Mattress Firmness Guide

How does the firmness of the mattress affect your sleep? As proven by studies, sleeping comfortably for 7-8 hours a day is crucial to stay healthy. Your body heals while you sleep: cytokines - the signaling molecules that mediate and regulate immunity are both produced and released by your body during sleep - and, ‘comfortable’ sleep is subject to quite a few factors out of which your mattress’ firmness is an important one.

What is ‘Mattress Firmness’ and why is it important?

‘Mattress Firmness’ is the initial feel your body experiences when you first lie down on a mattress. The feel could differ in each case. For instance, the mattress might immediately push back with a stiff sleeping surface or offer a cloud-like comfort with lots of cushion and immediately contour and hug sleepers. While with some mattresses, you might find a balanced level of push-back, hug, and contour. These ‘initial feels’ could be classified as different firmness levels i.e. very firm, soft and medium firm. Although, the classifications would vary in case to case basis since ‘firmness’ is subject to your specific comfort needs such as your age, gender, body type, weight and so on.

Now, a good mattress i.e. a mattress with firmness level that feels right to you is important to ensure the right support for your spine. Aside from personal preferences, spine health is crucial to consider when buying a mattress. Your spine has three slight curves which need to be supported even when you’re horizontal. A good mattress i.e. a mattress with the firmness that suits your body will hold your body in a neutral position: your spine will be positioned in its natural slight curve with your shoulders, buttocks, heels and head are aligned. It will support your spine health, relax muscles, encourage better sleep, and even improve posture.

What are the different Mattress Firmness Levels?

Before we talk about the different firmness levels of mattresses, it is important to note that the firmness is not just divided into categories, it’s also a spectrum.

Soft: A soft mattress is what can give you a feeling of sleeping on a cloud. The mattresses that land between 1 and 2 on the mattress firmness scales provide the least amount of support but offer a great deal of body contouring. This means the mattress will conform to your body and hug it the moment you lie down on it, for a comfortable sleeping experience. These mattresses are great for people who love sleeping on their sides or those who experience pain in their shoulders or hips while sleeping on a firmer mattress. We recommend our Smart Hybrid Spring mattress to feel the softness.

Medium Soft: Medium soft mattresses land in between 3 and 4 on the mattress firmness scale and are perfect for those who need something in between soft and firm. These mattresses are ideal for those who require a combination sleeping experience: a softer comfort layer for pressure-point relief but more core support than a regular soft mattress. Although, even medium soft mattresses aren’t ideal for those who seek high levels of spinal support. We recommend our memory foam raange of products, viz. the Zen Memory Foam Mattress to feel the medium soft feel and our Memory Foam Mattress topper.

Medium Firm: Medium firm mattresses provide an excellent balance of contouring comfort and support and land in between 5 and 7 on the mattress firmness scale. These mattresses work well for a range of body types and sleep positions, suitable for different types of sleepers. We recommend our Evolve Orthopaedic Mattress and the Ninjaback Orthopaedic Mattress for this medium firm feel. Further the LatexCore Support Mattress one side has a medium firm and one side the more firm side.

Firm: Firm mattresses are the ideal match for people who seek maximum levels of spinal support. When you sleep, you won't find yourself sinking in the mattress at all like a soft or medium-soft mattress. Falling between 7 to 10 on the mattress firmness scale, these mattresses provide the highest support core. Although, it might not be comfortable for people who like to sleep on their sides or combination sleepers who like a bit of cushioning on the sleeping surface. We recommend our LatexCore Support Mattress and our HR Latex mattress topper.

As evident from the blog, there's a lot to consider when it comes to buying a mattress online, including the firmness of your mattress. Though we hope the next time you shop for a LatexCore Support, Zen Memory Foam Mattress, Ninjaback Orthopaedic Mattress, Evolve Orthopaedic Mattress or Smart Hybrid Spring Mattress online in India, the aforementioned provides you with enough information to make an informed decision. In addition you have the option of 2 inches of mattress toppers in the HR Latex Mattress Topper and the Memory Foam Mattress Topper.