Mattress ‘Feel’ 101: Getting The Right Level Of Firmness

How do you tell if your mattress is too firm or too soft? And how can you tell if you need a firmer or softer mattress without spending a lot of money on something that might not be right for you? 

The best way to tell if your mattress is too soft or too firm is to try other mattresses and compare your results. Be sure to consult the mattress firmness scale to figure out what level of firmness or softness you ought to be looking for, and figure out your preferred sleeping position as well. All of this will help you determine whether you need a softer or firmer mattress.

We'll go into more detail on how to figure out what kind of mattress is best for you. Stay comfortable and get a good night's sleep!

Purple offers a variety of mattresses from more firm to softer. Purples Gelflex Grid is firm enough to support you. While providing the comfort you need. 

How Do You Know The Firmness Of A Mattress?

Most people assume that mattresses only have two “feels”: firm and soft. In reality, most mattress brands refer to a 10-point scale to determine the firmness (or softness) level of a mattress. 

Here’s the guide we follow at Purple:

• 1 to 2 - Extra soft: Super soft and plushy, these are the least supportive mattresses you can find. Sleeping on an extra soft mattress will make most people feel like they’re sinking into the bed.
• 3 to 4 - Soft: These days, most soft mattresses are made of memory foam, which hugs your body and lets you gently sink into the foam while providing some back support.
• 5 - Medium-firm: Considered the “Goldilocks” of mattress feels, this option provides both support and comfort to combination sleepers. 
• 6 to 7 - Firm: At this level of firmness, you get the feeling that you’re sleeping “on” the mattress rather than “in” it. Firm mattresses have very little give and are often quite bouncy, too. 
• 8 to 10 - Extra firm: This type of mattress is best suited to heavier sleepers who need something solid and firm to keep body pains at bay.

It should be noted that everyone has their own personal preferences when it comes to firmness – this boils down to factors like spine alignment and sleeping position. So, if you really want to know if a mattress’ firmness is right for you, it’s best to test a mattress out yourself. 

How To Determine The Right Mattress Firmness For You

Should you sink into your mattress or should you be sleeping firmly on top of it? To answer this question, you have to first figure out what kind of sleeper you are. Your sleeping position and body weight will help determine what level of firmness to consider.

Back Sleepers

Sleeping on your back is considered the ideal sleeping position as it keeps your spine in its natural alignment. In fact, it’s probably the closest you’ll get to achieving perfect posture in your sleep. 

That said, you’ll want to make sure your midsection doesn’t sag too low into your bed – this eventually puts pressure on your lower back and leads to pain the next day. The solution? A medium-firm to firm mattress that keeps your lower back from rounding. 

Side Sleepers

Side sleepers tend to put a lot of pressure on their shoulders and hips. Thus, they should invest in a mattress that can cradle the body and relieve pressure from these spots. Plushier mattresses that let sleepers sink into the bed can help with all this. Most side sleepers do well with soft to medium-firm mattresses.

Stomach Sleepers

Stomach sleepers are those who lie flat on their chest and stomach. This can lead to sore ribs and a misaligned spine, especially if the sleeper uses a mattress that offers little to no support. As such, the best type of mattress for stomach sleepers is a firm to extra-firm mattress. 

Body Weight

Sleeping position aside, another major factor to consider when shopping for mattresses is your weight. Lightweight sleepers often prefer softer beds, as they tend to find firm mattresses too stiff and uncomfortable for their liking. On the other hand, heavier sleepers will want to shop towards the firmer side, as softer mattresses may not be able to provide these sleepers with enough back and hip support. 

How Do I Know If My Bed Is Too Firm?

Again, firmness and softness are still quite subjective. One person’s idea of a solid, supportive bed could feel like sleeping on pins and needles for another. 

So, how do you tell if your bed is too soft or too firm? The simplest answer is to try out a mattress and listen to your body. Observe what kind of pain and discomfort you feel and in which areas. 

Here are some tell-tale signs of a mattress that is way too firm:

You Wake Up With Back, Hip, Shoulder, And/Or Neck Pain

If you feel pain or discomfort at these pressure points, it’s likely that your mattress is too firm for you. Stiffness in your joints – especially your knees and shoulders – is a good sign you’re in dire need of a softer bed.

You Experience Numbness And Tingling In Your Arms

If you ever wake up to find your arm dead or tingling with pins and needles, then maybe it’s time to get a softer bed. Numbness and tingling could be a sign that your mattress isn’t contouring enough to your body to alleviate the pressure from the parts of your body (like your arms and shoulders) that hit the mattress the most. 

You Keep Tossing And Turning At Night

Can’t settle into a comfortable sleeping position? Find yourself waking up in the middle of the night to find a good “spot”? This could be a sign that your bed is too stiff for you to doze off on.

How Do I Know If My Bed Is Too Soft?

What happens if your mattress is too soft? Here are some of the most common issues people face when their mattress is too soft:

You Suffer From A Sore Lower Back

A too-soft mattress won’t support your lower back enough to keep your spine in its correct alignment. When your lower back sinks way lower than it should as you sleep, you could end up with major back pain and stiffness the next day.

You Struggle To Get In And Out Of Bed

Does it feel like you can’t pull yourself out of your bed because you’ve sunk in too deep? Is getting out of bed in the morning an awkward and clumsy struggle? This is a surefire sign that your mattress is way too soft for you.

You Get Night Sweats

Soft mattresses are meant to conform to the shape of your body and cradle you as you sleep. However, when a mattress is too soft, it can make you feel like your bed is swallowing you whole. On top of this, too-soft mattresses can end up trapping body heat, increasing your temperature at night and causing you to sweat excessively in your sleep. 

The Bottom Line

So, how do you tell if your mattress is too firm or too soft? You have to find your preference – not too hard, not too soft, but just right. It may take a little bit of experimentation to figure out what feels best for you, but it’s worth it to get a good night’s sleep. 

FAQs About A Mattress Being Too Firm Or Too Soft

How do you tell if your bed is too soft or too firm?

The best way to tell if your mattress is too soft or too firm is to try other mattresses and compare your results. Be sure to consult the mattress firmness scale to figure out what level of firmness or softness you ought to be looking for, and figure out your preferred sleeping position as well. All of this will help you determine whether you need a softer or firmer mattress.

Do new mattresses get softer?

Yes, to some extent, new mattresses do get softer. The mattresses you try out in stores are already broken in. Your new mattress, however, will have come fresh from the factory. 

For most people, it takes a few days to break in a new mattress. However, if a new mattress feels way too firm for your liking, you can always swap it out for a softer one.

What affects a mattress’ firmness?

A mattress’ firmness comes down to its materials. Most polyfoam and memory foam mattresses will be on the softer side, while innerspring mattresses are on the firmer and bouncier side. Hybrid mattresses offer the best of both worlds and provide sleepers with a supportive yet cushiony mattress.