offer comprehensive cushioning and alignment.
Consider Lifestyle and Health Factors: Underlying conditions like bursitis or arthritis can exacerbate pressure point pain. Gentle stretching and alternating sleep sides can also help alleviate discomfort.

Identifying Key Pressure Points for Side Sleepers

When you sleep on your side, your body weight is not distributed evenly. Instead, it is concentrated on a few specific areas that press most heavily against your mattress. The most common and significant pressure points for a person lying on their side are the shoulders and hips.

Shoulders: The shoulder that you are lying on can collapse inward, creating misalignment and pressure on the joint and surrounding muscles. This can lead to stiffness, soreness, or even tingling and numbness in the arm due to nerve compression.
Hips: Similarly, the hip on your sleeping side bears a large portion of your body weight. This can be particularly problematic for individuals with pre-existing conditions like bursitis or arthritis, as it can exacerbate inflammation and pain.
Knees and Ankles: If you don't place a pillow between your knees, your top leg can pull your pelvis out of alignment, adding strain to your hips and putting direct pressure on your inner knees and ankles where they touch.
Other areas: Depending on your posture, other pressure points can include the ribs, the side of the knee, the outer foot, and even the ear.

Causes of Side-Sleeping Pressure Point Discomfort

Understanding the source of your pain is the first step toward relief. The discomfort experienced by side sleepers can arise from several factors:

Unsuitable Mattress: A mattress that is too firm can create painful pressure points because it doesn't provide enough cushioning for your hips and shoulders to sink in comfortably. A mattress that is too soft, on the other hand, can cause your body to sink too deeply, resulting in poor spinal alignment.
Poor Spinal Alignment: The goal for any sleeping position is to maintain a neutral spine, keeping your head, neck, and back in a straight line. Without proper support from your mattress and pillows, your spine can curve unnaturally, causing strain on your joints and muscles.
Incorrect Pillow Use: Using a pillow that is too thin or too thick for your head and neck can lead to misalignment of the cervical spine, causing neck and shoulder pain. Not using a pillow between the knees is a common cause of hip and lower back strain.
Pre-existing Conditions: For individuals with underlying health issues such as osteoarthritis, bursitis, or rotator cuff injuries, the pressure from side sleeping can worsen symptoms and increase pain.
Muscle Tension: Tight muscles, particularly in the hip flexors and shoulders, can be exacerbated by prolonged periods of pressure during sleep.

Strategies for Side-Sleeper Pressure Relief

Fortunately, there are many ways to mitigate or eliminate pressure point pain and improve your sleep quality. These strategies often involve a combination of proper equipment and mindful positioning.

Mattress and Topper Solutions

Choose the right mattress: For side sleepers, a medium-firm memory foam or hybrid mattress is often recommended. Memory foam is excellent for contouring to your body's curves, cradling the shoulders and hips to relieve pressure. Hybrids combine foam layers with springs to offer both support and cushioning.
Consider a zoned mattress: Some mattresses offer zoned support, with different firmness levels in different areas. This can provide firmer support for your lumbar region while offering more contouring for your shoulders and hips.
Add a mattress topper: If replacing your mattress is not an option, a memory foam or latex mattress topper can provide an additional layer of plushness and pressure relief.

Pillow Placement for Optimal Support

Using pillows strategically can dramatically improve spinal alignment and reduce pressure.

Place a pillow between your knees to keep your hips vertically aligned and your spine straight.
Use a body pillow to support your top leg and arm, providing a supportive cradle for your entire body.
Select a head pillow with the right loft and firmness to ensure your neck remains in a neutral position, aligned with your spine.
For shoulder relief, a small pillow or rolled towel can be placed under the waist or hugged with your arms to reduce the weight on the bottom shoulder.

Adjusting Your Sleep Position

Alternate sides: Try switching the side you sleep on throughout the night to prevent uneven pressure buildup.
Modified fetal position: Rather than curling up tightly, slightly extend your legs to reduce hip compression.
Avoid certain arm positions: Refrain from tucking your arm under your head or pillow, as this can compress nerves and strain your shoulder. Instead, keep your arms parallel to your body or hug a pillow.

Exercises and Therapies

Stretching: Gentle stretches for your hips and shoulders before bed can help release tension in tight muscles that may be contributing to your pain.
Heat or ice therapy: Applying a heating pad or ice pack to sore areas before bed can help manage inflammation and relax muscles.
Acupressure: Some studies suggest that acupressure can provide pain relief and improve sleep quality. While distinct from mechanical pressure points, targeting certain acupressure points can promote overall relaxation. An authoritative source on arthritis offers additional advice for managing pain through exercise and stretching: 4 Causes of Hip Pain at Night | Arthritis Foundation.

Comparison of Pressure-Relieving Products

Here is a comparison of different product types and their impact on pressure points for side sleepers.


Feature	Memory Foam Mattress	Hybrid Mattress	Mattress Topper	Knee Pillow	Body Pillow
Benefit for Pressure Points	Excellent contouring, cradles hips and shoulders for even weight distribution.	Balances contouring with support and durability; zoned options available.	Adds an extra layer of plush comfort to an existing mattress.	Keeps hips and spine aligned, reducing strain on the lower back and hips.	Supports hips and shoulders, promotes overall spinal alignment, and provides cushioning for arms.
Ideal For	Side sleepers who need deep pressure relief and a body-conforming feel.	Combination sleepers and those who want a blend of contouring and firm support.	Cost-effective upgrade to improve an overly-firm mattress.	Anyone experiencing hip, knee, or lower back pain while side sleeping.	Anyone who seeks comprehensive body support and pressure relief.
Best Used With	A supportive head pillow.	A supportive head pillow.	An existing supportive mattress.	A suitable mattress and head pillow.	A suitable mattress and head pillow.

Conclusion

Understanding what are pressure points for someone lying on their side is the first step towards a better night's sleep. The shoulders and hips are the most susceptible areas, and discomfort often arises from an incompatible mattress, poor spinal alignment, or inadequate pillow support. By making strategic adjustments to your bedding, posture, and daily routine—from investing in a medium-firm memory foam or hybrid mattress to using pillows to support your neck and knees—you can effectively alleviate pressure and wake up feeling refreshed and pain-free. If pain persists, consulting a medical professional to rule out underlying conditions is always recommended.

Frequently Asked Questions

Your shoulders and hips hurt when sleeping on your side because these areas are bearing the most direct pressure from your body weight against the mattress. This can lead to inflammation, joint strain, and nerve compression, especially if your mattress is too firm or provides inadequate support.

The best type of mattress is typically a medium-firm memory foam or hybrid mattress. These materials are known for their ability to contour to your body's natural curves, cradling the shoulders and hips to relieve pressure and maintain proper spinal alignment.

To relieve pressure points, place a firm pillow between your knees to keep your hips aligned and prevent strain on your lower back. Use a supportive head pillow that fills the gap between your neck and shoulder, and consider a body pillow to support your arms and torso.

For most people, there is no major difference, but sleeping on the left side is often recommended for better digestion and circulation, and it may help alleviate acid reflux. You should also alternate sides periodically to prevent uneven pressure buildup.

Yes, performing gentle stretching exercises for your hips and shoulders before bed can help relieve muscle tension. Activities like yoga and specific stretches like shoulder rolls can also improve flexibility and reduce strain.

Acupressure involves applying pressure to specific points along meridian lines to promote healing and relaxation, based on traditional Chinese medicine. Side-sleeping pressure points, conversely, are simply the mechanical points of contact between your body and the mattress that bear your weight.

Yes, an aging mattress that is sagging or has lost its supportive properties is a common cause of pressure point pain. The lack of proper support can prevent your spine from staying aligned and exacerbate discomfort.