Mattresses, Stomach Sleepers, and Back Pain (Video)

Kirk Forsyth of Gardner Mattress talks about stomach sleepers, who often wake up with back pain. Find out what can be done about this common mattress problem.

What can I do if I’m a stomach sleeper, and I wake up with back pain?

Well generally, stomach sleepers are going to need a firmer, flatter kind of a smoother mattress that you don’t sink into. When you’re on your stomach, all your weight’s in your torso, so if you’re sinking into your mattress, you’re hyperextending your lower back, and for a long period of time. So that means when you wake up, you’ve been in that position for a long period of time, but as you move around during the day, your back goes back into the position it’s supposed to be in, and thus that pain goes away.

So it means that either you’re on a mattress that’s too soft, or obviously that it’s breaking down and wearing out. Especially if there’s some type of a hammocky look in your mattress, that is probably the worst scenario for a stomach sleeper. And thus, you’ll start tossing and turning, too, because throughout the night, if your body says, “Boy, I’m in a lot of pain in this position,” then you might go to a side or a back for a moment. Even though you prefer to sleep on your stomach, your body may not let you do that. So you’ll really be disturbing your sleep all night.