Category: The Ultimate Pillow Guides

As a stomach sleep you risk a lot of negative drawbacks with potential neck and back pain. This is why it is essential to find the right pillow for stomach sleeping. Knowing the different type of stomach sleeper pillows can help reduce pain and aches in the morning and allow a comfortable sleep through the night so you wake up feeling rejuvenated.

Stomach Sleeping Benefits

1. Can relieve pressure on your disc spaces

2. Keeps your upper airways open

3. Good for easing snoring

Pillow designs to look for:

1.Very thin/low loft

2.Very Soft

3. Easily moldable and shapeable

Pillow fills to look for

These are different fills to look for in a pillow that will benefit a stomach sleeper. I have also included great examples of stomach sleeper pillows.

Down & Feather

Feather and down options always have the softer pillows that can be easily manipulated to the shape you enjoy the most. Since feather and down spreads out more than your typical polyester fill pillow it is recommend for a stomach sleeper.

-You want to look for a pillow that has a larger percentage of down in it.

-Look for a pillow with low fill ounces. As a stomach sleeper you want to ensure a thin pillow.

Recommendations: Try a Down Lite ® White Goose Down pillow or Down ETC ® White Goose Down Pillow

Polyester (Down Alternative)

Polyester is made to mimic down for those who are allergic to down and feathers. It’s the second best option for stomach sleepers if you can find a thin and soft pillow.

-Look for low fill ounces on polyester pillows

-Keep an eye out for polyester fiber or gelled blown polyester. Polyester clusters add loft to a pillow and can lift your head too high.

Recommendations: Try the Phoenix Down Pleasant Pillow or the Restful Nights® Trillium Pillow

Memory Foam & Latex Pillows

Memory foam is not recommended for stomach sleepers. Latex Foam pillows have a few options that come in low profile plush and can work for some stomach sleepers.

-Look for plush and low profile.

-Talalay Latex is natural and a better option when looking for a latex pillow.

Recommendations: Try the Malouf ® Low Loft Plush Memory Foam Pillow or Restful Nights ® Latex Pillow

 

If you need more recommendations, please feel free to reach out to us! Our bedding experts are available M-F 10am-5pm ET at 1-800-720-6973

Blog author: Jesse, Bedding Expert Team Lead

Finding the best sleeping position can be an arduous task that can waste precious sleeping time.  For me, sleeping on my side is the only position that feels right.  Making sure that you have the right pillow for your sleep style is essential to effortless sleep.  Knowing what you are looking for will make your pillow shopping experience smoother and more successful.

Side Sleeping Benefits

• -Can reduce snoring
• -Left side sleeping allows stomach to cradle its contents and can reduce acid reflux.
• -Left side sleeping may facilitate more effective lymph node drainage, than right side sleeping.
• -Centering your head with your spine can diminish neck and back pain.
• -Increase in blood flow and comfort during pregnancies.

Pillow Design features to look for:

• -High loft: Thickness of pillow from bed to head
• -Gussetted: An extra piece around the edge that can increase the amount of fill and thickness, opposed to tapered edge. (Photo below)
• -A firmer pillow will make sure that your head stays in the right place all night long.

Pillow Fills:

There are different fill types within pillows that give them different attributes for different styles of sleeping.  The main fill materials are: Down & Feather, Polyester, Latex, and Memory Foam.

Down & Feather

Down & Feather options can be on the softer side, so look for a pillow with a higher fill volume and higher % of feather that will provide enough support for a side sleeper. Down clusters are softer than regular feathers, so make sure there is a high content of feathers.

Features to look for:

• -Feather fill is firmer than down fill – Finding a pillow with a higher percentage of feathers to down will make a firmer more supportive pillow.
• -Multi-chambered pillows – Some Down and Feather pillows have a smaller pillow in the center that functions as a hard core that is surrounded by a 100% down fill.  These pillows can work as a side sleeper if you do not have broad shoulders.

Try an Overstuffed pillow by Phoenix Down or a Pillowtex 95% Feather/5% Down

Polyester

Polyester has a wide range of fill types and designs, resulting in a pillow category that is the most diverse and functional with all sleep types.

Features to look for:

• -Polyester can come in a wide range of firmness.  A firmer pillow will be ideal for a side sleeping position.
• – A pillow with a high loft, or thickness, will have the support that is required for sleeping on one’s side.

Try a Beyond Down Side Sleeper Pillow by Carpenter ® or Restful Nights ® UltraFlow polyester pillow – Featured at many Marriott ® Hotels 

Memory Foam & Latex Pillows

Memory foam is effective at giving support while conforming to the sleepers head.  A memory foam pillow that is thicker will always give the sleeper more support.  Latex on the other hand is all support.  These pillows maintain their shape and provide a solid surface that stays consistent over time.  If you want a stiff pillow that will prop your head up, then this is your pillow.

Memory Foam features:

• -Supportive and conforming.
• -Look for thick pillows that will keep your head aligned with your back.

Try a Dough Memory Foam High Profile Pillow by Malouf ®

Latex features

• Latex foam is a bit springy compared to memory foam, which allows it to hold it’s shape better and thus supports and aligns your neck,head,and shoulders.

Try a Latex International ® Classic High Profile Pillow

 

Let’s us know what your favorite side sleeper pillow is! We love your feedback!

 

Blog Author – Mike Swisher, Assistant Channel Manager