Why You Can Trust CNET Best Mattress for Stomach Sleepers for 2024
The best mattresses for stomach sleepers strike a nice balance between cushioning and firmness, keeping you comfortable while supporting your back.
Stomach sleeping isn't really the best way to get a little rest, because it can trigger back or neck pain. But if you're like me, the only way to get some sleep is by laying on your stomach for at least part of the night. If you aren't ready to give up stomach sleeping, you need a bed that reduces pain instead of contributing to it.
The best mattress for stomach sleepers usually has extra firmness to offer back support, while also being soft enough that you don't feel like you're sleeping on a rock. Lucky for you, I've been researching mattresses for years and have tested more than 150 of them. So rather than scour the internet, you can simply keep scrolling to check out my favorite picks for the best mattress for stomach sleepers.
What's the best mattress for stomach sleepers?
When considering the best type of mattress for stomach sleepers we primarily took design, firmness level and price into consideration. While there are several good options for stomach sleepers, the Bear Original stands out as the best overall pick. Its firmness level is right in the sweet spot for stomach sleepers, it's very affordable and it boasts a special, Celliant-infused cover.
Note that the prices listed in our recommendations for the best mattress for stomach sleepers are for queen mattress sizes.
Video: Best mattress for stomach sleepers 2024
Watch CNET video producer Owen Poole review the best mattresses for stomach sleepers.
Best mattresses for stomach sleepers of 2024
Mattress price scale:
$ = Budget: $799 and below
$$ = Average: $800 to $1,699
$$$ = Premium: $1,700 and up
These reflect MSRP or list prices. Sales might make a mattress less expensive, but are always changing.
Like
- Celliant Cover
- Affordable Price
- Responsive, memory foam experience
Don't like
- Not ideal for people over 230 pounds
- May be too firm for petite side sleepers
For stomach sleepers under the 230-pound range who love a good value, the Bear Original mattress seems to be the best in class. Its layers are made with high-density support foam on the bottom for support and durability, Responsive Transition Foam for pressure relief and Cooling Graphite-Gel Memory Foam for temperature regulation. Then it's topped with a breathable Celliant cover.
Celliant technology is recognized as a medical device by the FDA and it's useful in helping athletes recover more quickly from strains and injuries, as well as helping your average person wake up feeling more energized. The Celliant draws heat away from your body, converts it to infrared energy and omits it back into your body. It's in every Bear mattress and won't ever wash or wear out. You'd think you'd have to cough up a lot of dough for a mattress with this kind of technology, but it's one of the most affordable on our best mattress for stomach sleepers list.
I rate it around a medium to medium-firm or a six out of 10 on the firmness scale, and it has a classic memory foam feel that hugs and contours around your body's curves. The Bear Original mattress is best for sleepers under 230 pounds, but they do offer a more supportive hybrid model that offers similar features with a more supportive construction.
Bear Original
Like
- You can choose your comfort level
- White-glove care delivery
- American-made
Don't like
- Not a budget option
- Too firm for petite sleepers
With its supportive innerspring coils and plush comfort layer of softness on top, the Saatva has the perfect combination of features to provide a stomach sleeper with a restful night's slumber. Although the Saatva stomach sleepers should be sure to choose the firmness profile option.
The Saatva mattress's comfort layer of memory foam and pocketed coil help reduce motion transfer. From its sturdy foundation of tempered steel coils, to its patented spinal zone of dense memory foam in the middle, to its sumptuous upper layer covered in microbial organic cotton and more, this mattress for stomach sleepers provides optimal durability, excellent pressure relief, superior breathability and minimal motion transfer. Read more in our full Saatva mattress review.
Saatva Classic
Like
- Medium firmness, which accommodates all sleeping types
- Zoned support
- Great motion isolation
- Budget-friendly bed
Don't like
- Not enough support for sleepers over 230 pounds
- Doesn't have a soft, plush feel
Combinations sleepers should pick a mattress with a middle-of-the-road firmness level to accommodate all their sleeping positions. The Casper Original mattress fits that bill, and I think it's the ultimate bed-in-a-box mattress. I rate it around a medium to medium-firm, or a five to six on the firmness scale. It's soft enough to relieve pressure around your shoulders and hips when you sleep on your side, but your spine doesn't sag into the mattress.
The Casper Original is 11 inches tall with a top layer made with AirScape foam, a neutral-feeling material that's perforated to allow air to easily pass through. The middle layer is a denser foam with a zoned design; the middle is firm to help support your back, while the top and bottom thirds are softer to accommodate your shoulders and lower body. It's a subtle but meaningful design in the mattress that you don't see with a lot of foam beds.
Because the Casper Original is made with all foam, I recommend it to side and stomach sleepers under 230 pounds. However, if you want a Casper bed with more support, you can opt for the Casper Hybrid, which has a strong pocketed coil base layer, rather than foam.
Casper Original
Like
- Extra-large pocketed coils
- Super durable bed
- Good price
Don't like
- Too firm for someone under 150 pounds
- Traditional memory foam feel is not for everyone
For plus-sized sleepers looking for the best mattress for stomach sleepers, the Helix Plus is a quality choice that won't break the bank. It's a thick mattress made to cater to those who value support and durability among comfort.
The Helix Plus is over 12 inches tall, with the primary support layer being a thick, XL system of pocketed coils that are longer and stronger than the coils inside your average hybrid bed. The steel coils around the edges are extra strong for boosted edge support, while its individually pocketed innersprings work independently to help the bed limit motion transfer.
The comfort layers include two memory foam layers with one extra dense slab to prevent sagging, and a blended foam meant to act like latex foam (supportive and durable). While you might think this gives Helix Plus a strong memory foam feel, it's actually more neutral and responsive than traditional, syrupy memory foam.
On a scale from soft to firm, the Helix Plus lands around a seven out of 10 on the scale, or a medium-firm, for plus-sized sleepers. It's the sweet spot for stomach sleepers. Read more in our full Helix mattress review.
Helix Plus
Like
- High-quality mattress
- Zoned support
- Plush pillow top
- Three firmness options
Don't like
- Not a budget choice, though a good price for the quality
- Doesn't have a contouring memory foam feel
The flagship mattress from WinkBed is a fancy five-star hotel mattress disguised as a bed-in-a-box mattress. The first layer of the WinkBed is a system of pocketed coils with thinner, more strong coils on the sides to enhance edge support. This layer is also zoned to help give support and pressure relief where it's needed. Above it are four layers of foam, including a "Lumbarlayer" to give additional support under the lumbar region, and a fluffy gel-infused pillow top.
It feels like a supportive innerspring mattress with responsive and soft foam. The plush pillow top also helps add a noticeable coziness to the mattress. Stomach sleepers of all sizes will like the WinkBed mattress, and it also has three firmness levels to choose from so you can opt for the best level of support for you. That said, the Luxury Firm is rated a medium and Firmer around a medium-firm, so I recommend these options for most stomach sleepers. Read more in our full WinkBed mattress review.
The WinkBed
Like
- Affordable price
- Has a true memory foam feel
- Temperature neutral
- Thicker than other beds
Don't like
- Memory foam is dense and slow to respond
- Too firm for side sleepers
- Potentially not supportive enough for those over 230 pounds
The Nectar mattress is a nice memory foam bed that's on the wallet-friendly side, but feels similar to a Tempur-Pedic mattress. It has a noticeable memory foam feel that's dense and slow to respond to pressure. It takes a few moments to warm up to the memory foam when you lay on it, but once you do, the foam slowly starts to form around the curves of your body.
Measuring 12 inches tall, it's thicker than a lot of foam mattress competitors. The main ingredient is memory foam, but the bed sleeps more temperature neutral than traditional memory foam beds that are known for retaining heat. This is thanks to the Nectar's gel memory foam top layer and the breathable cover that wraps it.
Since the Nectar is a foam mattress, it's best for sleepers under the 230-pound range. Otherwise, it's a firm and supportive mattress that'll keep your spine in proper alignment without compromising pressure relief. Read more in our full Nectar mattress review.
Like
- Ultimate budget choice
- Responsive to movement
- Suitable for all body types
Don't like
- Too firm for strict side-sleepers
- Doesn't have a memory foam feel
- It's not a luxury mattress
Stomach sleepers looking for max savings should consider the very affordable Allswell mattress, brought to you by retail giant Walmart. They entered the bed-in-a-box game to compete with budget brands and they have made one of the most affordable hybrid mattresses on the market. You can buy the Allswell directly from the Allswell Home website, but it usually runs cheaper if you buy one from Walmart where a queen-size model goes for around $350.
The Allswell mattress is three layers thick with a pocketed coil base layer, transition foam and almost an inch of gel memory foam sandwiched underneath the cover. It's a simple mattress with a slighter firmer profile. I'd rate it around a six or seven out of 10 on the firmness scale, somewhere around a medium to medium-firm.
You sleep more on top of the bed rather than inside, a plus for stomach or back sleepers looking for a supportive sleeping surface. It's a responsive mattress with comfortable foam that bounces back quickly to pressure, making it easy to switch positions on. It reminds me of a traditional innerspring bed, with the added cushion of foam layers. Read more in our full Allswell mattress review.
Allswell
Other stomach sleeper mattresses we've tested
The beds listed below are additional mattresses tested by CNET that just barely missed the cut.
Brooklyn Bedding Signature mattress: Brooklyn Bedding is one of the only online bedding brands that manufactures its own beds. The Signature mattress is a hybrid bed that boasts over 1,000 pocketed coils and comfortable layers of foam. It offers three different firmness levels, but the firm option is the best mattress for stomach sleepers.
Loom & Leaf mattress: Brought to you by Saatva, the Loom & Leaf mattress has a memory foam feel that sleeps cooler than your typical memory foam bed thanks to the cooling gel layer. There are two firm firmness levels: Relaxed Firm and Firm, which come out to medium-firm and firm.
How we test mattresses for stomach sleepers
Our CNET Sleep editors are the brains behind our mattress best lists. They've tested over 100 different beds and have countless hours of experience under their belts. This enables them to create honest and unbiased mattress roundups that include their favorite picks. Mattresses are rated on several factors, including firmness, construction, performance, price and warranty information. When testing we also consider how the bed performs in specific categories like motion isolation, edge support and temperature.
CNET editors pick the products and services we write about based on editorial merit. When you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Read more on how we test mattresses.
Jonathon testing out the Helix mattress to see if it's comfy for stomach sleepers.
What to look for in a mattress for stomach sleepers
Just because a mattress is objectively a good bed, doesn't mean it's the best mattress for your sleeping needs. Your needs are based on your sleeping position, weight and additional needs. When shopping for the best mattress for stomach sleepers, there are a few key factors you should keep in mind.
Most stomach sleepers will benefit from a firm mattress that keeps the spine from sagging and in neutral alignment with the neck.
Firmness level: Stomach sleepers have to be mindful of firmness level when shopping for a mattress. For most stomach sleepers, a slightly firmer mattress is best suited for your sleeping needs. We recommend medium-firm to firm mattresses for stomach sleepers, that way your hips and spine are supported and comfortable. If a mattress is too soft, your hips will sink in, leading to back pain in the morning.
Your body type: Another factor that will influence which mattress a stomach sleeper should select is body type. Depending on how much you weigh, you may put more or less pressure on a mattress, which can change how you interpret the firmness level. Petite people put less pressure on the mattress, meaning they don't sink in as far. This means they will perceive the mattress as firmer. Heavier people will find that mattresses may feel softer, because more pressure is put on the bed.
Mattress construction: A big thing to keep in mind is what your mattress is made of. A lot of this comes down to your preference on the feel and durability of your mattress. However, there's more to it than that. All foam mattresses are budget friendly and come in all ranges of firmness levels, however they typically aren't best suited for heavy people because they don't provide the support they need. We recommend that plus-size sleepers opt for mattresses with coils like a traditional innerspring or hybrid mattress that combines pocketed coils and comfortable foam layers.
Types of mattresses for stomach sleepers
Which mattress is best for you will depend on factors like your personal preferences, sleeping type and weight. Stomach sleepers need their mattress to provide the right amount of support, while still providing enough cushion to be comfortable. Let's dig into how the different types of mattresses perform for stomach sleepers.
The layers inside of a Helix Plus mattress including pocket4ed coils in the bottom and memory foam on top.
- Innerspring: Innerspring mattresses are the traditional type of bed -- the one in your grandma's house. They feature a layer of coils as the base. Coil types include pocketed coils, continuous-wire coils or offset coils. Innerspring mattresses boast thin comfort layers on top of the coils for comfort. Some innerspring mattresses have pillow top options for side sleepers. Stomach sleepers benefit from innerspring mattresses because they provide even support across the mattress.
- Foam: Foam mattresses are made entirely of either memory foam, polyfoam, latex foam or a mix. All-foam mattresses are often budget-friendly and provide an ample amount of pressure relief. Stomach sleepers have to be careful with all-foam mattresses, especially if they are heavier, as they can sink too far in and wake up with back pain. It's best to stick to firmer all-foam mattresses as a stomach sleeper.
- Hybrid: Hybrid mattresses combine the best parts of both innerspring and foam mattresses. This type of mattress strikes a really good balance between comfort and support thanks to the coils and varied comfort layers. Your stomach won't sink too far in, and there's plenty of foam layers to provide pressure relief.
Is it bad to sleep on your stomach?
Stomach sleeping has been linked to reduced snoring. However, of all the sleeping positions, sleeping on your stomach is considered the worst sleeping position for your back, because most of the weight is put on the middle of your body. Sleeping on your stomach often leads to your spine being out of neutral alignment. It can also lead to neck and shoulder pain, since you have to turn your head to the side to breathe.
If you can't change your sleeping position, there are things you can do to support your body while still sleeping on your stomach. First and foremost, you should sleep on a firmer mattress. This keeps your hips from sinking too far into the mattress and changing your spinal alignment. Next, you can opt for thinner pillows that do not require any awkward twisting of your neck.
Other bed accessories for sleeping on your stomach
Having one of the best mattresses for stomach sleepers is a great start, but it doesn't have to be the end of your quest for ultimate comfort. Try adding a mattress topper or pillow for stomach sleepers to push your sleep quality to the next level.
Mattress toppers for stomach sleepers
Mattress toppers are cheaper than buying a whole new mattress. They have the ability to change the firmness of your bed, both firmer and softer. For stomach sleepers, we advise a medium-firm or firm mattress for optimal support.
Read more: Best Mattress Toppers
Pillows for stomach sleepers
Pillows are a crucial part of how we sleep, and it's important to have the right one. The best pillows for stomach sleepers are flatter, which ensures your neck and head aren't twisted while you're sleeping on your stomach. What type of pillow is up to you: Some of the most popular types of pillows for stomach sleepers include latex foam, gel memory foam, feather pillows or organic cotton pillows.
Read more: Best Pillows for Ultimate Comfort
Stomach sleepers should favor beds that offer ample support like hybrid mattresses that combine coils and foam, or supportive foam beds. There isn't a particular type of foam that works best for stomach sleepers, as it primarily depends on the feel you're looking for. There are plenty of firm memory foam, poly foam and latex foam mattresses on the market.
Medium to firm mattresses are best for stomach sleepers because they keep your spine in a neutral alignment, preventing it from sagging into the bed, which can promote back pain. Beds with a medium firmness level offer a balanced level of pressure relief and support, while firm beds offer maximum support.
The best pillow for stomach sleepers is a thin one, like pillows made with down, because they keep the neck in a straight alignment with the spine. A tall pillow will keep your neck kinked all night, a common culprit of neck pain. Unless you're extra petite, however, you'll probably want some kind of pillow.
Foam mattresses are good options for stomach sleepers, as long as the bed falls on the firmer side. Stomach sleepers need a mattress that is firm enough to support their hips and keep their spine in neutral alignment. If the memory foam mattress is too soft and they sink in, it can cause back pain. So yes, stomach sleepers can sleep comfortably on memory foam mattresses that are medium or firm.
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