Sure, sleeping in the prone position isn’t great for your body. Sleeping on your stomach with your face turned to the side is putting the spine in an awkward position, and you’ve probably heard that sleeping on your face is promoting wrinkles. But you work hard, and at the end of a long day, you just want to sleep. Sleep should be the last thing you have anxiety about, so sleep how you want.
OK, so this probably sounds overblown. You’re probably not getting harassed outside your home by doctors with picket signs. If scientists are throwing tomatoes at your car, there’s probably something else going on. But you’ve probably still heard the dangers of stomach sleeping. Luckily, if you’re using the right tools, you can mitigate your risk of pinching a nerve in your sleep or of hurting your neck and back. One of those tools is the pillow. Side and back sleepers have their pick of a swath of luxurious pillows, but finding the right pillow for stomach sleepers is more of a challenge. We’ll take that challenge. We’ve broken down some of the best pillows for stomach sleepers.
Elite Rest Ultra Slim Sleeper Memory Foam Pillow
For stomach sleepers, memory foam pillows can be a finicky choice. They’re typically very firm and feature a high loft. However, Elite Rest has done what every company should do: it has designed a pillow specifically for you, the stomach sleeper. With a low, 2.5-inch loft, you’re getting the form-fitting comfort that memory foam offers without the excess loft. Another interesting feature of this pillow is that it has a different shape on either side. If you’re a hybrid sleeper who sometimes switches to your back, flip the pillow over for a domed, traditional pillow shape. If you’re an exclusive stomach sleeper, keep it on the flat side.
Featuring soft, hypoallergenic memory foam, this pillow aligns your spine and cushions your neck, allowing you to sink into the pillow without getting too hot. Just keep in mind, because this pillow is a unique design, it may take some getting used to. Patience, young Padawan.
Dreaming Wapiti Shredded Memory Foam Pillow
The key to stomach sleeping comfortably while reducing the risk of injury to your back and neck is a pillow with an extremely low loft, or one that contours to your face and neck. Dreaming Wapiti’s shredded memory foam pillow is made with hybrid stomach sleepers in mind. If you’re feeling some pinching or pain in your neck, unzip the side and remove some of the shredded memory foam filling. Then, if you’re favoring sleeping on your back or side lately, just add in more shredded memory foam. These pillows also come with a super comfortable bamboo cover, so you can get cozy at night knowing your pillow was made sustainably.
Belly Sleep’s Belly Sleeper Pillow
Belly Sleep has made a pillow for stomach sleepers both in name and function. Stomach sleepers spend the entire night resting on their cheek, so it’s important to have a pillow that’s soft and won’t feel scratchy against your skin. With a bamboo and polyester cover, you’ll feel supported and cozy without needing to worry about waking up with sensitive skin on your face.
Belly Sleep’s pillow features everything you need from a stomach sleeping pillow, like a low loft and a balance between softness and firmness, but it also has cooling gel technology to ensure you’re not overheating at night. Plus, like Elite Rest’s model, you’re getting a different sleep experience depending on how you use it. On one end, the pillow has a very low loft. Turn it 180 degrees and you’ve got a slightly higher loft, perfect for hybrid sleepers or sleepers who want to sleep with their face turned down toward the mattress.
