Plush mattresses are an excellent option for side sleepers looking for an inviting surface that supports their natural curve. Furthermore, lighter weight individuals looking for additional comfort and pressure point relief will find plush mattresses particularly beneficial.
Heavier sleepers typically benefit from firm mattresses while back sleepers generally opt for medium beds which offer both softness and support.
Pressure Point Relief
As a side sleeper, pressure point relief is crucial to healthy rest. Your shoulder, hips and outer knee/foot have concentrated points of contact with the mattress and you need a mattress with sufficient cushioning and support for these areas – typically this means opting for a softer mattress.
Soft mattresses provide the ideal balance between body contouring and cushioning, typically featuring springy surfaces that adapt well to your shape while minimising pressure build-up. They’re great options for lightweight individuals as well as side sleepers.
Back and stomach sleepers require a firmer surface in order to maintain spinal alignment, support their lumbar region and avoid lower back pain and stiffness. Individuals over 230 pounds often prefer firmer mattresses as their pressure puts more strain on the sleep surface and require greater pushback against sinkage of their mattress causing arching in their spines.
Most individuals find that medium firmness mattresses provide optimal support. This range, which falls between 5-6 on the firmness scale, meets most sleepers’ requirements and ensures restful night’s rest.
Medium-firm mattresses provide just enough lift to prevent spinal misalignment while giving hips and lumbar regions support. Heavier individuals may find firmer mattresses more accommodating; it’s important to consider both your weight as well as that of any sleeping partners when selecting such a mattress type.
Memory foam mattress pads can be an ideal choice for most individuals as they contour closely to your shape and give the impression of being enveloped by the bed. Unfortunately, however, memory foam can sometimes create temporary pressure points as you shift positions on it; to address this, use a pillow or mattress topper that adds extra cushioning between yourself and the mattress surface to alleviate these points of tension.
Latex provides excellent pressure point relief due to its elastic and resilient qualities. Produced from rubber tree sap, latex can either be produced synthetically using petrochemicals or naturally using Talalay or Dunlop latex. Though slightly springier than memory foam and not as closely contouring to your body shape, latex still offers great pressure point relief and conforms well.
Spinal Alignment
Spinal alignment is vital to overall health, so it is crucial that you sleep on a mattress that supports its natural curves. Sleeping on too soft of a surface could cause your spine to overarch, leading to lower back pain and other complications.
Firm mattresses tend to be the better choice for heavier people because they provide greater support, helping prevent your spine from collapsing under its weight. Unfortunately, many people misunderstand the difference between firmness and support as both terms are often used interchangeably when discussing how a mattress feels when laid upon; firmness refers to how the sleep surface feels while support measures its ability to promote spinal alignment for all sleeping positions and body types.
Lighter individuals typically enjoy sleeping on plush mattresses without experiencing pressure point or spinal alignment issues, since their bodies don’t put as much strain on the mattress surface. A cushiony surface often provides enough support without placing an undue burden on shoulders and hips.
Heavier side sleepers typically prefer something firmer when sleeping on their side. Individuals weighing over 130 pounds will likely require additional support in their mattress to keep their spine at the appropriate curvature; otherwise, their spine could overarch causing discomfort and stiffness upon awakening.
Medium-firm mattresses tend to be the ideal choice for most side sleepers as they provide enough lift to maintain an ideal spinal alignment while still offering plenty of body contouring comfort and pressure point relief. Medium-firm mattresses may also help stomach sleepers avoid arching that occurs with soft mattresses – ultimately your spine should feature both lordotic curves in its cervical and lumbar regions as well as kyphotic ones in its thoracic and sacrum regions for optimal support and posture.
Body Contouring
Sleeping on your side can help reduce acid reflux, prevent back and neck pain, and alleviate symptoms of snoring and sleep apnea. Unfortunately, sleeping this way may put additional pressure on hips and shoulders if your mattress doesn’t conform to your body shape.
Plush mattresses mold to your body, relieving pressure and helping maintain an ideal posture. A body pillow provides support and cushioning for hips and legs while simultaneously maintaining neutral alignment of the spine.
Soft body pillows can help relieve neck strain while keeping the spine aligned, so selecting one with enough loft to prevent your head from sinking down into your mattress is crucial. Coop Original Body Pillow’s breathable, soft fill is available in different sizes that can be easily adjusted according to individual proportions and is an ideal example.
If you are a combination sleeper, it is recommended to test both firm and plush mattresses before making a decision about which to buy. Begin by sleeping on each for 10-15 minutes at a time to identify areas of discomfort or numbness – then note if any feature or material makes them more comfortable in those spots.
At times, it may be best to disregard mattress firmness labels altogether and instead opt for what feels most comfortable for you. While mattress type and its firmness level will have some bearing on this, other factors including body weight, sleep position and health conditions also influence comfort levels.
Light sleepers typically prefer plush beds as their weight doesn’t force them down into the mattress as far. Also, those suffering from joint or muscle pain will likely find plush beds more relaxing as soft surfaces provide more compression relief than firm ones. Overall, matching your sleeping style to the right type and firmness level mattress is key to improving wellness overall and avoiding nightly aches and pains that could disrupt restful slumber. If unsure which mattress type may best meet your needs, make an appointment with your chiropractor so they can discuss all possible solutions available to you.
Temperature
A mattress’s comfort level depends on more than just its firmness; different sleepers have unique requirements in terms of body support and spinal alignment, with firmness often depending on its construction materials such as memory foam, latex or innerspring coils.
Mattresses featuring memory foam or latex layers tend to be soft, while mattresses with innerspring coils or other more substantial materials tend to feel firmer. Sleep position can also have an impact on mattress firmness – side sleepers typically needing a softer bed in order to reduce pressure on shoulders and hips.
As a rule, lightweight sleepers (under 130 pounds) usually benefit from more luxurious beds. Since these individuals typically exert minimal pressure onto the mattress surface while sleeping, firm mattresses may actually cause discomfort from lack of cushioning or contouring features. Plush mattresses feature enough compression to mold to the sleeper’s curves while offering support to shoulders, hips, and spine alignment for an ideal experience.
Heavy sleepers benefit most from medium-firm beds. Since these individuals exert more pressure when sleeping on their surfaces, a firm mattress could actually cause back pain or spinal misalignment if too rigid. A medium-firm mattress provides sufficient body support while offering enough cushioning and contouring features to ease pressure points and alleviate discomfort.
Firmness does affect how a mattress feels, but sleepers should recognize that overall quality is of greater concern. A high-quality bed should last seven to ten years depending on its components and materials, which are key elements.
Simply put, there is no definitive answer as to which mattress would be more comfortable for side sleepers – both options can provide optimal support based on individual sleeping positions and body weight requirements.
