Pillow for Back and Stomach Sleepers – Height, Size, and Filling

There is a lot of advice for side sleepers – back and stomach sleepers are often overlooked. Yet they have their own unique requirements for their pillow. Here you will find out which height, size, and filling are right for you.

Back sleepers: medium height, good neck support

When lying on your back, the back of your head rests on the pillow, and your neck sits in a small hollow underneath. The pillow should support this hollow and only slightly elevate the head. If it is too high, the chin is pushed toward the chest and the neck is overstretched. If it is too flat, the head tilts backward.

• Height: medium – significantly flatter than for side sleepers.
• Support: a shape-retaining core that does not collapse during the night.
• Size: 80 × 80 cm if you like to rest your shoulders and neck on the pillow; 40 × 80 cm if you prefer it more compact.

Suitable Traumwelt pillows: The 3-Chamber Hybrid Pillow with a supportive Primaloft Bio inner chamber, whose height you can adjust via a zipper, or the vegan Primaloft Bio Pillow with removable filling. This way you can achieve the medium height that suits you.

Stomach sleepers: as flat as possible

When lying on your stomach, the head is turned to the side. Every centimeter of pillow height further overextends the cervical spine. Stomach sleepers therefore need a very flat, soft pillow – or a pillow that can be made flat.

• Height: as flat as possible.
• Softness: yielding, so that the face rests comfortably.
• Breathability: The face has a lot of contact with the pillow – a well-ventilated filling helps prevent heat buildup.

Suitable Traumwelt pillow: The 3-Chamber Down Pillow. It is flat and soft, the head sinks deep into it, and the down outer chambers are breathable and regulate moisture. Because it is sewn shut, the flat height always remains the same – you do not have to adjust anything. The vegan alternative is the Primaloft Bio Pillow, from which you remove as much filling as necessary until it is flat enough.

Back and stomach sleepers compared

	Back sleepers	Stomach sleepers
Pillow height	medium	as flat as possible
Important	Neck support, shape retention	Softness, breathability
Size	80 × 80 or 40 × 80 cm	rather 40 × 80 cm
Traumwelt recommendation	3-Chamber Hybrid Pillow or Primaloft Bio Pillow (adjustable height)	3-Chamber Down Pillow; vegan: Primaloft Bio Pillow with reduced filling

And what if you change positions?

Many people sleep in more than one position. Follow the position in which you lie for the longest time and choose an adjustable-height pillow – this way you will find a good middle ground. How to determine the right height is explained in the guide Pillow Height & Neck Pain. There is a separate guide for side sleepers: Pillow for Side Sleepers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do stomach sleepers need a pillow at all?
Some sleep without one at all. Most find it more comfortable to lie with a very flat pillow, because the face then rests softly without the neck being overextended.

Is an 80 × 80 cm pillow good for back sleepers?
Yes, if you like to rest your shoulders and neck on the pillow. Make sure it does not prop you up too high – otherwise the chin will be pushed toward the chest.

Is the 3-Chamber Down Pillow also suitable for back sleepers?
Only if you want to lie very flat. It is sewn shut and has a firm, low height. Most back sleepers need a bit more height and are better advised with the Hybrid Pillow or the Primaloft Bio Pillow.

Which pillow if I want to sleep vegan?
The Primaloft Bio Pillow: completely animal-free, adjustable in height, and washable at 60 °C – for back and stomach sleepers alike.

All Traumwelt pillows are available in 40 × 80 and 80 × 80 cm, manufactured by German manufacturing partners.

Related Topics

• 3-Chamber Down Pillow (for stomach sleepers)
• 3-Chamber Hybrid Pillow
• Primaloft Bio Pillow
• Pillow Finder