Most people are side sleepers, followed by back sleepers, and a good percentage enjoy their sleep better when sleeping on their stomach. This is because sleeping on your stomach can reduce snoring and sleep apnea.
Also, you may experience less tossing and turning, Thus, high sleep quality. However, stomach sleeping is also associated with back and neck pain.
So if you’re a stomach sleeper, chances are you’ll suffer back or neck pain or both. However, it’s possible to avoid these pains with the right mattress since you get the support and comfort you desire. A good mattress for a stomach sleeper should be firm enough to support the spine, ensuring it stays in shape.
But, what is the best and worst mattress for stomach sleepers?
Hybrid and pocket spring mattresses top the list of the best mattresses for stomach sleepers. They have the necessary support for the hips and belly ensuring the spine remains neutral to avoid back problems. They come with various firmness levels, allowing you to choose depending on your body weight and preference.
Soft foam and Pillowtop mattresses are the worst mattresses for stomach sleepers. They are too soft and lack the necessary support, causing the spine to strain, leading to back problems.
What Should The Ideal Mattress For a Stomach Sleeper Feel Like?
Most people make the mistake of choosing a soft mattress since it feels comfortable and firm during testing. However, as it wears, it gains too much sinkage causing problems for your spine. A firm mattress is the best for stomach sleepers.
Ensure the firmness level is between 5 and 8 on a scale of 10. However, look out for extra firm mattresses since they aren’t ideal for stomach sleepers. They may be too rigid, causing soreness in the pressure points.
What follows will be a list of the worst to the best mattress types for stomach sleepers. I want to be clear that I will only cover each of the mattress types in general.
Truth is that many of these mattress types do come with different firmness levels, meaning the worst type for stomach sleepers can still be a decent option if you can find the correct firmness level for your body weight and preference.
But in general, this is a good list to consider if you are a stomach sleeper, so let’s get to it.
List of the Worst to Best Mattress Types for Stomach Sleepers
1. Soft Foam Mattresses
These mattresses are made of low-density foam softer than the regular memory foam or polyfoam. They have too much sinkage and little support for a stomach sleeper.
This means you feel like you’re sleeping inside the mattress. When the stomach sinks dip into the mattress, it causes the spine to curve resulting in back problems.
A stomach sleeper requires a mattress that prevents sinkage around the hips to reduce aches and allow the spine’s natural curvature. A soft foam mattress lacks firmness and is therefore unsuitable for stomach sleepers.
2. Futon mattress
Many people prefer futon mattresses, especially those that double up as a couch. They are good when you have minimal space or tend to move a lot. However, if you’re a stomach sleeper, this mattress can be a disaster.
It comprises natural fibers such as wool or cotton and lacks denser materials such as memory foam. Therefore, this makes it too thin and too hard for stomach sleepers. Although it provides support, the mattress is too rigid, and it feels like you’re sleeping on a rock.
This can result in soreness and bruising of the pressure points, especially the knees and shoulders. Also, it can hurt your spine since it doesn’t allow the spine to curve naturally.
3. Pillowtop Mattresses
Pillowtop are usually normal mattresses with an added padding on top. The padding is made of softer materials such as latex, memory, or a quilted top. The padding can be stitched on the surface or sewn inside the mattress.
This makes them soft and comfortable, but they aren’t ideal for stomach sleepers. This is because they lack the necessary support, especially for the midsection. This can lead to straining the back and hurting the spine.
Additionally, stomach sleepers have much of their body surface on the mattress, leading to heat accumulation. This can lead to sleep disruptions, especially in hot weather or warmer areas. Pillowtop mattresses have too much sinkage, and this causes the midsection to sink.
It becomes extreme when it sags with time, reducing the level of firmness. Therefore it becomes uncomfortable and causes pain in the back and shoulders.
4. Water mattresses
Water mattresses are fun to sleep on occasionally during fun times. They have water compartments and supporting materials such as foam or latex. The compartments are filled with water, and you can reduce the volume to the desired firmness level.
The chambers are rectangular, with wooden walls for the firmer versions and foam walls for the softer versions. Although you can adjust the firmness level, water beds don’t offer the support necessary for stomach sleepers. Also, they’re too bouncy, and sometimes it’s difficult to maintain balance.
They have a high level of sinkage, which makes them uncomfortable and can cause the spine to strain.
5. Adjustable Beds
Adjustable beds are quite comfortable for people with back problems. They allow you to sleep in a reclining position to support the spine properly.
However, they’re not ideal for stomach sleepers. It’s difficult to sleep on your stomach comfortably on a reclined bed. Besides, their mattresses are designed with softer materials to ensure they can curve to take the bed’s shape.
Therefore they have too much sinkage causing your midsection to strain, which is dangerous for the spine. Aside from that, they lack the necessary support for stomach sleepers. They disallow natural spine curvature resulting in back pains.
Therefore these mattresses are most suitable for side sleepers and people with hip and neck problems.
6. Memory Foam Mattresses
Memory foam is a common material for mattresses. It has varying firmness depending on the density of the foam. The high-density foam is the best type for stomach sleepers. It has a high level of firmness to support the back and relieve pressure from the toes and shoulders, improving sleep quality.
Additionally, it has a level of sinkage to enhance comfort and cushion the belly, hips, and knees. Some companies combine the memory foam with polyfoam for the desired firmness for side sleepers.
Recommended Memory Foam Mattress For Stomach Sleepers
Novaform ComfortGrande
Novaform ComfortGrande is an all-foam mattress that is medium-firm. It’s designed with stomach sleepers in mind; hence, it supports the belly to avoid straining the back.
Furthermore, the foam is dense enough to reduce the sinkage level to avoid sinking the hips and knees, which can strain the spine. Additionally, there’s a polyfoam layer to enhance firmness, making it suitable for heavyweight stomach sleepers.
Pros
- It has four layers of poly foam and memory foam for comfort and support.
- It has a personalized quilted cooling cover
- It’s easy to move and has a 20 years warranty.
Cons
- It has a pillowy surface that’s undesirable for strict stomach sleepers.
7. Organic Mattresses
Most times, you only pay attention to organic food products. If that’s the case, it’s time to consider an organic mattress.
These mattresses are made of organic materials such as wool, cotton, bamboo, and latex. Most use a touch of latex to enhance firmness, which is suitable for stomach sleepers.
Most manufacturers prefer the Talalay latex because it’s firmer for support. These mattresses are not only suitable for stomach sleepers but also environmentally conscious individuals. Also, the latex is flexible and soft enough to soothe the pressure points.
Recommended Organic Mattress For Stomach Sleepers
Avocado Green
Avocado Green Mattress is one of the most popular organic mattresses. It’s made of certified organic cotton, wool, and natural latex.
The latex gives the mattress a high firmness level making it suitable for stomach sleepers. The bottom is layered with pocket springs to reinforce support around the perimeter to ensure you’re supported even when sleeping on the edges.
Pros
- These mattresses are non-toxic. This means you don’t have to deal with a cocktail of chemicals, flame retardants, and off-gassing from synthetic materials.
8. Gel foam Mattresses
Gel foam mattresses are a combination of foam with gel. Sometimes the base layer can include springs. These mattresses have become popular since they are cooler than regular memory foam mattresses. Therefore comfort and Luxury is the ultimate goal for gel foam.
The gel-infused foam layer makes the mattress firm enough for stomach sleepers. Innersprings can be incorporated to enhance support, especially for heavyweight individuals.
Additionally, the foam layer makes the mattress soft to reduce soreness on the pressure points. Stomach sleepers prefer this mattress since it has full-body support enhancing proper weight distribution. Also, the sinkage level is low for excellent spinal alignment.
Recommended Gel Foam Mattress For Stomach Sleepers
DreamCloud Luxury
DreamCloud Luxury is a definition of luxury and comfort for stomach sleepers. It comprises a five-layer design, including a premium memory foam pocket innerspring and a gel memory foam layer.
There’s also a slow-motion foam layer and a solid foam base. At the top is a cashmere blend that spells Luxury for stomach sleepers. These layers have excellent support for the whole body for proper spine alignment. The gel regulates the temperatures, and the cashmere is for pressure relief. As the name suggests, sleep time will feel like a dream on a cloud.
Pros
- Great support for proper spine alignment
- Temperature regulating
9. Pocket Spring Mattresses
The major components in these mattresses are the pocket springs. The supporting material can be latex or memory foam. The springs come in different forms, and they can be thick or thin, depending on your body weight.
The springs make the mattress firm enough for stomach sleepers by preventing sinking in the mid-section, which could hurt your spine. Additionally, the springs allow air circulation for temperature regulation, especially when foam is the support material. Since the springs respond individually to pressure, the support on the pressure points is unparalleled.
Recommended Pocket Spring Mattress For Stomach Sleepers
Saatva Classic
Saatva classic combines multiple foam layers, pocketed springs, and Bonnel coils. This makes the mattress firm and therefore ideal for stomach sleepers. The top consists of polyfoam and a cotton layer to cushion the belly while preventing sinking.
The next layer has memory foam on the midsection to support the hips. This is crucial for a stomach sleeper since it prevents spine sagging, reducing the chances of back problems. The base layer consists of the coils for comfort, contouring, and airflow to avoid heat. Since the coils are pocketed individually, there’s minimal motion transfer improving sleep quality.
Pros
- Perfectly firm because using multiple layers
- Temperature regulating
10. Hybrid Mattresses
These are the most popular mattresses in the market currently. They consist of different materials, including foam and coil hybrid and gel and coil hybrid. The coils are the support system for these beds, ensuring maximum support for stomach sleepers.
The coils have varying thicknesses to make the mattress sturdy and reduce sinkage. The memory foam or latex gives it a soft feel to enhance comfort. It also cushions the pressure points, including the knees, toes, and shoulders. Additionally, it prevents the belly from sagging to reduce curvature of the spine.
Recommended Pocket Spring Mattress For Stomach Sleepers
Nolah Evolution 15
Nolah Evolution 15 is an ideal choice if you’re a back sleeper. This hybrid bed is efficient in weight distribution to give sturdy support for spine alignment to reduce back pain.
It comprises 8-inch pocket coils and a polyfoam at the base layer. They provide zoned support so you can feel more pushback on the pressure points. You can choose between varying firmness levels depending on your age and weight. You select your preferred firmness level as you order at nolah mattress.
Pros
- Great weight distribution to give good support for spine alignment
Conclusion
Stomach sleeping isn’t ideal health-wise since it can lead to neck, hip, and shoulder pain. However, if you enjoy this sleeping position, you can invest in a suitable mattress to reduce the pain. A good mattress for stomach sleepers should provide enough support while cushioning the pressure points.
Therefore, it should be firm but not too firm to feel like a rock. This reduces the level of sinkage to avoid sinking of the midsection, which can strain the spine.
The best mattresses for stomach sleepers include hybrid, gel foam, and organic mattresses. They’re firm and supportive while cushioning the pressure points. The worst mattresses for stomach sleepers include soft foam and pillowtop mattresses because they’re too soft.
