The Best Firm Mattresses for Every Type of Sleeper, According to Experts

Ever feel like you’re slowly sinking into a pit in the middle of your mattress when you’re trying to fall asleep at night? If this scenario sounds familiar, it might be time to consider a firmer mattress.

Firm mattresses have more pushback than softer types, which can help relieve back pain and make you feel as if you are floating on top of the surface instead of sinking in. “A firm mattress helps support the spine's alignment, and therefore prevents people from sinking into positions that cause back or joint pain,” said Mike Calabrese, a licensed chiropractor in New York City. They also provide phenomenal support for back and stomach sleepers by evenly distributing weight and keeping one’s hips propped up

If the last firm mattress you slept on was an awful bunk from your childhood summer camp, you’ll be pleased to learn about the vast selection of firm mattresses available now that marry support and comfort. You can choose from luxury brands, eco-friendly beds, mattresses with special cooling technology, and more options that will get you excited for bedtime.  

But with an array of firm options available from mattress brands, how do you know which is right for you? Not to worry––the expert team at Mattress Advisor compiled a list of the 10 best firm mattresses for different types of sleepers. Scroll through the easy-to-follow guide, below, to find the option that best suits your individual needs and sleep style.

These are the 10 best firm mattresses on the market: 

• Best Firm Luxury Mattress: Saatva Classic 
• Best Extra Firm Mattress: Plank
• Best for Side Sleepers: Helix Dawn Luxe
• Best Firm Innerspring Mattress: WinkBed
• Best Firm Memory Foam Mattress: Cocoon Chill
• Best Firm Cooling Mattress: GhostBed
• Best for Athletes: Bear Hybrid
• Best for Couples: Layla Hybrid
• Best for Stomach Sleepers: Amerisleep AS1
• Best for Back Pain: Casper Wave Hybrid

Keep reading to learn more about the benefits of firm mattresses and what each of these has to offer. But first, here’s a quick overview of what mattress firmness actually means. 

Mattress firmness is subjective and varies from person to person; a mattress that feels firm to you may be too soft for someone else’s taste. For this reason, mattress companies came up with a firmness scale to rate how firm a mattress is compared to others on the market. This scale describes mattress firmness using a scoring system of 1 through 10, with 1 being the softest and 10 being the firmest. 

While most mattresses are considered medium or medium-firm, which typically puts them between a 5 and 7 on the scale, a firm mattress falls around 7 or 8. Understandably, the different textures each provide a different sleeping experience: A softer mattress cradles your body while a firm mattress feels like hovering on top of the bed rather than sinking into it. The experts at Mattress Advisor recommend going no further than an 8 on the firmness scale to achieve the right balance between support and comfort—a mattress that’s too firm may end up being uncomfortable.

A firm mattress provides more pushback to support the entire length of your body, which helps keep the natural curves of your spine in alignment and prevents you from sinking into a funky position that can leave you sore. Firm mattresses also aid in relieving back pain by maintaining a neutral spine position, alleviating any excess pressure placed on the lower or upper back.

Have you ever sunk so far into a mattress that you felt stuck? That won’t happen with a firm mattress—instead, it’ll keep your body elevated on the surface so you can move around (and get out of bed) easily. A lack of support can cause sagging in softer mattresses, but with firm beds, your weight is more evenly distributed, creating a smooth surface that props you up.

Firm mattresses provide superior support thanks to their sturdy feel. By helping to stabilize the body, thus keeping the spine from twisting into uncomfortable positions, they’re a great solution for those who frequently suffer from aches and pains. Plus, if you like to sprawl out across your mattress or sit on the edge of the bed to put your shoes on, you’ll benefit from the increased edge support of a firm mattress. It’ll prevent you from falling out of bed or sinking into the sides.

Since harder textures respond less to movement, a firm mattress will reduce the amount of motion transfer that makes its way over to your side of the bed—which is ideal if you sleep with a partner or pet and don’t want to wake up every time they stir throughout the night.

According to a 2009 study published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine, more than 80% of people will experience lower back pain at some point throughout their lives. If you are in this majority, a firmer mattress is a great choice for you. Studies have shown that the support of a medium-firm mattress can significantly improve sleep quality and stress levels, which can help reduce back pain.

Both back and stomach sleepers will benefit from a firmer mattress. Back sleepers need a mattress that keeps the spine in alignment with their natural curves while they are stretched out at night. Similarly, stomach sleepers need a mattress with enough support to prevent their stomach from sinking too far into the mattress and pulling the spine into an unnatural “u” shape. Since a firmer mattress supports the entire length of the body, it can help back and stomach sleepers enjoy nights of pain-free rest.

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