Best Mattress for Stomach Sleeper

Stomach sleepers might feel the comfiest when they sleep on their bellies, but this sleeping position isn’t without its downsides. People who sleep on their stomachs can experience issues with chronic back and neck pain owing to their sleeping position because, without a proper mattress, their spine won’t be properly supported and aligned.

A mattress for a stomach sleeper should ensure that the sleeper’s midsection doesn’t sink in as it would disrupt the natural curvature of the spine. Firmer mattresses are a much better choice for stomach sleepers than soft or body-hugging alternatives that wouldn’t give them the much-needed support. The best type of mattress for stomach sleepers should balance between comfort and firm support- and that’s not always easy to find.

Best Mattresses for Stomach Sleepers

What Type of Mattress is Best for Stomach Sleepers?

Every sleeping position requires a different kind of support from a mattress: no matter how you choose to sleep, the goal is to retain natural and healthy spine curvature throughout the night. For stomach sleepers, the challenges of maintaining proper sleeping posture might be greater than with most other sleeping positions, as sleeping on your belly completely flattens your spinal curve. When you sleep on your belly, you’ll also turn your head to the side, which can contribute to neck and shoulder pain, too- which is why contour pillows are recommended.

As for the mattresses that would benefit stomach sleepers, there isn’t a single type of mattress that would be a “one-size-fits-all” of sorts. Comfort means different things to different people, and with many different body shapes and preferences (e.g. cooler sleeping surface, hypoallergenic materials, etc), there won’t be a universal mattress match for every stomach sleeper.

What is crucial to consider when choosing a mattress as a stomach sleeper is the firmness of the mattress. The key feature of the mattress you pick is that it can keep your midsection and hips from sinking in, and, as a result, allow you to maintain proper spine curvature. That is something that a softer type of mattress can’t achieve- the ideal type of mattress for a stomach sleeper would be firm or medium-firm at best. Naturally, this somewhat influences the choice of different mattress types, as some constructions and designs are by default firmer or softer than others.

Innerspring mattresses and hybrid mattresses both have a coil base that consists of (individually wrapped) coils which makes them sturdy and supportive, but also on the firmer side. Innerspring mattresses are budget-friendlier, but are unsuited for heavier sleepers and can be uncomfy if they are poorly made: look for designs that have higher-quality cushioning. Lower-quality innerspring mattresses have just a thin layer of felt between you and the coils which can make you feel the coils and the mattress uncomfortable to sleep on. For stomach sleepers, innerspring mattresses with a layer of firm foam are a better choice.

On the other hand, the coil base in the hybrid mattresses is followed by multiple layers of cushioning, and those layers can be made from different materials. As a result, they are much thicker and firmer than the average mattress, even when there are layers of foam incorporated in the construction. As hybrid mattresses are usually firm by design they are great for stomach sleepers- but they also have a heftier price tag and can be too bulky and tall for some people, e.g. seniors and people with mobility issues.

Latex mattresses are also a good choice for stomach sleepers. Made from natural rubber or synthetic latex, they are firm and bouncy at the same time and will give you good support and help relieve pressure from key stress points. However, latex mattresses can be pricey so they are not a good fit for every budget.

While they are not the go-to choice for stomach sleepers, memory foam mattresses can be a suitable option in certain cases. The main “downside” of memory foam mattresses for stomach sleepers is that these designs are often on the softer side of the spectrum and meant to hug and cradle the body, in a way that suits people that sleep on their side, for instance. Nonetheless, in cases where the design centers around high-density foam and poly-foam to achieve a certain degree of firmness, a foam mattress can be dense enough to make sure your midsection and hips don’t sink in.

If you are a stomach sleeper that finds firm mattresses uncomfortable, it doesn’t mean you have to be sentenced to chronic discomfort. A good compromise is using a mattress topper that’s made from memory foam atop a mattress that feels too firm: you’ll still reap the benefits of a sturdy, supportive mattress that elevates your hips to the proper position and get to enjoy the body-contouring, pressure-relieving effects of memory foam.

You may be interested in: Best Pillow for Stomach Sleepers

Bottom Line

People who sleep on their stomach should go for firmer mattresses that would help them achieve the natural spine curvature needed for comfortable and pain-free sleep. This particular sleeping position can lead to back pain and neck pain as it flattens the spinal curve, so it is essential to get a mattress for a stomach sleeper that will counteract this issue. There are plenty of options to suit anyone’s preferences and budget – from tall and sturdy hybrid mattresses to budget-friendly firm innerspring mattresses: as long as they are firm enough to give you the proper support, anything goes.