If you’re a fellow stomach sleeper, you know the weird flak we get from scientists and doctors. Sure, stomach sleeping, or sleeping in the prone position, isn’t the best position to sleep in. Your neck is in a bad position, and you’re promoting wrinkles on your face, so you should sleep on your side. However, at the end of the day, the No. 1 goal for everyone is to just fall asleep and stay that way. Daily pressures at work and at home are immense, we don’t need to be pressured to change the position we’ve slept in our whole lives, too.
So maybe we’re being dramatic, but every stomach sleeper knows the struggle of finding a pillow that’s right for stomach sleepers. In fact, many physicians recommend stomach sleepers ditch the pillow altogether for optimal spine alignment. Side sleepers have always had their pick of luxurious pillows and back sleepers have an incredible array of pillow options, so why not stomach sleepers?
Luckily, this is changing. Retailers are finally realizing that stomach sleepers need high-quality pillows, too, and ones that decrease strain on our spine and neck. Even if we refuse to give in to pressures to switch from our stomach to our side while we sleep, we should still treat our bodies to pillows designed with us in mind. Think about it; while sleeping on your stomach, your face is turned to the side. If you have a pillow with too high a loft, your neck is both twisted and upturned, which can cause a lot of problems down the line. Plus, because you’re sleeping face-down, you’re more likely to sleep hot. You’re a sophisticated sleeper, and you shouldn’t have to settle for a pillow made for a side or back sleeper.
Bluewave Bedding Ultra Slim Gel-Infused Memory Foam Pillow
One of the downfalls of memory foam pillows is that as your face sinks into one of them, it can become overly warm and even uncomfortable. Bluewave Bedding solves this problem with its Ultra Slim Gel-Infused Memory Foam Pillow. Gel particles are infused into the memory foam, keeping you cooler at night and stopping heat buildup. It also features a hole-punched design to encourage better air flow. Flip the pillow for a different experience, as one side is flat and the other is curved. You have a few options here; choose between a 2.5-, 3.25- or 4-inch loft. If you’re an unconventional stomach sleeper who likes a firmer pillow that keeps you from sinking in, this is a great choice for you.
Sleep Restoration's Gel Pillow
This pillow may look super lofty at first – and high loft typically means trouble for stomach sleepers – but Sleep Restoration has created a super soft gel pillow for stomach sleepers. When you think of hotel-soft pillows, you’re typically thinking of down pillows, but this is a fabulous pillow if you’re looking for that perfect cloud-like hotel pillow feel but you don’t want to spend a ton of money. This is a great budget-priced pillow that feels like a luxury brand. Another good plus is that this pillow is dust mite, mold, and mildew resistant, which you sometimes don’t get from down pillows.
Belly Sleep Belly Sleeper Pillow
Notice anything weird about this pillow? No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you; this pillow has super curved edges. If you’re like us, you’ve had trouble with one side of the pillow popping up when you stomach sleep, and you feel like you’re breathing directly into a pillow all night. This pillow is solid, thin and supportive, with just a 2.5-inch loft, so you don’t have to worry about sleeping with your face on the very edge of the pillow to prevent it from covering your nose and mouth. Belly Sleep calls out its audience by name, so you know this pillow is great for most stomach sleepers. Plus, this pillow is filled with gel-infused memory foam and comes with a polyester and bamboo cover, which wicks away moisture and heat so you feel comfortable, cool, and dry all night.
Leesa Memory Foam Pillow
If you follow our sleep content here on The Manual, you’re likely already familiar with Leesa. Known mostly for its mattresses, Leesa also offers some great accessories, including this premium memory foam pillow. This pillow is a little lofty, so we recommend this loaf memory foam pillow for larger sleepers who won’t strain their neck on a thicker pillow. Still, this pillow was designed to be a good pillow for all sleepers, so if you’re a sleeper who changes position throughout the night, the Leesa pillow is probably right for you. And if you sleep hot, you don’t have to worry about overheating at night; Leesa has designed this pillow with hundreds of ventilation channels, so you’ll get great airflow as you sleep.
Still want better quality sleep after snagging a new pillow for your stomach-sleeping habit? We’ve found the best mattresses, and sleep masks to help you sleep deeper , along with some mattress toppers.
