The Science of Comfort: The Mattress Firmness Scale

Your mattress firmness plays a crucial role in how you feel every morning because of the mattress firmness rating. This will determine whether your mattress is kitten soft or hard as a tortoiseshell.  

Your sleep comfort and sleep health are important factors to keep in mind when mattress shopping but the firmness of mattresses is a personal preference. The decision can be even more challenging when you’re sharing the bed with your partner, so you have two sleep styles to consider.  

Mattress comparison charts can give you some indication of what to expect from the mattress comfort level but we will go into more detail here in our mattress firmness guide.  

Your mattress size and mattress firmness ratings work together to provide you with optimal sleep health and comfort

Types of Mattress Firmness and What They Mean for You

Your mattress size and mattress firmness ratings work together to provide you with optimal sleep health and comfort. On the mattress softness scale, a pressure relieving mattress ought to provide all the comfort you need as it cradles your body in a supportive hug, easing aches, pains, and tensions.

Some people enjoy a firm feeling mattress while others prefer a soft and fluffy feel. The majority of adults prefer between a 5-7 or medium firmness on the mattress firmness scale.  

As long as you choose a pressure relieving mattress made of high quality materials, soft or firm ought to bring comforting sleep.      

Firmness Vs. Support

It’s easy to confuse mattress firmness and support, thinking they’re the same thing. However, a supportive mattress will keep your spine aligned, align the hips, and ensure each muscle is gently supported. Whereas mattress firmness equates to the initial feeling of laying on the mattress. 

You don’t need to sleep on a hard mattress to gain pressure relief, mattresses made of modern materials and built using progressive sleep engineering techniques can feel soft but push back in all the right places  

Mattress Firmness Guide

Mattress Firmness for Different Types of Pain 

If you’re dealing with any kind of back pain, shoulder pain, or neck pain. A pressure relieving mattress is ideal because it will cradle your sensitive pressure points. A firm mattress that feels too hard may feel uncomfortable as it pushes back against your muscles. A super-soft mattress may feel unsupportive and exacerbate symptoms. 

Mattress Firmness for Your Weight

If you weigh 130-230 pounds a medium-firm mattress in the 4-6 mattress firmness chart could be beneficial to your sleep health. This mattress firm scale could provide adequate pushback and a firm yet comfortable sleep. A pressure relieving mattress made of high quality modern materials ought to support any weight and bring restful sleep comfort every night.      

Mattress Firmness for Side Sleepers  

Side sleepers require a unique and modern sleep solution because the vulnerable hips and shoulders are most sensitive in this sleep position. As the hips and shoulders sink into the mattress, a firm mattress may give uncomfortable push back. A pressure relieving mattress will top the mattress comfort scale because it’s made with these particular needs in mind.  

Mattress Firmness for Back Sleepers 

The mattress firmness rating for back sleepers will depend on its ability to provide adequate support to the lower back area because this is the most sensitive area for back sleepers. You’ll need to ensure you’re resting your head on a quality pillow to help align the spine. Memory foam mattress firmness could be considered too firm for back sleepers. 

Mattress Firmness for Stomach Sleepers 

The mattress firmness levels for stomach sleepers must be pressure relieving for the sensitive lower back region. Memory foam mattress firmness may be too sinking for stomach sleepers as a firmer feel is needed to align the spine better. When it comes to firm vs medium mattress for stomach sleepers, a medium pressure relieving mattress could prove ideal.  

a pressure relieving mattress will top the mattress firmness comparison charts

Tips on Choosing the Right Mattress for You 

The different types of mattresses firmness equate to how the mattress feels when you lay on it. When looking at memory foam mattress firmness chart you may see hybrid mattresses as more firm than traditional memory foam mattresses because of the base layer of coil spring that lends a different feel.  However, memory foam mattress firmness doesn’t always mean soft. 

• firm vs medium mattress, some people believe a firm mattress is needed if suffering from back pain but this is a fallacy, for most adults a medium mattress provides the perfect level of comfort
• plush vs firm mattress, some consider plush mattresses to be like sleeping on an enveloping cloud, while sleeping on a soft mattress can bring sleep comfort for a short while, the pressure relief of a plush or firm mattress is what is required for long lasting sleep health and comfort  
• firm vs soft mattress, the feel of your mattress ought to bring total relaxation and comfort but a mattress that supports every muscle without the pushback or making you feel like you’re in quicksand is what to look out for 

Conclusion 

Mattress comfort levels are a personal preference but pressure relief is universal. Therefore, a pressure relieving mattress will top the mattress firmness comparison charts. Fundamentally it's how you feel on the mattress that counts. 

If you’re waking up with aches and pains, especially in your lower back, the types of mattress firmness you need could be medium firm. A pressure relieving mattress ought to gently cradle your body while offering superior support so your spine is perfectly aligned. 

A Pressure Relieving Mattress That Tops the Comfort Scale