Your sleeping position heavily dictates what kind of mattress will suit you the best. So, today we're going to be taking a look at stomach sleepers and picking out the best mattress for front sleepers on the UK market.
Most people are side sleepers. Therefore, most mattresses are made with side sleepers in mind. So, if you're a back or front sleeper, you typically have to do a little extra work in order to find the perfect mattress for you! But don't worry, we've already done all of the heavy lifting.
So, here's how this buyer's guide is going to go. First, we'll go over our seven picks for the best mattress for front sleepers. Each pick will be the best in some category and all seven should suit you quite well if you sleep on your front. And then we'll go over all of the science and the facts that make a mattress good for stomach sleepers. So, without further ado, let's begin!
Our top 5 picks
Before we get into the science of what makes a mattress suitable for front sleepers, we're going to go over a few of our recommendations. Each one is the best in its category and we're willing to bet at least one is going to suit your needs. So, let's begin!
For our number one spot, we decided to go with the Simba Hybrid Pro Mattress, as it's likely going to suit most of the stomach sleepers.
Best overall
The Simba Hybrid Pro Mattress is somewhat unique in this ranking as it's actually a medium-firm mattress. And, as you'll see later on, most stomach sleepers would likely be better off with a firm or extra-firm mattress. However, the Simba Hybrid Pro is an exception to this rule. So much so, we have given it our award for the Best Mattress for Front Sleepers 2024.
This is because of how good the support system for this mattress is. While having a zoned support system is nothing new, most mattresses have 3 or 7 firmer zones to support your body. The Simba Hybrid Pro on the other hand has 13! And this means that there isn't a single inch of your body that is being neglected.
After all, the mattress comes with a whopping 5000 springs! On top of that, it has amazing temperature regulation, thanks to the wool layer, edge support, and motion isolation. It generally dominates every sector, with only the price being a slight turnoff for some.
Sizes: Single, Small Double, Double, King, Super King, EU Double, EU Queen
Advantages
Zoned support
With 13 zones of firm support, this mattress takes care of your entire body
Temperature regulation
You won't have to worry about overheating
Motion isolation
The springs work independently and don't cause motion transfer
Disadvantages
Pricey
While not the most expensive, this is definitely not a budget-friendly mattress
Best Comfort: Hypnia Essential Hybrid Mattress
You get a super supportive sleep experience with the Hypnia Essential Hybrid Mattress.
Best Comfort
It may seem basic from its name but it offers both comfort and support for all sleepers – particularly, front sleepers. While it can initially feel dense when lying down, it isnβt too firm so you wonβt find yourself getting uncomfortable in the night. Youβll sink in the perfect amount. It even has 5 zones of support to help with spinal alignment.
Thanks to the 5 zones of spring support and contouring layers of memory foam, you wonβt have to worry about motion transfer. Those sharing with someone can have a peaceful sleep without being woken up in the middle of night.
To top it off, we love the breathable soft to touch cover of the mattress. It is kind to your skin so you can use the mattress with or without a fitted sheet. So, even without one you can have a lovely sleep surface to lie on. An added bonus is the cover is removable and washable for easy maintenance.
Sizes: Single, Small Double, Double, King, Super King
Advantages
Very supportive
Every position will benefit from the structure of this product.
Good motion isolation
Sharing with a fidgety partner is much better.
Soft touch mattress cover
It's nice to sleep on without having to worry about an extra layer so you can choose to use it with or without a fitted sheet.
Disadvantages
Off-gassing
There is a smell to the product when you first unbox.
No handles
You will need a helping hand with lifting this mattress onto your bed base.
Not suitable for combination sleepers
If you change position throughout the night, you might find it uncomfortable at times.
Best Eco-Friendly: Silentnight Just Breathe Eco Comfort Hybrid Mattress
An eco-friendly mattress at a reasonable price, in our top mattresses for front sleepers, may seem too good to be true. However, thatβs part of the reason it has made it into our top five.
Best Eco-Friendly
This is a fairly firm mattress which is typically what you would look for as someone who sleeps on their stomach. You wouldnβt want a mattress that you sink too far into as it will stop your spine from being aligned. Thanks to the tall pocket spring system, you get the support you need as a front or back sleeper.
Rather than having a memory foam layer to give you comfort, this mattress uses itβs eco comfort fibres to provide that layer. Not only that, it is a breathable layer to help keep the mattress cool and regulate your temperature. The breathability of the Just Breathe is reinforced by the cover of the mattress, making it suitable for hot sleepers too.
It's most suited to those who sleep on the front due to the mattress firmness.
Handles on the side
This design makes the mattress easy to put on your bed frame and move around when needed.
Fairly comfortable
There's a bouncy and springy feel to it which makes the firm mattress more comfortable.
Disadvantages
Some motion transfer
Due to the bounce of the mattress, you're likely to feel some motion transfer.
Non-removable cover
You cannot remove the cover, making the maintenance a bit trickier.
Best for Back Pain: Sleepeezee Backcare Ultimate 2000 Pocket Mattress
One of the issues plenty of front sleepers face every morning is back pain. At least, that's true if you don't have the appropriate mattress. And this mattress was made to support your back above all else!
Best for Back Pain
This is an extra firm mattress, meaning that it's ideal for stomach sleepers who are on the larger side. And the mattress gets to this firmness level thanks to 2000 high-quality springs and a wool and cashmere filling. Both of these materials are not only luxurious but also fairly bouncy, adding to the overall support.
Plus, if you're a hot sleeper, this mattress is a must-buy! For one, wool is one of the best mattress insulators, keeping you cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Secondly, the mattress comes with air vents for added breathability.
Lastly, with extra rows of stitching along the side, this mattress offers supreme edge support. So, if you tend to roll to the end of the bed and hang your arm off the side, you don't have to worry about falling off. In other words, besides just taking care of your back, this mattress also comes with features that would suit just about anyone!
The mattress is incredibly breathable thanks to the vents
Temperature regulation
The wool layer is sure to keep you at an optimal sleeping temperature
Disadvantages
Too firm for some
People of a smaller build might find the mattress to be too firm
Potential allergies
If you're allergic to wool, you might run into some issues
Best Luxury: HiGRID Premium Hybrid Mattress
We love this HiGRID mattress for sleeping on your front as it gives a good firm support in all the right places.
Best Luxury
It has a special SmartGRID layer that bends to relieve pressure and adapt to your body shape. This layer also works to provide comfort and cushion you while you sleep – with the added bonus of encouraging air flow.
You can expect a breathable experience from top to bottom, thanks to the cover, the grid and the pocket springs. The pocket springs are a layer of the mattress that help reduce motion transfer and work with the position of your body which is exactly what youβll want from a front sleeper preference.
Itβs a dense mattress which might not seem ideal for some, but if youβre lying on your stomach you wonβt want to be sinking in too much. It also has great edge to edge support so no matter where you sleep on the surface, you can get a good nightβs sleep.
Bodily motion wonβt be felt across the mattress.
Good edge support
No matter where you sleep on the mattress, youβll feel supported.
Soft removable cover
The sleep surface is soft to the touch and can be removed for washing.
Disadvantages
Not as suitable for side sleepers
Itβs a fairly firm mattress so you may find you donβt sink in enough.
Quite dense
A high-density product that initially feels firm.
Very heavy
Difficult to manoeuvre but does mean excellent quality.
What to consider when buying the best mattress for front sleepers
Now that we've gone over all of our recommendations, it's time to talk about the science behind it all. After all, while all of the mattresses we've picked are generally just good products, there are specific features we're looking for. So, let's go through them one at a time and see how each feature contributes to the overall quality of the mattress.
It's also worth pointing out that this isn't an extensive list. For example, if you have allergies, a hypoallergenic mattress is a must. And if you're a hot sleeper, you might want a gel-topped mattress. But these are features that you'd generally look for. Here we want to focus on what makes a mattress ideal for front sleepers, and not necessarily what makes for the best mattress overall.
Mattress firmness
If there's one thing you take away from this buyer's guide, it's that mattress firmness is crucial when picking out the right mattress for a stomach sleeper! This is because if your new mattress is too soft, it can lead to back pain and overall discomfort rather quickly. So, let's talk about which mattress firmness is going to be ideal for you. And there's one key factor that dictates the answer:
How your body weight influences mattress firmness
Determining the best mattress firmness to suit your build is directly tied to your body weight. This is because, when you sleep on your front, your stomach can sink into the mattress if it's too soft. This in turn messes with the natural alignment of your spine and put a lot of pressure on your lower back.
In other words, the heavier you are, the firmer the mattress has to be in order to prevent your stomach and hips from dipping into the mattress. So, while an average-sized man or woman can enjoy a medium-firm mattress, heavier sleepers might need a very firm mattress.
And, to make all of this a bit easier to understand, we've provided this infographic that will give you the general ballpark of how firm your mattress needs to be. It also covers other sleeping positions, which is a big plus if you share the bed with someone. After all, if your partner is a side sleeper, a firmer mattress might be a bit uncomfortable for them.
Support and pressure relief
If you've been using a mattress that's too soft for you, there's a good chance you already have some back pain. That's why getting a supportive mattress with some pressure relief could be a good idea. To oversimplify, this basically means that the mattress can break up some of the stress that's put on your body when you're sleeping on your front.
For example, a memory foam mattress can “hug” your midsection and spread out the pressure of your body weight across a larger area. This can then in turn ease or do away with aches in the morning. However, we'll talk more in detail about memory foam mattresses in the next section.
For now, the main thing to keep in mind is that just because the mattress is firm, doesn't mean it should feel like you're sleeping on concrete. Regardless of whether it's a medium-firm mattress or an extra-firm mattress, you should still feel comfortable. So, don't equate a firmer feel with discomfort.
Edge support
While not all stomach sleepers will need a mattress with good edge support, it will likely benefit quite a few of them. This is especially true in two cases: if you start out sleeping on your side and then roll over to your stomach or if you sleep at the edge of your bed with your arm hanging off the side.
But why is edge support important? Well, a mattress with good edge support will be sturdy from edge to edge. On the other hand, a mattress with bad edge support will typically have softer sides that can buckle under your weight. So, if you roll over to the side of the bed and the edge support can't support your weight, you'll either end up slightly slumped over or even fall off the bed entirely!
Therefore, if you tend to roll around a bit or just like sleeping at the very edge of the bed so that your arm can hand down, edge support is essential! More often than not, good edge support can be found in higher-end pocket spring mattresses but some hybrids and memory foam models also have this perk.
Which mattress type is the best for front sleepers?
We've mentioned mattress types a few times by now. This is because the mattress type generally dictates other important features such as mattress firmness, edge support, and pressure relief. Of course, there will always be exceptions. So, this is more of a general overview.
Therefore, let's go over the main mattress types and talk about what you should generally expect. Specifically, we'll be going over the most popular mattress types. So, something like an air mattresses or waterbed mattresses will not be included. But you can always read out guides on those mattress types if you're interested.
Spring mattresses
We're going to start things off with spring mattresses as they're the most likely to have all the features you're looking for. That's because this type of mattress tends to be on the firmer side, which is ideal for sleeping on your stomach.
Most of the time, they're going to be at least a medium-firm but they can go well above that as well.
For this reason, they also make for quite good orthopaedic mattresses. So, if you're struggling with back pain, they could be the right mattress type for you. However, it's worth pointing out that there are two types of spring mattresses.
And these two types are rather different when it comes to what they bring to the table.
Innerspring mattresses
Innerspring mattresses are the mattress type that most people imagine when you say spring mattress. They have one solid sheet of springs with extra padding on top. They're generally quite firm and typically aren't too expensive. However, there are two important things to note before you get an innerspring mattress.
For one, they struggle quite a bit with motion transfer. This means that when your partner gets out of bed, they might just wake you up as well. So, it's typically not the best mattress for couples. Secondly, they can have mediocre edge support. And we've already covered why that can be an issue for some.
Pocket-sprung mattresses
A pocket-sprung mattress is typically going to be of a much higher quality than an innerspring model. This is because every spring has its own little pocket and can adjust to your weight accordingly. This makes them very good at easing the tension around your pressure points as well as motion isolation.
The pocket springs are also usually layered equally throughout the mattress, which means that you should expect a high level of edge support. However, do note that a pocket spring mattress is typically a bit more expensive than an innerspring model. So, if you're not looking for a premium mattress, the increased price can be a turnoff.
Memory foam mattresses
Memory foam mattresses are arguably the most tricky to pick up when it comes to front sleepers.
And this is because many memory foam mattresses are medium-firm or softer. So, even if you're of a relatively smaller build, these softer mattresses can cause some back pain.
However, that's not always the case. This is because some foam models are a bit firmer. Specifically, you ought to look for high-density foam, as it's the firmest.
And given how good memory foam is when it comes to pressure relief, it could be worth searching for the appropriate foam model.
But do know that front or stomach sleepers will typically have an easier time finding a good spring mattress. So, if you're in a hurry or afraid of getting the wrong mattress, it could be wise to stick to spring or hybrid models. But if you have your heart set on a memory foam mattress, there are ways to make sure your mattress purchase doesn't let you down.
Latex mattresses
We'd also like to mention latex mattresses as they're rather similar to memory foam models. However, they're typically firmer. So, if you're a stomach sleeper, this is excellent news! And in the battle of latex vs memory foam, latex does come out ahead in a few important categories, such as breathability and density.
However, do also note that a high-quality mattress that uses natural latex is going to be quite expensive. So, unless you're willing to spend a bit more money, even the best latex mattress might not be for you.
Hybrid mattresses
For a lot of people, a hybrid mattress is going to be the perfect middle ground between the previous two.
After all, a hybrid mattress utilises both memory foam and pocket springs. So, you get the pressure relief and comfort of memory foam and the support and motion isolation of pocket springs.
However, there are still a few things you should keep in mind. Most notably, how thick the memory foam layer is.
After all, if the memory foam layer is quite thick (let's say 4 cm) and is then followed by more soft foam layers, the mattress is likely going to be too soft. In fact, quite a few hybrid mattresses go for a medium-firm level or even softer.
So, if you want to sleep comfortably and keep your spine safe, you have to make sure that the mattress is sufficiently firm. For example, hybrid mattresses that have multiple spring layers or utilise very large springs are likely going to be more in line with what you're looking for. But even just looking at the firmness level will let you know whether a hybrid model will suit you or not.
Other factors to consider when getting the best mattress for front sleepers
If you're a front sleeper, getting the right mattress is essential. That much we've established. However, there are two more decisions that can make your sleep a lot easier. So, whether you just want to fully optimise your entire bedroom for sleeping or just want to know all of the options you have, here are two other product categories that could be worth looking into.
Mattress toppers
While not as influential as the mattress itself, a good mattress topper can make your current mattress a bit better. And this is mostly due to how a mattress topper can affect firmness. As we've already stated many times, a mattress that is too soft will cause issues.
However, if you can get a relatively thick and firm mattress topper, it could alleviate some of the strain on your back.
This is especially true when it comes to memory foam mattresses and hybrids as your hips won't be able to dip into the mattress anymore.
However, do note that the topper won't really bring forth more support. In that regard, the mattress underneath is still in the driver's seat. But if you just want to keep your current mattress but make it slightly better for stomach sleeping, this is a viable option.
Pillows for front sleepers
Unlike the previous section, getting the best pillow for front sleepers is more or less mandatory. And that's because the wrong pillow can cause neck pain and discomfort throughout the night. We don't have time to go into all of the details of what makes a pillow good for stomach sleepers but here's the gist. You want a softer pillow that's pretty flat so that your neck can stay straight.
And if you sleep with your head in the middle of the pillow, it might be better to avoid feather and down or similar pillows. This is because you don't want the sides of the pillow to block your mouth while you're asleep.
Tips for buying and using the best mattress for front sleepers
Now that we've gone over all of the factors you should consider when looking for the best mattress for stomach sleepers, let's simplify it. So, if the previous sections have been a bit overwhelming, let's boil everything down to a few tips that you can use the next time you're out mattress hunting!
Firstly, if you're of an average build, make sure the mattress is at least a medium-firm. And if you're slightly heavier, try to find a firm mattress. If your current mattress is a slightly firmer foam model, adding a firm mattress topper could also be an option.
Secondly, check whether the mattress has good edge support. This is especially important if you tend to sleep near the edge of the bed. And lastly, don't forget to get the appropriate pillow! It should be relatively flat and your neck should remain straight while lying down.
Make sure your mattress is a 6/10 or firmer on the mattress firmness scale.
Get a mattress with good edge support if you sleep near the edge of the bed.
Make sure your pillow keeps your neck straight while sleeping.
Of course, there are other factors at play when choosing a mattress. But these are the essential features you want to get right in order to save yourself a lot of back pain in the future.
The advantages of owning the best mattress for front sleepers
At this point, we wouldn't fault you for feeling a bit overwhelmed. After all, it's easy to think “Does this really matter? A mattress is a mattress!”. However, when it comes to sleeping on your stomach or your back, picking out the correct mattress is rather important. This is due to the simple fact that most mattresses were made with side sleepers in mind.
And getting the correct mattress for front sleepers does come with a few benefits. Most importantly, the fact that you won't have lower back pain in the morning. And having a good mattress for your bad back only gets more important as time goes on. After all, you don't want to feel like you're 60 while still in your 30s or 40s.
Secondly, you'll likely be more comfortable. While it might seem like a softer mattress is going to naturally b,e more comfortable, that isn't always the case. And since you won't have pains shooting down your back, you'll also fall asleep a lot more quickly.
No lower back pain in the morning
Added comfort
Falling asleep more quickly
Conclusion
Overall, if you sleep on your stomach, it's important to get the right mattress. After all, you don't want to wake up with pain shooting down your back! And now that you know how to get the best mattress for front sleepers, you should be all set to sleep like a champ.
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FAQs about the best mattress for front sleepers
Lastly, let's just answer a few of the FAQs that you might still have about sleeping on your stomach and getting the appropriate mattress. This isn't a complete list but rather the questions we see the most often.
Do stomach sleepers need a firm mattress?
In most cases, yes. This is because you don't want your hips to dip into the mattress and put pressure on your lower back.
Do stomach sleepers get sleep apnea?
Stomach sleeping is generally better for dealing with sleep apnea than sleeping on your back as your airways are less constricted. However, your mouth and nose can still be obstructed, which is why sleeping on your side is generally a better idea.
Do stomach sleepers need a pillow?
Yes. In fact, getting the appropriate pillow is rather important so that you don't put stress on your neck. You generally want a very flat, somewhat firm pillow if you sleep on your stomach.
Does stomach sleeping cause back pain?
Yes. In fact, getting the appropriate pillow is rather important so that you don't put stress on your neck. You generally want a very flat, somewhat firm pillow if you sleep on your stomach.
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