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Like to sleep on your front? Here's how to choose the best mattress for this sleeping position.
While most people are side sleepers, 16% of the population prefer to sleep on their front. We’ve put together the perfect guide for choosing the best mattress for front sleepers.
Here’s everything you need to consider when choosing a mattress as a stomach sleeper (remember you’ll need extra support to your neck and spine) as well as our product expert’s top five picks for mattresses for this position!
When choosing a mattress for a front sleeper, you should avoid anything too soft, and look for special support systems. Front sleepers tend to move their head to the side (to breathe!) and so need extra support to their neck, too.
You need a good amount of support to ensure your abdomen doesn’t ‘sag’, causing your spine to arch, which will result in back pain over time.
For any sleeping position, it's really important that you consider your pressure points and how you support them. Pressure points are the areas that have the heaviest contact with your mattress, so for front sleepers this is the ribcage, knees, thighs and pelvis. These pressure points aren't as intense as other sleeping positions, so a firm mattress will cushion you and provide ample pressure relief.
Hybrid mattresses are excellent for stomach sleepers, as they combine the incredibly supportive nature of pocket springs with comforting memory foam to cushion the front of your body.
You’ll want a firmer mattress to ensure proper support, and individually pocketed springs are able to target your precise pressure points - for example your chest and abdomen - to keep your spine aligned.
The softness of the memory foam will provide just enough cushioning for the delicate parts of the front of your body, without being too soft that you start to ‘dip’.
Reflex foam mattresses are ideal for front sleepers. Similar to memory foam, reflex mattresses contour to your unique curves. However, they are more dense and have less compression than memory foam, so will keep your body nicely aligned all night long - you won’t end up ‘dipping’ into the mattress uncomfortably.
Reflex mattresses tend to have a firmer feel, and often have orthopaedic properties, which is excellent for front sleepers who should prioritise their back health.
If you don’t particularly like too much cushioning on your mattress, you can consider a simple pocket sprung mattress. For front sleepers, these are ideal, as they often include innovative support systems that actively align your spine and relieve pressure points.
If you’re of a heavier build, a firm pocket sprung mattress is ideal for sleeping on your front, as you’ll find you won’t feel ‘suffocated’ by excess cushioning, and will feel ‘on top’ of the mattress rather than ‘in it’.
Front sleepers should opt for a medium-firm or firm mattress, as this will provide the level of support needed to prevent curvature of the spine. If you prefer a softer feel to your mattress, we’d recommend choosing a firm mattress for the support, and adding a mattress topper to soften the surface.
Don’t be tempted to opt for an extra-firm mattress, however, as this won’t allow your spine to follow its natural curve. You should look for a mattress that evenly distributes your weight over the entire surface. To check if a mattress is too firm, try sliding your hand between your front and the mattress surface. If you can easily get your hand over your stomach, it means you’re not adequately cushioned, and the mattress is too firm.
A firmer mattress is also recommended if you’re of a heavier build, as you’ll benefit more from the support systems, rather than sinking into the mattress. For more information, you can read our Mattress Firmness Guide.
The best type of pillow for a front sleeper is either a flat one, or none at all. If you start piling up the pillows, it will raise your head and put a strain on your neck and shoulders. If the head and spine are out of alignment, it can lead to aches and pains and that dreaded ‘cricked neck’ feeling when you wake up in the morning. Instead, try placing an additional pillow under the pelvis to help keep your spine, neck and head in perfect alignment. This can relieve the pressure and give you a more comfortable night's sleep.
Our product experts know exactly what front sleepers need in their mattress, and have pulled together five of their top picks.
This mattress is an excellent choice for stomach sleepers as it includes thousands of individually pocketed springs that are able to target your precise pressure points. This means that your abdomen and chest will stay properly supported, keeping your spine nicely aligned.
This mattress also includes a layer of memory foam, but still has a medium firm comfort rating, so provides just the right amount of cushioning.
It also features orthopaedic support, perfect for front sleepers who suffer with back problems and pain.
This mattress from industry leaders Hypnos includes their innovative ReActive™ 7-turn pocket springs. With more turns, these springs are able to react quicker to your movements throughout the night, providing exceptional body support.
This is key for front sleepers, as you’ll need proper spinal alignment to ensure you don’t end up with back pain.
A budget friendly option for front sleepers, this mattress includes both individually pocketed springs and reflex foam.
You’ll not only experience targeted support to your chest and abdomen, but you’ll enjoy enhanced support as well as comfort from the specially designed reflex foam, without the heat retention of memory foam.
This mattress is also available with our 100 Night Sleep Trial, so you can test it out, and if you don’t love it, you can return it! For more information on our 100 Night Sleep Trials, head to our Sleep Trial page.
One of our bestsellers, the Emma Premium Memory Hybrid Mattress is ideal for front sleepers, as it features a 5 Zone CarbonFlex™ Spring system. This ensures you get the optimum level of support in all the right places, including areas most needed for spinal alignment and posture control.
Emma’s Halo Memory Foam™ moulds to your body and offers orthopaedic support with a medium firm comfort rating.
This mattress is ideal if you’re a front sleeper who prefers a cooler night’s sleep, or suffers from overheating during the night.
Rated firm, the cool gel memory foam layer provides gentle cushioning, while regulating your temperature. Pocket springs adapt to your weight and shape, ensuring you stay supported in all the right places.
Not quite found the answer you're looking for? Read our frequently asked questions. If you need more help choosing the right mattress for you, we have plenty of helpful guides such as our Mattress Buying Guide: How to Choose a Mattress, or our Ultimate UK Bed & Mattress Size Guide.
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