Best Mattresses for Stomach Sleepers – A Truly Unique Sleeping Position!
Stomach sleepers are a unique and rare bunch. Out of all the sleeping positions, sleeping on your stomach is the least common. While other sleepers may occasionally drift into this position as they sleep, those who sleep like this for most of the night are quite the species.
Even rarer still is finding the best mattress for stomach sleepers. Most brands create mattresses based on the weight or type of material, instead of the sleeper’s position so it can be tricky to find one that matches all your needs as a stomach sleeper.
However, all isn’t lost. I’ve done the research for you and compiled some of the top mattress brands ideal for sleeping on your stomach.
The Good and The Bad of Stomach Sleeping
When you lie down to sleep on your stomach, there are good and bad things that happen to your body.
In terms of the good, a lot of people find they sleep faster and more easily in this position. Stomach sleeping also helps reduce the risk of snoring or sleep apnea since the position of the tongue is different compared to when sleeping on your back. This sleeping style also helps reduce the occurrence of heartburn or any reflux issues.
On the flip side, there are consequences to sleeping in this unusual position. One concern is it ruins spinal alignment. A lot of the weight is centered on the body and this places immense pressure on the spine as gravity pulls on the center of the body or around the abdomen.
In addition, there are also reports of joint pain and muscle strain in this position. As a result of this discomfort, a lot of people who sleep this way often suffer from interrupted sleep.
This sleep deprivation, in turn, causes stress, weight gain, and irritability, affecting your quality of life.
3 Mattress Features To Consider When Choosing a Mattress for Stomach Sleepers
The features of a mattress add a lot to its performance. Most mattress companies create these beds to accommodate different sleepers. However, since stomach sleepers have specific needs, it’s important to understand which features to watch out for when picking a mattress.
Mattress Construction
Every material is different and will affect how long the mattress will last and whether it will be comfortable for the sleeper using it. Stomach sleepers will require a lot of support around the tummy and midsection, which means this could be the first area to sag. The sagging could become apparent if you go for a mattress material that isn’t ideal or made from high quality.
Firmness Level
While firmness level is a personal preference, those who sleep on their stomach will require a good amount of support and thus, a much firmer bed. A medium-firm to firm mattress is ideal since a good amount of the weight will be supported. This will also help in creating less sinkage of the body.
Contouring and Pressure Relief
Contouring and pressure relief are essential for stomach sleepers. One thing to remember, a mattress shouldn’t offer too much contouring otherwise it will mess up the spine and place more stress on it. As for pressure relief, as long as the mattress has good contouring around the body, it will help spread the weight and thus offer pressure relief around the joints or key areas like the hips and shoulders.
The Best Mattress for Stomach Sleepers
Mattress: Memory Foam – Loom & Leaf Mattress
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Developed by Saatva, the Loom & Leaf mattress was designed to accommodate memory foam lovers looking for a mattress that is supportive, comfortable, and won’t break the bank.
It’s composed of 5 layers of all-foam, totaling about 11-12 inches in height. The layers include a 2-inch top memory foam layer, which has a gel panel to help with cooling; a visco-elastic memory foam for contouring and pressure relief; a transition layer; then finally a 5-inch thick dense polyfoam.
The top cover is made from organic cotton. It’s not removable but it offers a premium feel.
When it comes to firmness level, the Loom & Leaf mattress offers several options, but for general sleepers, I recommend going for the “Relaxed Firm” option. This is the equivalent of a medium-firm (6.5 out of 10) on the firmness scale.
Armed with good motion isolation thanks to the memory foam, it’s a great bed for couples. The edge support could use improvement, but it works well enough. There’s a bit of compression, however, it won’t cause you to fall off the edge.
It has excellent temperature control thanks to the built-in cooling gel. For support, it’s highly recommended for stomach sleepers and back sleepers. The mattress provides hug but it’s not enough to cause discomfort. Stomach sleepers help provide comfort as well as pressure relief when they sleep.
Innerspring – DreamCloud
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Considered a luxury hybrid mattress, the Dreamcloud is composed of 5-layers of memory foam with pocketed coils totaling 14-inches of mattress.
In terms of construction, the mattress has a cashmere-blend top cover. It’s quilted with a bit of foam, so it feels comfortable and soft the moment you hit the mattress. Underneath it is a layer of gel memory foam which helps with pressure relief while also offering cooling comfort.
The support layer is composed of individually wrapped coils offering a lot of bounce and firmness to the mattress while the base mattress is a thin slice of polyfoam.
For firmness levels, the Dreamcloud mattress is about a 7 out of 10, which is on the firmer side of the scale. This means the mattress is ideal for back sleepers as well as lightweight stomach sleepers or those around 130 lbs. However, if you are heavier (over 230 lbs.) you might want to find another mattress like the WinkBeds Plus.
When it comes to performance, the mattress sleeps cool with minimal motion transfer, making it ideal for couples. Despite having pocketed coils, the edge support isn’t strong and there is compression when you sit or sleep directly on the edges.
There is a good amount of bounce with minimal off-gassing, making it perfect for those who are looking for a durable, comfortable bed that is also great for sex and pressure relief.
Natural – Birch by Helix
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Helix Sleep is the main parent company of Birch. This means you are guaranteed a product that comes from someone who knows their stuff.
The Birch mattress is 11-inches thick and composed of a combination of birch wool, natural latex, individually wrapped coils, then finally wool batting at the bottom.
With a soft wool top cover, you immediately feel the softness of the mattress against your skin when you lie down. This is followed by a 2-inch thick OEKO-TEX Talalay latex foam. This offers support, provides cooling comfort while also offering good pressure relief. The coil layers give off strong coil support, this adds stability and a good amount of bounce to the mattress.
The Birch by Helix is a medium-firm (6 out of 10) on the firmness scale. Thanks to this, it accommodates different types of sleepers including back and stomach sleepers. Even though it’s around a medium-firm, it is solid enough to provide support, ensuring the spine isn’t sinking too deep into the mattress which causes misalignment.
Budget-Friendly – Nectar Mattress
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The original Nectar mattress is an all-foam mattress composed of 3 general layers. The first layer is the cover made from polyethylene. This is created with cooling properties to help in sleeping cool. It’s followed by a 3-inch-thick gel-infused memory foam then a 2-inch support layer and the base is a 7-inch thick foam.
With the memory foam layer, the Nectar mattress ensures you get to sleep cool. If you happen to be a couple or sharing the bed with someone, the mattress has great motion isolation, minimizing the movement so you don’t disturb your partner.
The Nectar mattress has a medium to firm firmness level (6.5 out of 10) making it ideal for different types of sleepers.
It is highly recommended for side sleepers, back sleepers, and stomach sleepers if they are under 130 pounds. In addition, the mattress offers a good amount of support with enough “sink” so it doesn’t overwhelm or make you feel uncomfortable when you sleep. I’ve done a detailed review of the Nectar mattress, make sure to check it out!
Editor’s Pick – Saatva Classic
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One of the biggest names in the online mattress world, Saatva offers a host of great mattresses to cater to a host of different sleepers.
The cover layer is a 3-inch Euro pillow top cover made from plush fibers. These are hypoallergenic and made from organic cotton to ensure it remains cool and healthy. It’s followed by a layer of high-density memory foam for enhanced lower back support. Underneath this foam is over 800-individually-wrapped coils. These allow the mattress to be responsive while supporting the body’s natural curves.
Meanwhile, on the sides, are high-density rails to create a firm edge – preventing roll-offs and sagging. Finally, the last layer is a base coil unit to prevent sagging and offer better airflow throughout the mattress.
You can choose from three firmness levels for the Saatva Classic mattress – Plush Soft (3 out of 10), Luxury Firm (5-7 out of 10), and Firm (8 out of 10).
If you’re a stomach sleeper, I would recommend going with the Luxury Firm option since it offers a lot of support while ensuring you are comfortable when you sleep on your stomach.
In addition, this mattress has amazing bounce thanks to the coils. Oftentimes, this means motion isolation is sacrificed, but it still works great when you sleep with a partner as the movement is kept minimal thanks to the memory foam layer.
Edge support is fantastic on this mattress, there’s little to no risk of sagging or rolling off the edges. One concern with coiled mattresses is the noise, but there’s no difference here. What’s more, because these mattresses won’t come rolled, there’s no off-gassing at all.
For more details about the Saatva Classic mattress, check out everything I found out about it.
The Best Mattresses for Stomach Sleepers Based on Weight
For Light Weight Sleepers – Leesa Original
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Designed as an all-foam mattress, it has 3 layers of high-quality foam that help relieve pressure for different sleepers. Out of the three varieties available, the Leesa Original is the most affordable.
It’s a medium on the firmness scale but compared to other mattresses in this scale, it’s a lot firmer, so I would put it at around 7 out of 10. This firm construction is courtesy of the foam and designed to provide fantastic pressure relief as well as comfort for stomach sleepers who are near 130 pounds or less in weight. Want more info? Here’s what I think about the Leesa mattress.
For Average Weight Sleepers – Awara Sleep
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Sleepers weighing up to 230 pounds will find a lot of support and pressure relief from the Awara Sleep mattress. People who sleep in this position require a mattress that is firm enough to keep their abdomen from sinking too deep into the layers which will cause misalignment in the body.
It’s also important to have the right responsiveness in the mattress to prevent that sinking feeling.
The Awara Sleep offers both this and more. It’s crafted from a combination of latex and pocketed innerspring coils coupled with an organic Euro-style pillow top cover to offer comfort.
For Heavy Weight Sleepers – WinkBeds Plus
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Perhaps the best bed for stomach sleepers who weigh 230 pounds or more, WinkBeds Plus delivers when it comes to construction and performance. Because it’s a hybrid mattress, it’s guaranteed to be extra durable and supportive.
When it comes to firmness, it’s about a 7.5 out of 10. This firm construction is essential because heavy sleepers need something that’s extremely supportive to prevent the spine from becoming misaligned regardless of the sleeping position.
Stomach sleepers should receive fantastic support for their stomach, preventing them from sinking too deep into the mattress.
Wrapping Up
If you’re after the best mattress for stomach sleepers, the brands mentioned here are a great place to start.
Stomach sleepers require good support on their abdomen or stomach area. The mattress has to offer a strong quality material with the right amount of firmness to prevent the body from sinking deep into the layers. Doing so might cause misalignment and create discomfort and pressure problems as you sleep.
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FAQs
What is the best mattress firmness for stomach sleepers?
The ideal mattress firmness for stomach sleepers is somewhere between a medium-firm to firm on the scale. This could mean around 6 to 8 on the mattress scale.
How to avoid sleeping on the stomach?
If sleeping this way is causing back and neck issues, you can try several simple things like for instance, surrounding your body with pillows to kind of box you in and prevent you from flipping on your tummy. You can also use a supportive pillow around your neck.
What is the best sleeping position to have?
There’s no right and wrong sleeping position since every person will have their preference. However, do keep in mind that some positions are better compared to others. Experts often suggest sleeping on the side or back as the best sleeping position to have.
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