Selecting The Right Firmness For Mattresses
Firmness is a way of describing the feel of a mattress specifically in terms of comfort. Sleeping on the floor would be one extreme level of firmness, while the opposite extreme would be like floating in space. Firmness is very subjective because what may feel comfortable to one person can be uncomfortable to someone else. Thus, it is common to see mattresses offered in a number of different firmness levels to allow customers to find a model that will suit their preferences.
Firmness is not the same as support. This is an important point to emphasize. Support refers to how well a mattress promotes spinal alignment. Firmness refers to the comfort feel of the mattress and how hard or soft it is. While there can be a relationship between the two, it is helpful to think about them separately. A mattress that offers pressure point relief and keeps the spine in proper positioning is supportive regardless of how hard or soft that mattress is. While firmness can be highly subjective, support is not.
Terms like “extra firm,” “medium-firm,” “medium-soft,” and others are used constantly in describing different mattress models, but sometimes it can be hard to know what to make of these terms or to know how they apply when comparing mattresses produced by different companies.
Extremely soft: maximum softness with lots of sink; this type of mattress is rare.
Medium-Soft: quite soft and plush with definite sink.
Medium: common firmness level that offers a middle-ground with some plushness but more limited sink.
Medium-Firm: slightly harder mattress with thinner plush and slight sink.
Firm: much harder mattress with only limited softness and sink.
Extra firm: no softness, plushness or sink.
Sleepers who weigh less than 60kg should lean toward a mattress near the softer end of the firmness scale. The reason for this is that a very firm mattress is unlikely to offer much give or contouring at all for a person at this weight. In order to get the benefits of pressure point relief, most lighter sleepers need a plusher mattress.
Sleepers who weigh between 60kg to 110kg normally do best with a medium to medium-firm mattress. At this firmness level, there is enough cushioning to create a comfortable and supportive sleep surface without the risks that come from a much softer or firmer design.
Sleepers who weigh over 110kg should typically opt for a firmer mattress design. Because heavier people put more pressure on the bed, the level of sink can become exaggerated on very soft mattresses. A firmer model can still give cushioning without a risk of the mattress comfort layer bottoming out and failing to offer enough support.
Side sleepers have more exaggerated pressure points at the shoulders and hips and usually need a slightly softer mattress in order to cushion those areas and keep the spine in proper position. For most side sleepers, a soft to medium-firm mattress works best.
Back sleepers start out in a position that tends to be good for the spine, but they do need support around the low back in order to make sure that the natural curve of the low back does not get exaggerated in any direction. For this reason, we usually advise that back sleepers select a medium to medium-firm mattress.
Stomach sleepers normally should avoid mattresses with excessive sink. Because the abdomen and pelvis will usually sink more than other parts of the body, this can put the body in an unhealthy “U” shape. Most stomach sleepers get the most comfort and support from mattresses in the medium to medium-firm category.
Combination sleepers, or people who regularly sleep in 2 or more positions, frequently have the best results when using a medium to medium-firm mattress. The reason for this is that such mattress has the most flexibility and ability to provide comfort across a range of positions.
Can’t decide what works best for you? – drop by our showroom and our sales professionals would be able to advise you better.
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