How firm do you like your mattress ?

We’re asking you how hard or firm you like your mattress to be? Aka Mattress Firmness Scale. This scale can be a tricky question for many, and we are here to help. 

What is the Mattress Firmness Scale?

The scale runs from 1 to 10 and covers the three major mattress firmnesses: soft, medium, and firm. So one would be the softest mattress in the world (like a marshmallow), and ten would be the firmest (like a rock). Usually, a score of 6.5/10 is widely purchased or regarded as the industry standard for medium firmness.

Everyone experiences the firmness of a mattress very differently, or simply put; it’s all very subjective. Your body, shape, size, how you feel, e.t.c, are some of the few factors that need to be considered. So we’ve put together a comprehensive list of factors that will help you make the right choice. 

The Feel Factor

The feel factor means the initial feeling you get when you’re lying on it. 

• Are you sinking into the mattress?
• Does it push back or feel stiff? Or are you resting right on top of it? 
• Does it contour or cushion your body? 

These are some essential questions you need to ask yourself when deciding the proper firmness level for your bed.

Weight

Weight is one of the most critical factors. Heavier people prefer a thicker or firmer mattress that can take their weight. Otherwise, they will sink in. In ‘fancier’ words, they need a mattress that provides plenty of foam layers to press into for deep compression support.

Lighter people have the exact opposite need. Less weight means less pressure on a mattress, and this means that they tend to stay up and don’t sink into the layers of the support core. Many lighter sleepers do much better with a softer mattress. Extremely light people (think 40 kilos or less) should buy a slightly softer mattress than what would typically be recommended. 

Back pain and other health issues

If you have problems with back pain, make sure to stay the hell away from mattresses that are too soft, as these may increase back pain problems due to lack of support. The industry recommendation is for medium-firm to firm mattresses to keep your spine aligned and supported correctly.

Side / Back / Stomach sleeper

When you sleep on your side, your shoulders and hips are the main body parts that come into contact with the mattress, and these areas could create pressure joint pain. Therefore we recommend getting a mattress that falls in the soft to medium-soft part of the mattress-firmness-scale spectrum.

Back sleepers spread out their weight as they sleep, meaning that back sleepers can find comfort on a wide range of mattress firmness levels. Medium-range firmness levels generally work well for them.

When people sleep on their stomachs, most pressure is on their pelvis and hips. A softer mattress can lead to a sharp curvature of their spine inwards (which is very bad for posture). So it’s safer to buy a firmer mattress that can keep your pelvis, hips, and spine in a healthy alignment.