It’s one of the first questions you’ll need to consider when shopping for a new bed: how soft or firm do you want it to be? While your answer mostly depends on personal preference, there is some research-backed advice you should consider when it comes to finding the right firmness level, especially if you experience back pain or you find yourself waking up stiff most mornings.
No two mattress companies have the exact same definition of “firm,” and everyone’s experience of what’s comfortable is different. That’s why we have a special methodology for rating the firmness of mattresses when we test them, taking into account the company’s scale and how the bed feels on different body types.
In this article, we outline what you’ll typically see in one of our mattress reviews, and what you’ll find when shopping around for a new bed. We also looked to research on how mattress firmness affects back pain, consulted with a sleep medicine expert for advice on who needs a firmer mattress, and included more factors to consider before you spend your hard-earned money on a new bed.
What are mattress firmness levels?
In the US, there is no industry-standard, 100% objective scale for mattress firmness. How firm or soft something feels ultimately depends on factors like your body type and sleeping position. Brands will also sometimes use words like “plush” to describe softness, for example, or “luxury firm” to describe a mattress that’s somewhere between soft and firm.
