Mattress Comfort Guide

Firm

• A mattress with the lowest comfort rating is one that's equivalent to sleeping on your living room floor. If you can sleep on your floor and wake up with no aches and pains, then a hard or firm mattress is ideal. Not much cushioning or quilting is available on a firm mattress, making it rather uncomfortable for most.

Plush

• Plush mattresses are for in-between sleepers, or sleepers with a partner who has a different comfort level. If you and your partner are at completely opposite ends of the comfort scale, then you can compromise with a plush mattress. Plush is a step above firm but isn't as soft as a pillow top mattress. Sleepers who are indecisive about whether they need more or less support should consider a plush mattress.

Pillow Top

• Pillow top mattresses provide the support you need but without excessive firmness. Pillow top mattresses are the softest mattresses available, and are comparable to water beds. If you have a firm or plush mattress, you can also gain the feeling of a pillow top model by adding a down feather mattress pad on top. Pillow top mattresses are usually made of foam, cotton or wool that lays loosely over the entire surface of the mattress.

Memory Foam

• Memory foam is the newest type of mattress and conforms to your body, so it tends to reduce pressure points. It's an extremely soft material and doesn't provide much support. Therefore, it's ideal to place memory foam over a supportive or firm mattress. Memory foam is manufactured either as a mattress topper or as a 2- to 3-inch mattress.