Finding the appropriate firmness of mattress for you is vital to experiencing restful slumber. When deciding on which firmness level to go with, take your desired sleeping position and body weight into consideration when making this determination.
Firmness is a key component in how well your mattress supports your natural spine alignment, sinkage and pressure relief.
Support
Though some might conflate firmness and support as one thing, these two characteristics should not be confused. Firmness refers to how soft or firm a mattress feels, while support measures its ability to keep spine in a neutral alignment – an often subtle yet significant distinction.
Firmness depends primarily on sleep position, weight and body type. Lightweight individuals may prefer softer mattresses while those of greater weight tend to need medium-firm or firmer options. Your sleeping position also plays a part in choosing your ideal firmness; side sleepers may require softer options than back or stomach sleepers while combo sleepers should aim to find one which accommodates both positions without difficulty.
At the core of most mattress types lies its comfort system and support core, two elements which largely determine how a mattress feels. This is because comfort layers are designed to cushion pressure points and contour, while support cores keep your spine aligned properly. Furthermore, construction techniques used and materials used will have an effect on how it feels: thinner layers with more malleable material may create a softer feeling while thicker layers with less malleable materials will produce firmer textures and make sleeping on them harder.
Height and weight also play an integral part in determining a mattress’s firmness; taller individuals tend to distribute their weight over a larger surface area than shorter individuals who weigh the same, leading them to sink further into their mattress than others of equal weight.
A popular mattress firmness option is 6 out of 10, considered a medium and balanced feel. This mattress type typically provides good support for most sleeping positions and should meet most sleeper expectations. For slightly firmer options, 7-out-of-10 mattresses provide additional pushback while still hugging and contouring to meet most individual sleepers needs.
Sinkage
Firmness and support are two different concepts when discussing mattresses. Firmness refers to how hard or soft a bed feels when lying on it; support measures whether a mattress can adequately support your natural body curves for healthy spinal alignment.
Mattress firmness is determined by its comfort system and core thickness. Thicker layers with more malleable materials tend to create a softer surface while thinner ones with less conforming properties tend to create firmer ones; however, core support plays a greater role than comfort system in providing support.
Mattress firmness can be measured using an Indentation Load Deflection (ILD) machine by measuring how much an indentation was created on a standard foam block using this method. A higher ILD rating indicates a firmer mattress while lower ratings indicate softer ones.
Most sleepers prefer a 6-out-of-10 mattress, which offers an all-around balanced feel with some hug and contour. This firmness level is generally best for back or stomach sleepers.
Soft mattresses tend to work best for lightweight side sleepers who weigh 130 pounds or less, as these beds tend to allow too much sink-in and compromise spinal alignment. Furthermore, plush materials in soft beds may trap heat and lead to overheating issues.
Heavier sleepers need a mattress that provides excellent support with ample pushback to prevent sinking and ensure proper spinal alignment. Selecting a firmer mattress may also offer pressure point relief as well as decrease joint stiffness.
Ultra-soft and super-firm mattresses often fail to offer adequate support, leading to poor posture and chronic backache. Their excessive sinkage makes the mattress too soft for spine alignment, leading to poor posture and possibly chronic pain. Furthermore, these types of mattresses often deteriorate quicker and become prematurely worn out; hence why these types are best reserved for children’s beds or pets who require soft comfort while resting.
Temperature
Finding the ideal mattress firmness is no simple task, since your sleeping position and any potential pain points or discomforts play a part. For instance, stomach sleepers generally require a firm surface in order to minimise spinal curvature and avoid pressure point pain in hips and shoulders; on the other hand, back sleepers generally opt for medium to firm mattresses which offer support without sinkage.
Materials used in mattresses also play a large role in its firmness and feel, with foam models often offering more forgiving support than spring or hybrid models due to their thick comfort systems designed to cushion pressure points and cradle the body. Foam mattresses may feel softer due to thick comfort systems made up of polyfoam, memory foam, or latex layers that cradle your body; thicker layers offer a softer touch, while thinner ones with less conforming properties offer firmer touches.
Temperature sensitivity can also play a part in mattress firmness. Firmer surfaces tend to offer better temperature regulation as they’re better at dissipating body heat while allowing airflow freely across their surface.
If you suffer from digestive issues or tend to overheat easily, medium to firm mattresses tend to be the ideal choice. They’ll keep the surface cooler while still allowing you to move around comfortably without becoming restricted in your movements.
Similarly, heavy people suffering from back pain may find that a medium to firm mattress is more suitable than soft options. Heavyweight individuals exert more pressure onto the surface of the mattress; thus requiring firmer feel in order to activate pressure-relieving layers that can prevent misalignments of spinal anatomy and ensure adequate spinal alignment.
Understanding your ideal firmness level can make selecting a mattress much less of a trial-and-error process. Most sleepers can agree that medium to medium-firm mattresses offer the perfect balance of support and contouring, making them suitable for most sleeping positions – light sleepers, side sleepers and back sleepers should test a range of mattresses until you find one which meets both their needs and preferences.
Pressure Relief
No matter your health issue, finding a mattress firmness that evenly disperses body weight can help relieve pressure spots. A firmer mattress may also help avoid sagging over time which could create uncomfortable pressure areas and may help alleviate them over time. Many sleepers prefer medium-firm or even firm mattresses which strike an effective balance between comfort and support to provide spinal alignment as well as pressure relief.
Feel of a mattress plays a critical role in its ability to alleviate pressure points, and can vary depending on its brand. Foam and hybrid models with thick comfort systems have proven especially adept at relieving pressure; foam tends to conform better to body contours while limiting sinkage. Latex materials offer further relief by dispersing weight over a larger surface area.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that firmness does not equal support. Even though some models advertise universal comfort features, this does not equate to universally supportive mattresses; medium and medium-firm feel mattresses tend to provide support for most individuals but may not relieve pressure points for heavy individuals.
Back sleepers account for 10-15% of all sleeping population and require a firmer mattress than other sleep positions. A soft mattress allows the spine to sag out of alignment, which may result in lower back pain. Therefore, back sleepers should aim for something in the 5-to-8 firmness range when selecting their mattress; pocketed coil or latex mattresses would make ideal choices.
Stomach sleepers comprise only around 16% of sleepers but still require mattresses with proper support. A mattress that is too soft may press against their stomachs and cause discomfort or even sag over time; firmer mattresses often provide proper spine alignment while alleviating pressure points in their hips.
Combination sleepers must locate a mattress that can support all their positions, from side to back sleeping. A medium-firm mattress typically provides the ideal balance of comfort and support across multiple sleeping positions. Combination sleepers may wish to try various firmness levels until they find one that meets all their needs.
