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Sleep Position Affects Mattress Choice: Tips and Warnings

By Shirley · Updated December 30, 2021 · 6 min read
Sleep Position Affects Mattress Choice: Tips and Warnings
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Please read this firstThis is general information, not medical advice, and nothing here is a diagnosis. Home health devices can be wrong — a fingertip oximeter can read falsely high or low depending on circulation, nail polish, movement and skin temperature. If you feel unwell, or a reading worries you, contact your doctor or emergency services rather than re-testing until you get a number you like.

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Sleep Position Affects Mattress Choice: Tips and Warnings

 

The pose in which a person most often sleeps affects not only the quality of sleep, but also the general condition of the body, health and wellbeing.

There is no completely perfect sleeping position. It is necessary to choose it depending on the degree of hardness of your mattress and the characteristics of the body.

What exactly does the sleeping posture affect:

  • Blood supply to organs, including the brain;
  • Muscle regeneration;
  • Digestion;
  • Spine condition;
  • Facial skin;
  • The lymphatic system

Sleep on your Belly – Sleep Position Affects Mattress Choice

 

Most doctors consider this position to be the least beneficial for sleeping. In this position, the face is strongly pressed into the pillow, which leads to the formation of deep expression lines.

The neck and spine are twisted in an unnatural way, and this leads to constriction of the artery and impairment of blood circulation in the brain.

In such a position, breathing and heart function are impaired. The lungs are compressed and cannot fully expand when inhaling.

This results in a heart problem, as less oxygen enters the bloodstream due to incomplete inhalation.

To compensate for this, the heart works harder. And during sleep, it should rest. In addition, there is no support for the cervical spine, which is fraught with discomfort in the neck in the morning and migraines.

Also, in this position, there is pressure on the bladder, squeezing the chest. Because of the first, you will not be able to get a good night’s sleep, and the second negatively affects the skin in the chest and neck.

The only plus of this pose: You don’t snore in it. In addition, in the presence of intestinal colic or flatulence, this sleeping position will be more useful than harmful.

In this position, there is no pressure on the kidneys, which means that the cleansing is better. This position is also recommended for the prevention of ulcers and gastritis.

Doctors recommend not sleeping on your belly, instead choosing a sleeping position on your back or on your side. If it’s hard for you to give up this habit, then you can change it a little: just bend one leg to relieve the load on the spine and reduce pressure on the internal organs.

For sleeping on your belly, choose mattress models with elastic fillings in the upper layers.

Our Top Pick

Our original pick has been discontinued by Amazon. This is the closest current match we could find.

QUTOOL Cooling Pillow for Sleeping, CertiPUR-US Shredded Memory Foam Queen Pillows Set of 2, Cool Pillow for Hot Sleepers Adjustable Firm Pillow for Side, Back, Stomach Sleepers Soft Yet Support,White
  • 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐘 𝐂𝐎𝐎𝐋 𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓-𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐄𝐂𝐇𝐍𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐘: Tired of waking up from night sweats or feeling overheated? QUTOOL cooling pillow provide the best sleep problem solution. It's features a double-sided cover: the cooling ice-silky side helps lower surface temperature by about 4-9℉, while the soft side made of 60% Polyester and 40% Rayon derived from Bamboo offers breathable, luxury-down-like comfort. Designed for hot sleepers who want lasting coolness. Perfect for wellness gifts.
  • 𝐁𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐋𝐄𝐄𝐏 𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄: As we know, all fabrics used on bedding are affected by the temperature of their surroundings. To obtain the coolest sleep experience, we recommend using QUTOOL cooling pillow along with a cooling blanket or a cooling comforter in an air-conditioned room. This will provide you with a cooling, comfortable, and sweat-free environment, ensuring optimal sleep.
  • 𝐀𝐃𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐋𝐎𝐅𝐓 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐌𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒: Too hard, too firm, too soft, no support? QUTOOL adjustable pillow provides hotel-quality softness, and offers firm support. The hotel pillows feature a zippered inner and outer cover, you can ADD or REMOVE foam filling to suit your size, shape or sleep position, find the right comfort level and provide you with the ultimate sleeping experience. Suitable for side sleepers, back sleepers and stomach sleepers.

$39.99 In Stock

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Sleep Position Affects Mattress Choice: Tips and Warnings

The best solution would be a mattress and a memory foam pillow. In order to reduce the negative effect of sleeping on the abdomen, you should choose moderately soft or medium models with or without springs.

Pulatree Ergonomic Cervical Memory Foam Pillow, Odorless Contour Neck Pillows for Pain Relief, Orthopedic Support Pillows for Sleeping with Cooling Cover, Bed Pillow for Side, Back, Stomach Sleepers
  • [Perfect To Enjoy Your Sleeping Without Neck Pain] Are you still suffering from neck pain while sleeping? Pulatree – Proven contour design perfectly supports your head, neck, shoulder, and back. The innovative ergonomic design naturally and perfectly fits the curve of the spine, providing proper support for spine alignment. Sleep pillow design allowing you to shift between positions comfortably. You wake up feeling refreshed and any neck pain you used to suffer should disappear over time.
  • [2 Pillow Heights to Choose & 48 Massage Nodes] Massage nodes takes gently shiatsu massage to relax your head and spine. The pillow has 2 different contour heights on either sides, so you can choose whichever works better for you. The pillow offering enough room for your shoulders and make sure a good airflow for stomach sleepers. The hole inside was designed to cradle your head for optimal support and reduce the pressure of the skull. This allows for a comfortable yet supportive night's sleep.
  • [Safe & Odorless Pillow Bring You A Healthy Sleep] The unique nontoxic, non-allergenic, molded foam design to help reduce cervical pain. The cervical pillow is made with high-quality rebound memory foam that is CertiPUR-US certified. Its temperature sensing, making the pillow FITS YOUR NECK PERFECTLY. Our unique foam creates a stable foundation with a surface that is soft to the touch and allows for a comfortable yet supportive night's sleep. Choose us, the symbol of safety and all-nature.

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But in order to get the full benefit from sleeping on an orthopedic mattress, it is better to sleep on your back…

Our original pick has been discontinued by Amazon. This is the closest current match we could find.

BedStory Mattress Queen Size - 12 Inch Hybrid Mattress Medium Firm with Orthopedic Spinal Support & Motion Isolation - Individually Pocketed Springs, CertiPUR-US Certified Memory Foam
  • Medium-Firm Queen Mattress / 12 Inch Hybrid Mattress in a Box Queen Size
  • Hybrid Queen Mattress – Combining multiple foam layers with reinforced pocket springs, BedStory queen size mattresses offer just-right firmness and orthopedic support for all sleeping positions
  • Advanced Breathable Design – Featuring an open-coil system, this mattress queen delivers 10X more airflow than all-foam beds. Together with gel-infused foam, it helps maintain an optimal sleep temperature all night long

$379.99 In Stock

Check Deals on Amazon

Paid link · price checked August 1, 2026 09:20

On the back

Many doctors believe that this is the best position for the body during sleep.

The spine in this position assumes a neutral position, which allows it to get rid of the load accumulated during the day.

At the same time, muscles also rest, which contributes to their accelerated regeneration. Also, the body is restored better and a person feels more vigorous in the morning.

It is best not to sleep on your back if you suffer from sleep apnea. But these phenomena are quite rare. If you have not previously encountered them, you can safely choose this pose for relaxation.

Almost any mattress is suitable for sleeping on your back. The main thing is that it has orthopedic qualities.

Even a soft mattress is able to properly support the body and especially the spine. But when choosing a soft model, you should look at the mattresses on an independent spring block.

When choosing medium, moderately hard and firm mattresses, choose mattresses of any design

Sleep Position Affects Mattress Choice: Tips and Warnings

It is better to sleep on your back on an orthopedic pillow with rollers. These pillows have a special recess for the head.

And the rollers will support the cervical spine, relieving it of the accumulated load overnight. You can also choose a classic anatomical pillow, but not too high.

Sleep on the left side – Sleep Position Affects Mattress Choice

This sleeping position can also be considered optimal. When resting on your left side, you will not have heartburn.

The stomach is located lower in relation to the esophagus, so gastric juice cannot enter it.

Sleep Position Affects Mattress Choice: Tips and Warnings

This pose can also improve digestion. It’s all about gravity – it will be easier for food waste to move from the colon to the colon, which makes it easier for the intestines to work.

Since the stomach and pancreas are displaced to the left side, it will be easier for them to perform their function, because they will be in a natural position.

Benefits for the lymphatic system – It flows into the thoracic duct, which is located on the left side. Sleeping on the left side facilitates the elimination of toxins from the body.

The possibility of snoring and apnea in this position is minimized. The Best Option can be Hybrid Medium-Firm Feel Mattress.

But this position also has disadvantages, which are manifested with the wrong choice of mattress rigidity and pillow model.

Firstly, these are creases on the face due to contact of the face with the pillow and early aging. Secondly, a violation of blood flow in the shoulders and arms.

On the right side

Sleeping on the right side lacks almost all of the benefits of sleeping on the left side. Of the advantages, only the absence of snoring and breathing disorders during sleep can be noted.

But resting on your side can cause heartburn. The fact is that during sleep on the right side, gastric juice can enter the esophagus, because it will be located higher. Obviously, if you like to sleep on your side, it’s best to choose the left side.

For this resting position (as well as on the left side), it is better to choose mattresses no higher than the average level of firmness with balanced orthopedic and anatomical properties.

The body should “sink” a little into the mattress so that the spine takes an even position, and soft tissues are not squeezed.

Sleep Position Affects Mattress Choice: Tips and Warnings

Too hard a mattress will cause the spinal column to skew and pain in the body – in the shoulders and soft tissues.

The correct side-sleeping mattress has an anatomical top layer of approx. 3 cm that adapts to the contours of the body.

For example, natural latex, memory foam. A hard layer under the soft material, as well as a block of independent springs, are responsible for the correct support of the spine in a dream.

When choosing a pillow, it is better to pay attention to orthopedic models with rollers. The largest cushion is made for sleeping on the side, it resiliently supports the cervical spine.

While resting on the side, the face is in contact with the pillow, so it is better to choose models from anatomical materials, as indicated in the paragraph about sleeping on the stomach.

Sleep Position Affects Mattress Choice Final Words

Remember, sleeping posture has a huge impact on your health and well-being. There are better positions for which any mattress will work.

If you want your sleep to be healthy, choose sleeping on your back or on your left side. 

The choice of a right mattress can neutralize the negative impact on the state of your internal organs.

We wish you to be attentive to your health and the choice of a mattress.

Written by

Shirley

I'm Shirley, and I've spent most of my working life behind a pharmacy counter. The questions that come across it have changed: people now arrive holding a fingertip oximeter or a sleep-tracking ring, showing me a number on a screen and asking whether they should be worried.

That's what this site is for. I write about home health devices the way I'd explain them across the counter — what the reading actually measures, what a normal range looks like, which features are worth paying for, and the point at which a device stops being useful and you need a person instead.

I'm careful about one thing above all: a device is not a diagnosis. I'll tell you what a number means and I'll tell you plainly when it means call your doctor.

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