{"id":25734,"date":"2020-01-23T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-01-23T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.saatva.com\/best-pillow-for-stomach-sleepers\/"},"modified":"2023-08-28T18:16:11","modified_gmt":"2023-08-28T18:16:11","slug":"best-pillow-for-stomach-sleepers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/best-pillow-for-stomach-sleepers\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Find the Best Pillow for Stomach Sleepers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you’re one of the 16% of Americans<\/a> who sleep face-down\u2014a stomach sleeper<\/a>\u2014then chances are you’ve already heard that sleeping on your stomach isn’t good for you. Yet\u2026you love it and find it very comfortable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, it’s important to know that while stomach sleeping<\/a> can have positive benefits, such as reducing snoring<\/a> and sleep apnea<\/a>, it can really do a number on your neck and back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How stomach sleeping affects your neck and back<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In fact, many stomach sleepers experience some type of pain<\/a>\u2014and neck, back, or joint pain can prevent you from getting the sleep you need, waking you during the night and making you feel less rested in the morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sleeping on your stomach places a strain on your back and spine<\/a> because it shifts your weight to the middle of your body. That makes it hard to keep a neutral spinal position while you’re sleeping. Pregnant women<\/a> in particular should avoid stomach sleeping. Not only does it squeeze the baby into an uncomfortable position, but the extra weight causes an unnatural bowing of the spine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor a lot of reasons we don’t recommend [stomach sleeping],” says Thomas Tozer, chiropractor with Imperium Chiropractic<\/a> in Wisconsin. \u201cIt’s not a neutral posture.” But, he adds, \u201cobviously some people find comfort and deeper sleep on their stomach.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to find the best pillow for stomach sleepers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

So what if, in spite of the warnings, you still like to sleep on your stomach? The good news is there are easy ways to help you avoid the complications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choose a thin pillow<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For starters, think thin when it comes to pillows for stomach sleepers. Thin pillows may not look as inviting as the plumped-up ones, but what they lack in plushness will be made up for in better sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs far as pillows,” says Tozer, \u201cwe definitely say a thinner pillow is critical because to sleep on your stomach and still be able to breathe, you need a thin pillow.” A thick, firm pillow puts more strain on the neck and may cause discomfort in the lower back. A pillow with about three inches of thickness is optimal. (Here’s why sleeping without a pillow<\/a> could be a good option for stomach sleepers.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opt for hypoallergenic pillow filling<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sleeping face-down or with your head turned sideways means your nose and mouth will be right against the pillow, which is why it’s a good reason to pay attention to what’s inside the pillow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You will want to be sure whatever pillow you choose is filled with hypoallergenic material, such as latex<\/a> or bamboo, to keep allergens and dust mites from taking up residence and causing irritation. A hypoallergenic cover and pillowcase, made from a material like organic cotton<\/a>, can be beneficial too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Look for cooling features<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Becoming overly warm can be a problem for stomach sleepers. If it is for you, look for a pillow featuring some type of cooling technology<\/a> in its filling or cover design. Latex is naturally cool, while memory foam<\/a>, which tends to sleep warmer, can be cooling if it’s infused with graphite<\/a> or gel. An organic cotton cover will offer breathability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try a wedge-shaped pillow<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A pillow with a slightly inclined surface can be used to create proper spinal alignment while lying face down. Another option is a wedge-shaped design that allows you to place your face in an opening that lets you breathe comfortably. It also keeps the spine in neutral alignment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Place a second pillow under your pelvis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, placing a pillow under your pelvis will keep your back in a more neutral position and take pressure off your spine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Our best pillow for stomach sleepers<\/p>\n \n \n \n

\n \n \"saatva\n <\/a>\n\n \n

\n Latex Pillow<\/a>\n <\/h4>\n\n \n

A core of shredded natural latex, wrapped in a breathable organic cotton cover. Plush and responsive for the perfect head and neck support.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n \n Shop Now\n <\/a>\n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n

The bottom line on pillows for stomach sleepers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Just remember: Tozer says it’s important to buy pillows suited to your individual needs. This is particularly important for couples who share a bed because too often they’ll buy two pillows, \u201cyet the two who will be using those will be different,” says Tozer, adding that the goal is \u201cbuying a pillow that is individually fit to their sleep position and posture.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Need more advice on finding a pillow? Here’s how to choose the right pillow for your sleep position<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you’re one of the 16% of Americans who sleep face-down-a stomach sleeper-then chances are you’ve already heard that sleeping on your stoma<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":58,"featured_media":25735,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[389,384,388,390],"tags":[],"coauthors":[424],"guest":[],"host":[],"class_list":["post-25734","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sleep-health","category-bedding","category-pillows","category-sleep-tips"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25734","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/58"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25734"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25734\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25735"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25734"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25734"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25734"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=25734"},{"taxonomy":"guest","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/guest?post=25734"},{"taxonomy":"host","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/host?post=25734"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}