Mattress Firmness Guide

Innerspring Versus Foam

• Foam mattresses basically carry the same firmness classifications --- soft, medium-soft, medium-firm or firm --- as innerspring mattresses; however, there is a difference. Firmness levels of an innerspring mattress affect the body's pressure points, such as the hips, head, shoulders, knees and heels of your feet. Memory foam mattresses provide support to the lower back, legs and neck while contouring the body to relieve the pain of pressure points, unlike innerspring mattresses.

Side Sleepers

• People who sleep predominantly on their sides make less contact with the mattress than back sleepers. They need a softer mattress to support the spine but provide comfort to pressure points such as shoulders and hips. This extra softness supports the spine along the natural arch and aids in better weight distribution. Side sleepers need a firm core to the mattress with soft padding, such as a pillow-top.

Back and Stomach Sleepers

• A person who sleeps primarily on his stomach or back can generally withstand a mattress that registers more toward the firmer classifications. People who sleep on their back or stomach evenly distribute their weight better than side sleepers. The goal of a proper fit in a mattress is to keep the spine as straight when reclining as it would be when standing. A prone position on the back needs firmness to support the spine, with a small amount of softness to accommodate a slight natural arch.

Chronic Lower Back Pain

• A study done by a group of medical professionals for The Lancet published findings in regard to the appropriate mattress firmness to support persons with chronic low-back discomfort. Their study was conducted randomly, in a controlled, double-blind manner in multiple settings. Findings showed that persons sleeping on a medium-firm mattress awoke with less pain and had less discomfort during the day than those sleeping on a firm mattress. A medium-firm was determined to be the best overall firmness choice in a mattress.