Our Highest Quality Pillows for Stomach (Belly) Sleeping

For those of us who sleep on our fronts, there is nothing better. Sure, we may have read expert reviews claiming that the stomach position is not ideal and can cause problems to the lower back and neck over time. But, to be frank, we do not care – we love to sleep on our tummy.

And luckily we are no longer confined to thick and lumpy pillows that arch up the neck in relation to the rest of our body. No longer is the stomach sleeper reduced to putting up with just the mattress as support – there are pillows out there that will work with us and allow for the best night’s rest on our stomach.

And that is what this article is all about. Together, we are going to take a look at what exactly constitutes a front sleeper regarding what matters most to them. As opposed to back and side sleepers, people who lie on their front require specific pillows that can handle a position that has the body almost hugging the bed.

So, without further ado, let’s get right to it and roadmap our way to which pillow is the best for a stomach sleeper.

We have listed a buying guide for the number one pillow, it’s an overall top ranking list, do check it out.

Benefits of Sleeping a Good Pillow

Not everyone adopts a position in their sleep that appeals to the body and plays along perfectly ergonomically. Especially stomach sleepers often suffer from tension, back pain, and other complaints, without knowing that this is due to their sleeping position. The best stomach pillow that works is recommended here.

The frontal position is not a very natural sleeping shape for the physique. In fact, only about 13 – 15 percent of all people are belly sleepers. That’s right because basically, the stomach position is a position that is not exactly conducive to physical well-being.

Tummy sleepers usually lie flat on the mattress. The head is turned to the side. This causes tension in the cervical spine and neck. Since the back often falls into a hollow back, the pain sometimes reaches up to the lumbar vertebrae. For this reason, stomach sleepers are often tense in the morning and do not feel well rested.

Pillows catering to frontal sleeping are characterized primarily by the fact that it is incredibly flat. This prevents the body from being moved into an unnatural position, where the neck is overstretched, or the back is bent into the hollow cross. The cushion is shaped so that the spine is perfectly relieved and the unique ergonomic shape ensures that the spine is straight.

Front Sleepers Advice When Shopping Online

Cost

The budget is always a primary consideration with any purchase and that will of course not change in the bedroom. But setting a budget can sometimes be a challenge, especially when we are not sure about the cost of certain goods. And pillows are no different – you can buy one, catering to the stomach sleeper, for anything between fifteen Dollars to way past one hundred Dollars.

All we can say at this point – Do your research to get a feel for the market!

Once you know more about the brands, you have read the reviews, and you are aware of the various product specs, you can make an informed choice in relation to the money at your disposal. We have forgotten something – if you are buying online, make sure to read the fine print concerning return policies – like this you can return the pillow if you do not like it.

Best Type

As you probably already know, there are a plethora of pillow types in the market today. And some of them are excellent for stomach sleep, while others are just not suitable at all. The most recommended way to go about choosing the right type of material is to do your research. But we are going to give you a head start right here.

Probably the most well-known pillows are down feather – very cozy, luxurious and plush – however, the pillows may lose shape over time, and they need dry cleaning.

Polyurethane foam – the cheapest product on the market – high density makes them work – be sure to watch out for harmful chemicals and off-gassing.

Memory foam – very popular if you like the superior cradling and contouring – can sleep hot if not infused with cooling elements.

Latex (natural/synthetic) – durable, expensive, high surface response time – an excellent solution for support and breathability.

Bamboo and buckwheat – two sustainable, natural pillow fill variants – soft, good support and very breathable – watch out for buckwheat though because it makes a rustling noise when you move.

Do You Sleep Hot?

Having the right temperature in bed is very important. If it gets too hot, even the most ardent warm sleeper will suffer. Fortunately, we do not have to put up with sweating in bed when we don’t want to – there are plenty of pillows for stomach sleepers that do the job of cooling well.

The first thing to be aware of as somebody who sleeps on his or her front is that you have maximum contact with the mattress. Also, a significant portion of the front of your face comes into contact with the pillow. If the cushion is constructed from the wrong non-breathable material, you will suffer the consequences.

We have already seen that memory foam without cooling agents can get hot and sweaty at night. The trick, if you sleep hot, is to keep an eye out for things like breathability, optimum airflow, heat conduction and transference, moisture removal and so forth when you scour the web for your new pillow to keep you cool.

Warranty 

Upon hearing the word warranty, some of you may think, ‘That’s not as important as quality, breathability, and suitability for my stomach sleeper pillow.’

You’d be wrong if you thought that warranty was not crucial in the buyer-decision-making process. Not only does a fair and transparent warranty give you peace of mind, but it also sheds a significant amount of light on the manufacturer and their products.

As a rule of thumb – a short warranty invariably means that the product is of lower quality with shorter longevity. If the warranty is extended and includes clauses such as free return shipping and the like, you are dealing with a brand that is confident with the superiority of their bedding.

So, do not snub the warranty – get a good one when you buy your new stomach-sleeping pillow, but also use it as a purchasing indicator for quality.

Pain Problems When Sleeping

Pain is an all too common occurrence for people who sleep on their stomach. If they get their mattress and pillow wrong, the chance that discomfort quickly sets in are all too great. If the mattress does not allow for a certain degree of give in the pelvic area, then the lower back will be put under a lot of pressure.

Moving up the body toward the neck, the same holds true for pillows –if it is too thick, the neck and back are forced into an unnatural backward position, putting a strain on the tendons and vertebrae. In this section, we are going to look at some of the problems in more detail.

Neck Agony

Pain in the neck region resulting from various causes can also radiate to the shoulder, arms or head. Feeling dizzy and headaches often accompany this discomfort.

Neck pain can occur in any age group, but it does increase, as we get older. When muscles in the neck are strained due to a lousy sleep posture, for example, the neck will start to hurt when you move it. Neck pain can also have other causes like cold drafts and injury. Neck discomfort is a pain- not a disease in itself, but a symptom. This means that neck pain can occur as a part or manifestation of many, very different conditions.

And the wrong type of pillow that has too much loft can seriously harm the neck, especially when the strain occurs for a more extended period. The most important thing for tummy sleepers is that the correct spinal alignment despite lying on the stomach is given.

Read: Our favorite pillows for individuals who sleep on the side and have a neck pain.

Shoulder Pain

Shoulder pain is something harrowing. Everybody wants a quick fix and especially a pain relief. Unfortunately, painkillers often do not help with shoulder pain, which makes the condition worse. The possible causes of shoulder pain are incredibly diverse.

The shoulder is a ball joint and the most flexible joint in the human body. It has a great deal of room to move and is therefore prone to a variety of complaints. Also, the shoulder joint is the most unstable joint of the human body and therefore requires a variety of muscular support. The joint does not always have to be affected when in pain. Frequently, the muscles surrounding the shoulder are responsible for shoulder pain. Causes include overwork, injuries, wear-and-tear, inflammation, deposits and the impingement syndrome.

Pain in the shoulder can pretty much interfere with your regular daily routine. Sleep is often affected by shoulder pain and the wrong pillow type for front sleeping can be a cause.

Back Problems

Many of us love to doze off on our tummy. And while other people will never understand this penchant, for us, this position is really relaxing. At least that is what we let ourselves believe. In fact, sleeping on your stomach can have unpleasant consequences.

But the good news in advance: In healthy people, the choice of sleeping position does not affect the back or posture. But, if you have back problems anyway, the stomach sleep style can increase the pain.

In some cases, sleeping on the front can cause the lumbar spine and back to become hugely overstretched. As a result, the ligaments are loaded on the back of the spine, which in the long run can cause discomfort.

The ideal way to prevent this is to put a pillow under your stomach. With this trick, the back is relieved and reduces the risk of pain. Another thing to look out for with back pain is loft – pillows that are too high will aggravate the back so make sure to get the right pillow if you sleep on your back.

Why a Mattress Can Help You Sleep Better

Stomach sleepers should avoid hard mattresses, as the specific shape of the spine should be adhered to also in this position. This means that tummy sleepers need a mattress that has sufficient point elasticity. Only when the heavy pelvic area can slightly sink into the surface of the bed, a compression of the lumbar region is thus counteracted.

Since the lumbar portion of the physique is stressed during the day, you should take care of it during the night and allow this region of the body and the intervertebral discs adequate regeneration.

But, the challenge of a mattress for stomach sleep lies in the right balance. For example, if the body sinks in too low due to insufficient mattress support, there is a risk that too much pressure will be exerted on the abdomen and internal organs, making breathing even more strenuous.

On the other hand, both the lumbar region and the cervical vertebrae are overstretched, which is also harmful to the intervertebral discs. For this reason, it is also worth looking at mattresses, which have a reinforced pelvic zone to prevent deep sinking.

The top-rated mattress choice for the stomach sleeper is either latex (firmer material, breathable and high surface adaptation speed) or the innerspring because they come in any firmness level. If you sleep on your tummy, try and avoid memory foam bed types because of the sinking sensation.

Top Pillows for Stomach Sleepers Review

Layla bedding products are famous with their happy consumers for the copper-infused memory foam element. The great thing about copper in any bedding product is that the metal acts as the best-rated heat conductor – excess heat is transferred away from the sleeper and from the bed to the surrounding bedroom – refreshing sleep is the result.

And the good news is that Layla doesn’t only use copper in their mattresses but in their pillows as well. But not only copper does the job of keeping you cool and refreshed, but also the Kapok fiber from the Kapok tree. This one hundred percent natural material provides excellent support and is also extremely breathable.

Combine the Kapok with CertiPUR-US certified memory foam, and you have a match made in heaven. The open copper-infused structure of the pillow allows for optimum airflow while the head and neck receive the best cradling on a pillow that is not too high – perfect for stomach sleepers.

Right off the bat, the first thing we noticed while reviewing this pillow for stomach sleeping is that you can adjust the loft. This is the single most important attribute with any pillow if you sleep on your front because the height of the cushion plays a significant role when it comes to spinal alignment and neck height support and tension reduction to this area. And it is easy to do – simply remove the shredded memory foam fill elements for decreased loft, and you are good to go.

Another great thing about shredded memory foam is that the material is not as heat retentive as it usually would be thanks to the open inner structure of the pillow – the highest level of breathability is guaranteed.

And we have not even touched upon the excellent contouring abilities of the Nest Bedding Easy Breather. The memory foam shapes to the head and neck and immediately for perfect cradling and contouring for stomach sleep.

Purple bedding products are well known for their unique design that revolves around the so-called ‘Purple Stuff.’ State-of-the-art hyper-elastic polymer lain out in a smart grid consisting off multiple triangles offer the very best-rated heat transference and breathability, as well as cradling for the neck and optimal contouring for the head.

Now, usually, we wouldn’t recommend a fixed height pillow with a stable structure for stomach sleepers. However, Purple has proven us wrong – the minimal standard loft of three inches is absolutely perfect if you sleep on your front.

And the great thing is that we were really wrong and never have we been happier to admit it – after further consideration, we discovered that for an additional cost you could purchase an adjustable booster to increase the loft. An excellent solution if your partner, as a side sleeper, for example, wants a Purple pillow too.

The Purple pillow is a great value solution that covers all the bases if you sleep on your front!

Our Final Thoughts

As we have seen – sleeping on our front can be quite a challenge – nobody understands us, experts claim it’s terrible for you and buying bedding stuff is tough!

‘What a load of rubbish!’

We know better, right?

Together, we have uncovered the myth behind the best pillow for front sleeping. We have seen why getting the right model is tantamount to getting a good night’s sleep without suffering the consequences of a painful neck and back. You certainly don’t want that after reading our somewhat detailed and graphic descriptions of a shoulder, back and neck pain.

And no matter what the naysayers claim, sleeping on the tummy is cozy, sexy, warm and intimate – you get full contact with your mattress. And you are ready to fully benefit from that with the perfect pillow that suits all of your needs.

Just remember to look out for the loft – anything too high will hurt the neck muscles and tendons. Also, the material is of particular importance – nothing too hard or too soft please – anything in the middle is the sweet spot. Support, height, and cradling are the three most crucial pillow attributes for stomach sleepers.

Stick to the facts, and you will get it right the first time!

Resources:

• Sleep Health – https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/sleep-health
• Changing your sleep habits – https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000757.htm
• Are cervical pillows effective in reducing neck pain? – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0023386/