A body positioning mattress and a method of positioning a patient or person 0 to 90 degrees or greater in an upright supine or prone position while maintaining neutral skeletal alignment (non-flexed position) wherein a vacuum process can be applied to the body positioning mattress to remove air thereby molding the mattress around the body of the patient or person to maintain position. Further, the mattress may be placed onto a manual or motorized bed frame to position and maintain a patient or person 0 to 90 degrees or greater in the supine or prone position.