Mattress Firmness Guide - Which Firmness Is Right For Me?

Mattress firmness refers to the cushioning of the mattress, which is one of the most important factors to consider before deciding to buy a new bed. Firmness affects the initial feeling of the bed and the amount of pressure relief it provides.

Everyone's sleeping needs and habits are different. What kind of mattress firmness is suitable for you? This article will help you understand mattress firmness and how to find the right mattress firmness.

Your guide to mattress firmness

Because the human body is a curve, it needs appropriate support when lying down, so an elastic mattress is very important to the comfort level of the human body and the quality of sleep.

According to the relationship between weight and mattresses firmness, mattresses are divided into three categories:

Firm：

The main feature of firm series mattresses is they don't sink like softer mattresses. Depending on weight, some firm mattresses may only provide very little sinking, which means that they tend to sleep well and truly in bed rather than being wrapped up and held on to the mattress.

In the case of people over 200 pounds, larger sleepers usually need a firmer sleeping surface to support their bodies and prevent the bed from touching the bottom.

Similarly, back and belly sleepers need a firm bed to prevent their lower back and spine from sinking and misalignment. This kind of mattress is needed by spinal patients and people with special hobbies. This kind of mattress is made of environmental protection material with the same hardness. 

In addition, it applies to immature children and adolescents, as well as the elderly who are prone to spinal injury.

To protect the spine, the main material of the mattress is generally hard latex or other materials, and the inner core spring is hard. When in use, a thick mattress is paved on it.

Medium：

Internationally recommended mattresses, this balance has a wide range of appeal. Medium firmness mattresses are usually most suitable for people with an average weight range of about 140-230 pounds, which can ensure that the natural curves of the neck, back, waist, hip, and legs fit well.

The main materials of the mattress are hard sponge, latex, 3D materials, etc., and the inner core spring is moderately soft and hard. This is the range usually suitable for most people's preferences. Mattresses with medium firmness characteristics usually provide a good balance between comfort and support.

Soft：

A little softer than medium type. Taking women under 100 pounds as an example, it can ensure that the natural curves of the neck, back, waist, hip, and legs are closely matched. 

The main material of the mattress is generally sponge and soft latex, and the inner core spring is soft. Softer beds are more suitable for lightweight people because they provide sufficient support for this weight range, but there may be no one else in bed.

Heavier people may sink too deep and "touch the bottom" on a very soft mattress - they usually just don't have enough support.

How to choose a suitable mattress

Generally speaking, the body will sink when sleeping on too soft mattresses since they lack sufficient support. If you sleep for a long time, it is easy to cause spinal bending, lumbar injury, and so on. 

Choose a medium-firm mattress

A mattress that is too hard does not fit the body well enough, and some parts of the body are under too much force, but the waist, shoulders, neck, and other parts are in a suspended state so that the muscles cannot be effectively relaxed, and sleeping for a long time will easily lead to spinal deformation.

Therefore, a medium-firm mattress is preferred. It has a certain hardness, which can give sufficient support to all parts of the body, and a certain softness to ensure a comfortable sleep.

There is a simple way to measure whether the soft and firm mattress is suitable for you.

Lie on your back and stretch your hand to the three obvious bending places of the neck, waist, buttocks, and thighs to see if there is any gap; Then turn over to one side and try the same method to see if there is a gap between the concave part of the body curve and the mattress. If not, that is the mattress you want to find.

Choose by sleep posture & weight

However, choosing the right hardness mainly depends on your sleep posture, weight, and personal preferences.

Heavier people should choose firm mattresses, while lighter people should choose soft mattresses. People who are used to lying on their sides should choose soft mattresses to keep their spine horizontal. The medium mattress is suitable for side sleepers and petite adults. 

People who are used to lying on their backs should choose a firm mattress to avoid squeezing their bodies on the mattress. People who are used to lying on their backs can choose a mattress with greater hardness, which can provide strong support for their back and neck. By the way, the medium-firm is the best mattress for couples with different body sizes and sleep positions.

Benefits of a firm mattress

Mainly to reduce the pressure on the intervertebral disc due to weight-bearing and body weight.

In daily life and work, many people are prone to incorrect sleeping postures, sitting postures, and other phenomena. If they go on for a long time, their waist will appear strange.

For people with low back pain, sleeping on a hard mattress can reduce the pressure on the intervertebral disc, while sleeping on a soft mattress is not only ineffective but also aggravates the disease.

Sleeping on a hard mattress can well maintain a person's physiological bending posture, which is beneficial to relieve the spasm of the lumbar muscles and ligaments, promote the absorption of inflammation and exudation, reduce the degree of compression of the nerve root, and relieve the symptoms.

For old people

For different groups of people, it is recommended to choose according to their situation and actual needs. The elderly sleeping on a hard mattress can improve the function of the lumbar joints, enhance the stability of the lumbar intervertebral, and avoid the problems of low back and leg pain.

For children

The blood circulation function of the elderly will continue to decline. In addition to daily exercise and diet to promote blood circulation, the use of hard mattresses can also help the blood circulation of the elderly and achieve a state of falling asleep quickly. Turning over will not affect their sleep.

Children are prone to many problems in the process of growth and development, and hunchbacks are one of them. For developing children, the spine has not been completely shaped, due to incorrect sitting posture, it is easy to bend the cervical spine, which eventually leads to the phenomenon of hunchback. Therefore, it is necessary to sleep on a hard mattress to correct the spine, to avoid the hunchback of the child.

Conclusion

It is wise to choose a mattress according to your weight, habits, and preferences. Choosing the right mattress can make life much easier than you expect.

Choose Newentor Mattress that is designed with flexible layers to have three levels of firmness combined in one mattress.

Above all else, we wish you a pleasant day and a good night sleep!