7 Best Pillows for Stomach Sleepers, According to Experts

I hate to be the bearer of dangerous information to all my fellow abdomen sleepers, however women and gents: We’re doing issues all flawed. Any sleep professional will let you know that your abdomen is the worst possible position for your body to spend its sleeping hours in, and, except you have obtained probably the greatest pillows for abdomen sleepers in your arsenal, you are setting your self up for some serious discomfort throughout the day.

“Sleeping in your abdomen poses a number of dangers, together with potential again ache and pressure on the backbone, which might have an effect on different areas of the physique,” says Martin Seeley, senior sleep knowledgeable on the UK-based sleep model MattressNextDay. “Moreover, this place could limit the airways, making it troublesome to breathe comfortably.”

But when realizing this does not dissuade you from cozying up face-down (I, for one, have zero plans to alter my methods), investing in a correct pillow is vital to protecting your physique snug throughout waking hours. “The right pillow—and its placement—may also help mitigate a few of these dangers,” confirms Seeley.

Shopping for a brand new pillow is a complete lot simpler than coaching your grownup physique to sleep in a wholly new place, and we have you coated with seven choices that make sure you’ll by no means should.

Greatest pillows for abdomen sleepers at a look:

• Greatest general: Bluewave Bedding, Hyper Slim Gel Memory Foam Pillow for Stomach and Back Sleepers, $40
• Greatest reminiscence foam: Panda, Luxury Memory Foam Bamboo Pillow, $70
• Greatest down pillow: Brooklinen, Down Pillow, $93
• Greatest hypoallergenic: Boll & Branch, Down Alternative Pillow, $89
• Greatest for neck ache: Cozyplayer, No More Aches Neck Pillow, $40
• Greatest cooling pillow: Belly Sleep, The Belly Sleeping Pillow, $40
• Greatest for mixture sleepers: Marlow, The Pillow, $65

What sort of pillow ought to a abdomen sleeper use?

In the case of discovering one of the best pillow for stomach sleepers, there are a number of various factors to contemplate:

1. Measurement

On this case, measurement issues. “Should you’re sleeping with a pillow that’s the flawed measurement for you, your neck will not be capable to sit in a impartial place, which suggests your head goes to relaxation too far in a single course towards both shoulder,” says Jeff Brannigan, director of programming on the NY-based stretch and restoration house STRETCH*D. “Over time this can create misalignment within the backbone and negatively influence your posture.”

To keep away from stressing out the backbone, the smaller your abdomen sleeping pillow, the higher. “Abdomen sleepers sometimes profit from thinner pillows to stop neck pressure and keep a impartial backbone place,” says Seeley. He recommends searching for a “low loft” pillow that is three inches thick or much less.

2. Firmness

A too-tough pillow can elevate your head larger off the mattress than it ought to be and amplify the unnatural curvature in your backbone, which is why Seeley suggests choosing one thing with soft-to-medium firmness. “This may present sufficient help with out elevating your head an excessive amount of,” he says.

If delicate pillows aren’t your jam, each execs observe that reminiscence foam can also be a fantastic possibility. “Reminiscence foam pillows can work effectively for abdomen sleepers as a result of they provide help and luxury by molding to your head and neck,” says Seeley. “Simply hold their breathability and adjustability in thoughts to search out the best match for you.”

3. Supplies

To strike this good steadiness of firmness and measurement, you will need to spend money on a pillow that is made with high quality supplies. Should you’re coping with again ache, Shelby Harris, PsyD, director of sleep well being at Sleepopolis, suggests searching for delicate pillows full of down (or a down various), that are versatile sufficient to permit your head to soften into them and keep away from aggravating your backbone. Should you’re coping with neck ache, a contouring fill—like reminiscence foam or shredded reminiscence foam—is one of the best guess, as these supplies supply a bit extra loft and help.

Moreover, Harris recommends choosing breathable cowl materials (like cotton or silk) and hypoallergenic materials, that are much less prone to set off the pores and skin and allergy reactions which are widespread amongst abdomen sleepers.

7 finest pillows for abdomen sleepers

Best overall: Bluewave Bedding, Hyper Slim Gel Memory Foam Pillow for Stomach and Back Sleepers — $40.00

Out there sizes: King, Commonplace

Fill: Ventilated gel reminiscence foam

This abdomen sleeper-friendly pillow checks all of the advisable bins: Low loft, fill that contours to the form of your head and neck, and hypoallergenic supplies. What units it aside from our different selects—and has earned it the “finest general” spot—is that there are three completely different loft, or peak, choices to select from, every of which is beneath the edge that Seeley recommends for sleeping in your abdomen. The entire pillows are made with the model’s ventilated, moisture-wicking reminiscence foam, however sizzling sleepers could need to spend money on one of many “Max Cool” types (out there in all sizes) that include the added bonus of being coated with CarbonBlue cooling coating.

Out there lofts: Hyper Slim (2.5″H), Extremely Slim (2.75″H), Tremendous Slim (3.25″H)

Firmness: Medium

Cowl materials: 60% polyester, 40% bamboo-derived rayon

Care directions: Machine cleanable cowl

• A number of low loft choices to select from to search out your good match
• “MaxCool” types out there for warm sleepers
• Machine cleanable cowl
• Inexpensive

• Might initially have that “new reminiscence foam” odor

Best memory foam: Panda, Luxury Memory Foam Bamboo Pillow — $70.00

Out there sizes: 23″ x 16″

Fill: Reminiscence foam

This decide comes straight from Seeley who recommends reminiscence foam for abdomen sleepers due to its capacity to mildew to the form of your head and neck. “The pillow will form to your head and neck is ideal for protecting your backbone supported and will scale back neck and again ache within the morning,” he says. “It’s not solely award-winning, however it’s tremendous breathable, has antibacterial properties, and comes with a built-in cooling system to make sure you don’t overheat.”

Out there lofts: 4.7 inches

Firmness: Medium

Cowl materials: Bamboo-derived rayon

Care directions: Unspecified

• Hypoallergenic
• Comes with a built-in pillow protector
• Eco-friendly
• Returnable after a 30-day trial
• Inexpensive

• Could also be barely too thick for some abdomen sleepers
• Solely out there in a single measurement that’s barely smaller than a typical pillow

Best down: Brooklinen, Down Pillow — $93.00

Out there sizes: Commonplace, King

Fill: 100% down clusters and feathers

Brooklinen’s Plush pillow (the least-firm possibility on supply from the model) will go away you feeling such as you’re sleeping on a cloud—it’s that delicate. It’s made completely from goose down clusters, that are softer than feathers and make the pillow malleable sufficient that your head will sink straight into it (in a great way!), and the cotton sateen cowl is luxe and breathable.

Out there lofts: Plush (advisable for abdomen sleepers), Mid-Plush, Agency

Firmness: Delicate, medium, agency

Cowl materials: 100% cotton sateen

Certifications: DOWNMARK® Licensed

Care directions: Unspecified

• Hypoallergenic
• Antibacterial
• Produced from super-soft down clusters
• Plush and moldable

• Doesn’t supply help for these with neck or again ache
• Makes use of an animal byproduct, which can be a con for some buyers

Best hypoallergenic: Boll & Branch, Down Alternative Pillow — $89.00

Out there sizes: Commonplace, King

Fill: Primaloft down various

This down-alternative pillow is so plush, you’d swear it was the true factor. It’s out there in three completely different loft/firmness mixtures, however per common, abdomen sleepers ought to go for the lowest-loft “delicate” possibility for optimum consolation. Arguably one of the best factor about it’s that, not like the opposite pillows on this record, you may toss this one straight into the washer with out having to fret concerning the insides getting all wonky. Evening sweaters, rejoice.

Out there lofts: Low, medium, excessive

Firmness: Delicate, Medium, Agency

Cowl materials: 100% natural cotton

Care directions: Machine cleanable pillow and canopy

• Hypoallergenic
• Machine cleanable
• A number of loft/firmness choices out there
• Made with eco-friendly down various
• Plush and moldable

Best pillow for neck pain: Cozyplayer, No More Aches Neck Pillow — $40.00

Out there sizes: 15.5″ x 6.5″ x 6.5″

Fill: Reminiscence foam

While you’re coping with neck pain, Seeley recommends an ergonomic pillow with contouring or cervical help to take care of correct spinal alignment, and this one matches the invoice. It’s made with reminiscence foam, which we already know is nice for abdomen sleepers, and its distinctive butterfly design comes with a middle cavity so that you can put your head in and an arched cervical help space that goes beneath your neck.

It’s additionally obtained two armrests that can help you comfortably stick your arms beneath your pillow—and, as such, make it straightforward on your accomplice to spoon you with out the weirdness of attempting to determine the place they need to put their backside arm. Moreover, the loft is adjustable, and the model recommends eradicating the 0.8-inch piece of reminiscence foam on the backside of the pillow to make it the proper peak for sleeping in your abdomen.

Out there lofts: Adjustable

Firmness: Agency

Cowl materials: Unspecified

Care directions: Washable cowl

• Adjustable loft
• Outfitted with a head cavity, armrests, and neck and shoulder help
• Inexpensive

• Reminiscence foam just isn’t natural, and should initially include a chemical-y odor
• Doesn’t match with customary pillowcases

Best cooling: Belly Sleep, Belly Sleeper With Cool Gel Topper — $60.00

Out there sizes: Mini, Commonplace

Fill: Gel Tech Reminiscence Foam

As you will have guessed from the title, this cooling pillow was designed particularly with abdomen sleepers in thoughts. It’s ultra-thin (a formidable 2.5 inches), and can get your head as near the mattress as humanly doable whereas nonetheless providing some help. Conventional reminiscence foam tends to entice warmth, however The Stomach Sleeping Pillow is made with a particular polyurethane foam and topped with a temperature-regulating cooling gel to maintain you from overheating.

Out there lofts: 2.5″

Firmness: Agency

Cowl materials: 60% bamboo, 40% polyester

Care directions: Machine cleanable cowl

• Very low loft that’s good for abdomen sleepers
• Enclosed in a breathable bamboo cowl
• Outfitted with heat-releasing reminiscence foam and topped with cooling gel
• Hypoallergenic
• Out there in a mini measurement for journey or inserting beneath your chest

Best for combination sleepers: Marlow, The Pillow — $65.00

Out there sizes: Commonplace, King

Fill: Gel-infused reminiscence foam

For $65, Marlow delivers three pillows for the value of 1, making this the proper decide for “combination sleepers” who swap their positions (so, most individuals). It’s obtained a zipper on three sides that means that you can customise the peak and firmness: Abdomen sleepers ought to unzip it to its thinnest degree, aspect sleepers ought to go away one aspect zipped for a medium-loft possibility, and again sleepers ought to hold it completely closed for max thickness.

Out there lofts: Adjustable (low to excessive)

Firmness: Adjustable (delicate to agency)

Cowl materials: Sateen

Care directions: Spot deal with solely

• Adjustable peak and firmness
• Full of cooling reminiscence foam
• Antimicrobial

The place do you place a pillow when sleeping in your abdomen?

Simply as vital because the pillow itself is the place you place it when you’re sleeping, and you have a number of completely different choices to select from

To keep away from neck and shoulder ache

“I urge abdomen sleepers to position pillows beneath their head and shoulders,” says Seeley. Shimmying up in order that your shoulders are supported will assist you keep a extra impartial spinal place, reducing your danger for again and neck discomfort.

To assist with respiratory

To keep away from a few of the airway constriction that comes with sleeping in your abdomen, Seeley suggests ditching your common Queen- or King-sized pillow in favor of one thing travel-sized. “Putting a small pillow beneath the chest or brow can enhance respiratory and make abdomen sleeping extra snug,” he says.

To reduce decrease again discomfort

If sleeping in your abdomen leaves your decrease again feeling not-so-great, the professionals advocate taking a completely completely different strategy to pillow placement. “Abdomen sleepers could profit from inserting a skinny pillow beneath their pelvis to stop decrease again pressure,” says Seeley. “Choosing a skinny pillow—and even no pillow—beneath the pinnacle can scale back pressure on the neck and keep a extra impartial backbone, and inserting a pillow beneath the pelvic can help the decrease again.”

However, actually, when you’re waking up in ache, a pillow doubtless is not going to repair the issue—you could need to begin coaching your self to remix the way in which your physique likes to relaxation.

FAQs

What’s the healthiest sleeping place?

Whereas the “finest” sleeping place is the one that can finally ship eight uninterrupted hours of snooze time, sure setups are higher on your general well being than others—and abdomen sleeping ranks on the backside of the bunch.

For starters, sleeping in your abdomen forces your backbone right into a backward curve, which locations undue stress in your neck and again. Plus, the truth that you are doubtless turning your head all evening to keep away from a faceful of pillow would not assist. “Maintaining your head rotated in an finish vary for a protracted interval places pressure on the muscle tissues and vertebral joints,” Mallory Behenna, DPT, an orthopedic bodily therapist at Brooks Rehabilitation, beforehand informed Properly+Good.

Along with these spine-related points, abdomen sleeping could trigger problem respiratory and expose you to extra of the allergens in your bedding, which might trigger congestion, says sleep specialist and scientific psychologist Michael J. Breus, PhD, chief sleep advisor at Purple. And except you are sleeping on skin-friendly silk, spending eight hours together with your face pressed right into a pillow could trigger wrinkles to type over time. Although some folks could discover abdomen sleeping useful for digestion and loud night breathing (a particular bonus for {couples}), the professionals agree that these advantages do not essentially outweigh the dangers.

With that in thoughts, “the healthiest sleeping place is normally sleeping in your again as a result of it retains your backbone aligned and eases stress in your neck and again,” says Harris. Facet sleeping—ideally with a pillow between your knees—is your second-best possibility.

However when you’ve spent years snoozing in your abdomen, altering issues up could also be far simpler mentioned than finished: Your physique has doubtless developed “muscle reminiscence” and can naturally fall again into its favourite place realizing it guarantees evening’s sleep.

Fortunately for these of us who cannot kick our abdomen sleeping habits, all of this comes with an vital caveat. “All of it actually depends upon what feels finest for you—the secret’s to get up feeling rested and pain-free,” says Harris. And so long as you have obtained the best pillow, that is solely doable with out having to flip your go-to place.

How typically must you change your pillows?

Most specialists advocate altering your pillow each 1-2 years. Over time, pillows accumulate mud mites, allergens, and moisture, diminishing their help and hygiene. Common pillow alternative ensures continued consolation and helps a more healthy sleep atmosphere.