June 12, 2020

How to pick the right mattress for you

How to pick the right mattress for you

Choosing the right mattress is a tough but important decision, especially when you consider the fact that the average person spends about 26 years sleeping! 

There are a few things you should take into consideration to ensure that you make the right decision!

Mattress firmness is probably the most critical thing you need to consider when buying a new mattress.

This is a critical element in determining if you have a great night sleep or end up twisting and turning all night long. 😩

What exactly is mattress firmness?

Put simply mattress firmness is whether the bed is soft or hard. It's subjective and different sleepers will have a different feel.

To makes things easier we have developed a simple firmness scale which clearly shows you the difference between each mattress and who it is suitable for!

The ideal mattress firmness is one that provides enough softness to eliminate pressure points but still has great support. Usually, a firmness level in the 3-4 range (where 5 is the most firm) is appropriate for most people.

1. Soft - If you sleep on your side then a soft mattress is ideal for you. The reason for this, is that it lets your shoulder and hips sink into the mattress while supporting the rest of your body. 

2. Soft Medium - Again, this is ideally suited for those who sleep on their side. If this is you, but you prefer a more firm mattress to a softer one, choose medium support. 

3. Medium - Do you change position in your sleep? Do you find yourself rotating from your side to your back? Well then a medium/firm mattress may be your best option here. 

4. Firm - Ideal for those who sleep on their back or on their stomach. If you sleep in either of these positions then a firm mattress would offer you just the right amount of support. 

 5. Extra Firm - Extra firm mattresses offer a very firm level of support and can be good for back pain or for larger people who may not be fully supported by a soft or medium mattress. They are often referred to as an orthopedic mattress. 

 But why does this matter?

First of all the firmness of your new mattress will determine the comfort level you will experience while also providing the right support for you throughout the night.
When it comes down to it all in all the firmness of your mattress is the most important in determining how well you will sleep each night. 😴
If you are a side sleeper you will most likely need a mattress which is no firmer than a medium-firm. 
The reason is that side sleepers have a lot of contact with hips and shoulders, meaning that on a firm mattress are likely to end up with back and shoulder pain due to increased contact with pressure points.
For side sleepers, we'd recommend our The Latex Cloud or our Visco BIO Mattress for medium support.
If you are a back sleeper, on the other hand, you can range from medium to medium-firm and for those with lower back pain a firmer bed is recommended. 
As a back sleeper, you will naturally distribute weight across the body, which helps minimise pressure points.
For all of you back sleepers, we would recommend anything from The Athena to the Ortho Mattress depending on how firm you like your mattress.


One size fits all.. 

Generally speaking, about 70% of sleepers will prefer a bed which ranges between 3-4 on the firmness scale.
A medium firmness brought by your mattress will work for the majority of people.
Once the mattress offers the right support and is good quality.
For example, take our Latex Cloud. Which is ideal for most sleepers.As the name suggests is just like sleeping on a cloud.  ☁️
Firmness VS. Support 
 
With all of this talk about mattress firmness, we can't forget about mattress support which is in fact different.

The firmness of your mattress is the immediate feel when you sit or lie down on the mattress. The support refers to how to mattress keeps your spine in alignment.

As mentioned above this will come down to what kind of sleeper you tend to be (side or back).

If you are a side sleeper you may want to stir clear of a mattress that is too firm as you will have more pressure points in contact with the mattress as you sleep compared to that of a back sleeper.