Firm vs. Medium Mattress – Your Ultimate Guide

So you’re looking for a new mattress. While you might have spent a lot of time researching materials, brands, and dimensions, another major factor you need to think about is firmness level. How much or little your mattress compresses under your weight will dictate its comfort level and how refreshed you feel after a night of sleeping on it. Getting your mattress firmness level wrong could even lead to pain in your back, hips, neck, or shoulders.

In order to keep your spine aligned while you sleep, a mattress has to both compress under the heavier portions of your body and rise to meet the lighter ones. However, different people require different firmness levels to achieve this effect. Let’s talk about two common mattress firmness levels and how to tell if you’ve found the right mattress firmness for you.

Firm vs Medium – What’s the Difference?

Firmness level is measured on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the softest and 10 the firmest. However, it’s almost impossible to find a mattress softer than a 3 or firmer than an 8—manufacturers just don’t make a lot of ultra-soft or ultra-firm mattresses because there’s not much of a market for them. That means a firm mattress falls somewhere around a 7 on the firmness scale and a medium comes in around a 5.

The scale goes like so:

• Soft is 3
• Medium-soft is 4
• Medium is 5
• Medium-firm is 6
• Firm is 7
• Extra-firm is 8

Firm Mattresses

Since firm mattresses come in around a 7 on the firmness scale, there won’t be much on the market firmer than they are. While you can get an extra-firm 8, these are not as popular of a choice because they’re basically like sleeping on a wooden table. Firm mattresses offer almost as much support as extra firms while still maintaining their ability to compress.

What They Feel Like

Firm mattresses maintain their shape without offering a lot of give. When you lie down on them, they might compress some, though if you’re on the smaller side, they might not compress at all. Firm mattresses lift you up and allow you to lie on top of the bed, rather than sinking into it. The lift provided by a firm mattress can be great for some sleepers, though it may be too much for others.

Who They’re Best For

Stomach Sleepers

If you sleep on your stomach, you’re a lot more likely to experience lower back pain than other types of sleepers. While stomach sleeping, your pelvis tends to sink into the mattress, and this creates an arch in your back and leads to strain in your lumbar region.

We recommend trying to train yourself to stop sleeping in this position since it is the unhealthiest of all sleep poses. However, if you can’t change your sleep position, the best mattresses for stomach sleepers are firm because they provide the lift you need to better maintain neutral alignment.

Heavier Sleepers

Sleep position is the single most important factor in deciding your firmness level, but bodyweight matters, too. If you’re over 230 pounds, you might feel that softer mattresses compress too much or feel too cradling.

In most cases, medium-firm mattresses work best for heavier individuals, rather than firm ones. However, you might want to consider a firm mattress if you’re a heavier back sleeper, and you definitely need a firm if you’re a heavier stomach sleeper.

Medium Mattresses

Coming in at a 5 on the firmness scale, medium mattresses allow for a lot more compression than their firm counterparts, offering a mix of cushion and resistance.

What They Feel Like

You can expect more give from a medium mattress. It’ll conform to your contours and compress much easier under the heavier parts of your body than a firm mattress, but it will still offer you more resistance than a soft bed.

When you lie down on a medium mattress, you should feel it compress under your body weight. But it should give a lot more under the heavier parts of your body, keeping the lighter parts, like your arms and legs, on top of the sleeping surface.

Who They’re Best For

Side Sleepers

If you sleep on your side, you’re going to need a lot of cushioning under your shoulder and hip joints so you don’t experience pain in those pressure points. In most cases, the best mattresses for side sleepers are medium because they offer enough pressure relief to prevent these issues whilst still supporting the lighter parts of your body and keeping your spine from getting out of whack.

Lighter Sleepers

If you’re a small person, you might find your body weight isn’t enough to sufficiently compress a firm mattress. Regardless of sleep position, the best beds for petite sleepers are soft to medium because they offer adequate compression and cushioning. If your bed feels like a board when you lie down on it, it’s too firm.

FAQs

What firmness do I need if I’m a back sleeper?

To keep the spine aligned, back sleepers tend to need more compression in the heavier region of their hips and buttocks and more support in the lumbar region. We suggest medium-firm mattresses for back sleepers because they provide enough support to fill in the gap in the lumbar region and enough softness to allow the pelvis to compress the bed, keeping the spine in alignment.

Do all mattress materials come in all firmness levels?

Usually, yes. Whether they’re memory foam, latex, innerspring, or hybrids, all mattresses are available in a range of firmness levels to accommodate different sleepers’ needs. The main thing impacted by a mattress’ material is the feel, not the firmness. For instance, memory foam mattresses will be a lot squishier and more flexible, while innersprings will be much bouncier and more responsive, but both mattress types will come in different firmness options.

How can I make my existing mattress softer or firmer?

There are a few things you can do to adjust the firmness of your existing mattress without buying a new one. One of the best ways to make a mattress firmer is by adding a firm mattress topper. Contrary to a lot of people’s belief that mattress toppers are only to soften a mattress, there are a lot of really good mattress topper options to add lift and firmness to your bed.

You can also try replacing your bed frame slats, sliding a bunky board between your bed base and mattress, flipping your mattress (if it can be flipped), or switching out your old box springs for a mattress foundation.

Regardless of whether you want to add firmness to your mattress, it might be a good idea to replace your box springs with a foundation anyway. The coils inside box springs lose their tension over time, leading to sagging in your mattress. Box springs also aren’t rigid enough to support heavier mattresses like memory foam and latex.

Is a soft mattress ever a good option?

Yes! Depending on your sleep style and body type, soft mattresses can be a wonderful option. For instance, if you’re a lightweight side sleeper who doesn’t get enough compression from a medium mattress to cushion your pressure points or if you prefer extra cradling while you sleep, soft mattresses might be up your alley. A mattress that comes in around 3 or 4 on the firmness scale may compress enough to give you the cradling you crave and help you avoid pain in your shoulders and hips.

Which mattress sleeps cooler, medium or firm?

Firm mattresses allow for more airflow and usually offer more cooling power than others. They let you sleep on top of the bed rather than conforming to your curves as closely as other mattresses. This lift helps keep more of your body exposed to the air, allowing you to sleep cooler.

If you are a hot sleeper, you can also purchase a cooling mattress with features designed to reduce night sweats and overheating.

How can I train myself to quit sleeping on my stomach?

Since sleeping on your stomach puts stress on your spine and can cause chronic discomfort, it’s a good idea to figure out a way to change your sleep style. The good news is there are several ways to make the switch to side or back sleeping.

Try using a cervical pillow or a full body pillow to support you in your new position and prevent you from rolling onto your belly during the night. Some people also sew tennis balls or other hard materials to the front of their pajamas to discourage themselves from turning over in their sleep.

Bottom Line

There’s a big difference between medium and firm mattresses—so much so it could be the difference between tossing and turning and a good night’s sleep. While your personal preference for softer or firmer mattresses is an important consideration, it’s vital to remember the main factor in deciding your firmness needs is your sleeping position.

Your sleep position dictates which parts of your body need more support and which need more cushioning. If you ignore your sleep style, you’re a lot more likely to wind up with the wrong mattress.