Stomach Sleeping
The position with the smallest head-to-mattress gap — and the one where a standard pillow is most often too tall.
By the Somnora editorial team · Last updated September 1, 2026
What the position asks of a pillow
Face down, your head sits almost at mattress level. Anything with meaningful loft pushes the head backwards while it is already rotated to the side. A thin, soft pillow — or a folded cover — is often enough.
Practical setup
- Choose the lowest loft you can find, or skip the head pillow entirely.
- A slim pillow under the hips or lower abdomen is a common adjustment for lower-back comfort.
- Soft, mouldable fills tend to work better than firm foam, which resists being squashed flat.
- Alternate which side you turn your head toward, rather than defaulting to one side every night.
If you want to move away from stomach sleeping
Position habits are hard to change and there is no need to force it. If you do want to try, most people find the gentlest route is to shift toward a partly side-on position with a body pillow for support, then adjust head pillow loft upward gradually. See side sleeping.