For some people, stomach sleeping is the most comfortable way to get some z’s. Though it’s a position that can alleviate sleep apnea and quiet loud snoring, sleeping on your stomach can put a strain on your spine and cause unwanted neck, back, or jaw pain. Using one of the best pillows for stomach sleepers is one way to reduce morning soreness. When shopping for the right pillow for your needs, be sure to consider material, loft firmness, and other factors before deciding which item on this list of quality pillows is best for your needs.
- BEST OVERALL: Coop Home Goods – Premium Adjustable Loft Pillow
- BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Amazon Basics Down Alternative Bed Pillows
- BEST LUXURY: Continental Bedding 100% Goose Down Pillow
- BEST FLAT: BLISSBURY Thin Stomach Sleeping Memory Foam Pillow
- BEST FOR NECK PAIN: EPABO Contour Memory Foam Orthopedic Pillow
- BEST COOLING: Bluewave Bedding Super Slim Gel Memory Foam Pillow
- BEST MEMORY FOAM: Milemont Memory Foam Pillow
What to Consider When Choosing the Best Pillows For Stomach Sleepers
For most people, getting a good night’s rest is a top priority—but the type of pillow that helps achieve that varies from person to person. The best pillows for stomach sleepers are quite different from those made for back and side sleepers and the following list will help you understand why. Here are some of the top considerations stomach sleepers should keep in mind as they shop for the right pillow for their needs.
Size
When choosing the best pillow for sleeping on your stomach, pillow size is a key consideration. Most pillows come in standard, queen, or king sizing, but their thickness varies. There are pillows for stomach sleepers that are relatively flat, at 2.5 inches thick; others are as thick as 4 inches or more. Thinner pillows tend to be better for those who are sleeping face down.
Material
There are also many fill materials to consider when shopping for the best pillow. The material inside a pillow determines its levels of loft, firmness, pressure relief, moldability, and breathability.
- Memory foam is a durable, high-density material that provides firm support and pressure relief to the head and neck. Memory foam may also help regulate the pillow’s temperature. It molds well to the body, but springs back to its original shape when not in use.
- Buckwheat pillows are filled with the hulls of buckwheat seeds and are firm, contouring, and springy when compressed. These pillows are traditionally from Japan, and boast cooling properties while helping to relieve muscle tension.
- Feather fill is known for its breathability, high moldability, and soft-to-the-touch feeling. Feathers are larger and coarser than down. Most feather-filled pillows are made with 100 percent goose or duck feathers, or animal-free alternative materials.
- Latex pillows are soft, all-natural, and hypoallergenic. It is similar to memory foam in that it cradles the body’s natural shape well. However, latex is not as rigid or firm as memory foam, and causes allergic reactions in some people.
- Down pillows are much like feather pillows, but their filling is smaller, denser, and fluffier. Down filling is exceptionally soft, luxurious, and provides light and moldable head and neck support that is ideal for stomach sleepers.
- Polyfoam has a low density that can be highly compressed. It is not the highest quality material for pillows, but is an affordable alternative for stomach sleepers.
Loft
A pillow’s loft is the height it reaches when it lays flat. A low loft refers to a thinner pillow, whereas a pillow with high loft is thicker. Stomach sleepers are typically most comfortable using low loft pillows, as they help align the head, the neck, and the spine to minimize discomfort or pain. Loft can change with age, and older pillows tend to lose their loft over time. Memory foam and goose down are the materials best known for maintaining their original loft, even after heavy use.
Firmness
The firmness of a pillow refers to how easily it compresses when used, and how well a pillow conforms to your body. A pillow’s firmness is usually described as soft, medium, or firm. Most stomach sleepers will be more comfortable with a softer pillow because they have more give. However, firm pillows with a thin loft may also provide comfort. Down and down alternatives are best known for their soft support, whereas memory foam is firmer.
Pressure Relief
A quality pressure-relief pillow distributes the weight of the neck and shoulders over a wider surface area. Pillows that have a thoughtfully designed curvature or indentation can also provide pressure relief. Curved pillows better conform to the body’s natural position, which in turn can reduce muscle tension and pressure.
Shape and Moldability
A pillow’s “moldability” refers to how well a pillow forms to your body as you sleep, and it’s vital to stomach sleepers’ comfort. Different materials, loft, and firmness provide varying levels of moldability. To maintain proper body alignment while sleeping face down, stomach sleepers need pillows with high moldability. Highly moldable pillows are typically made with materials such as down, down alternative, or shredded foam and microfiber.
Though most pillows on the market are rectangular, the most comfortable pillow for you might be one that has a contoured and ergonomic design that works to align the spine, the shoulders, and the neck properly, and alleviate neck pain. Every stomach sleeper will have their own personal preference for which shape is best for them and their body.
Temperature Regulation
Temperature regulation is an important shopping consideration no matter your sleeping position. No one wants a pillow that overheats—rather, most of us flip and adjust our pillows to find the cool spot. Those who prefer a cooling pillow should look for one whose shell is made with natural and breathable fibers such as cotton or bamboo. These natural fibers are often blended with polyester to increase the pillow’s softness and moisture-wicking ability, which is ideal for sleepers who run hot. The best temperature-regulating fills for pillows are down, down alternative, or gel-injected memory foam with ventilating holes.
Our Top Picks
Our top picks for the best pillows for stomach sleepers are selected based on the criteria above: pillows with high-quality fill that don’t lose their loft easily, plus superior construction overall. Whether you’re a stomach sleeper who prefers a contoured pillow or a king-sized one, this list is a terrific place to start your shopping.
Photo: amazon.com
Coop Home Goods calls this premium adjustable pillow “The Original.” It is filled with a shredded blend of microfiber and memory foam, which shifts to cradle your head and neck in any sleeping position. If customers don’t find the as-shipped pillow firm or high enough for their liking, no worries: This pillow comes with an additional half-pound of medium-firm filling that can be added to The Original so it’s just right. A zipper opening makes adjusting the height and loft super easy, too.
The machine washable cover is a cross-cut stitched material that is a blend of bamboo, viscose, and polyester. Natural bamboo fibers are known for their breathability, and keep this pillow cool throughout the night. Add polyester and rayon to bamboo and the result is a supersoft material. The cover is machine washable, and the pillow is available in queen and king sizes.
Photo: amazon.com
These alternative down pillows from Amazon Basics are hypoallergenic, deter dust mites, and have a breathable, soft microfiber shell. The soft, down-alternative fill is ideal for stomach sleepers because it shifts and molds to your body. The interior features diamond stitching that holds the filling in place and reduces bunching.
When it comes time to wash the pillows, simply throw them in the washing machine on a permanent press setting and machine dry on low heat. These pillows are OEKO-TEX-certified, which means they meet high environmental and textile standards, and are available in standard or king sizes.
Photo: amazon.com
Continental Bedding’s 100 percent goose down pillows are made in the USA, and are available in firm or soft lofts. These are truly luxurious pillows, with a 100 percent Egyptian cotton, 400 thread count shell that’s stitched tightly to keep feathers from poking through. They are hypoallergenic, odorless, and allow for noiseless shifting during sleep.
Inside these cloudlike pillows is 35 ounces—a 550 power fill—of premium goose down, which is breathable, shifts to conform to the sleeper’s body shape, and provides light head support for stomach sleepers. These top-quality pillows are available in standard, queen, and king sizes, as well as in firm and soft lofts.
Photo: amazon.com
BLISSBURY’s thin memory foam pillow is easily molded and helps reduce strain on the neck and back when sleeping face down. Its design prioritizes temperature regulation: a breathable bamboo-polyester blend cover, interior ventilation holes, and a gel-infused memory foam all reduces heat retention, and its removable, machine-washable cover helps wick away moisture.
This pillow measures 26 inches long by 16 inches wide by 2.6 inches tall, and is available in white or grey. Those who travel with their own pillows may appreciate that convenient travel carrying case that is included with purchase.
Photo: amazon.com
EPABO’s orthopedic, memory foam pillow is ergonomically designed to cradle the neck and shoulders in a natural position to reduce discomfort while sleeping. It comes in standard and queen sizes, and the queen is available in two thickness options: 4.6 inches or 4.8 inches. The thickness is adjustable via a zippered opening on the back of the pillow, where users can remove a 0.8-inch thick memory foam pad to better suit a stomach sleeper’s position.
The pillow’s soft, quilted cover is made from a blend of natural bamboo fibers, and is machine washable. The memory foam filling is rated as firm and should be removed before washing the pillow’s casing.
Photo: amazon.com
The Super Slim pillow from Bluewave is made with CertiPUR-US-certified memory foam designed to help keep stomach sleepers cool at night. The foam’s gel-infused particle technology and ventilation holes promote air circulation and help regulate heat. What’s unique about this product is that it has a dual sleeping surface, a rounded top and a flat bottom, providing more versatility.
The pillow’s cover is made from a blend of polyester, rayon, and bamboo for an equally soft and breathable sleeping experience that helps keep you dry. You’ll sleep particularly well knowing that this product does not contain phthalates, heavy metals, flame retardants or ozone depleters. Bluewave’s Super Slim pillow is available in standard and king sizes, and in three different heights: 2.25, 2.75, or 3.25 inches.
Photo: amazon.com
Milimont’s memory foam pillow is ergonomically designed to properly align the head and neck, even in a stomach sleeping position, for a deep and comfortable slumber. The memory foam is CertiPUR-US-certified for safety, and has a soft yet firm loft that rebounds to its original shape in less than five seconds. The foam’s Aircell technology holes help promote air circulation.
This curved pillow measures 4 inches tall on one side and 4.7 inches on the other, ideal for sleepers who alternate between stomach, back, and side sleeping positions. It is available in three sizes—standard, queen, and king—and comes with a machine washable pillowcase made from hypoallergenic polyester.
FAQs About Pillows For Stomach Sleepers
If you’d like to know more about shopping and caring for the best pillow for stomach sleepers, consider the answers to these frequently asked questions.
Q. How common is stomach sleeping?
It is estimated that 7 percent of people sleep on their stomachs.
Q. Are down pillows good for stomach sleeping?
Down pillows are ideal for stomach sleeping because of their high moldability and soft support.
Q. What is the most important consideration when choosing a pillow for stomach sleepers?
The most important consideration when choosing the best pillow for stomach sleepers is thickness. The ideal thickness for stomach sleeping varies from person to person but should be fairly thin, around 2 to 4 inches thick.
