Let’s talk a little more about comfort and how that relates to the comfort descriptions with the mattresses you will be finding in the stores you visit. The three basic Comfort descriptions will be:

Soft. These utilize multiple layers of soft, supple materials to give you that ultra-soft feel that you sink into. 

Medium. These typically utilize much less soft material on top of the mattress, while maintaining a firmer support system with bit of cushioning, so that you don’t sink into the surface. 

Firm. These typically utilize very little soft material and incorporate denser, firmer materials and are the closest to a flat sleeping surface.

Keeping these three basic Comfort descriptions in mind, we will break into more comfort types marketed today. These mostly fit into the three descriptions above, but become a little more specialized.

Plush. These utilize a firm sleeping surface with soft layers to cushion without being ultra-soft.

Euro Top/Pillow Top. These utilize a separate layer of soft material on top of the support system of a mattress. Usually, Euro Top offers less of it, whereas a Pillow Top provides more. 

A firm bed should not be considered hard. It will still give slightly but very solid feeling without much give when pressed on. While conventional wisdom has always maintained a firm mattress for a person with a bad back, since it would appear to offer more support, this is not necessarily the case. Body shape, weight, and type, along with sleep habits and other health factors, all play a part in matching you with the ideal mattress. A back sleeper (one that sleeps on their back) may benefit from a firmer mattress. A Test Rest at one of our local mattress stores will help in determining this. 

As with a firm mattress, a soft mattress is often misunderstood. In general, soft mattresses utilize multiple layers of materials to build up the soft feel, which can be bad for a stomach or back sleeper since some spines may not get the support it needs. If you are a side sleeper, you could be an ideal candidate for a soft mattress.

When in doubt, start with a medium type mattress and see how it feels. Most manufacturers aim for the middle of comfort scales with these types, so you get support and a soft layer or two to tone down their firm mattress. You may find the best fit with a medium type mattress, which may also last longer than the other comfort types. 

But again, without a Test Rest and some assistance in understanding your needs, you could easily end up with the wrong mattress. Rest assured, at The Sleep Center, we will take the time to properly match you with the very best mattress for you and we will offer trial nights in your home as an added safeguard to ensure you are absolutely comfortable and completely happy with your new mattress.

Factoid – Sleep quality improves when you eliminate pressure points on your body.