If you find yourself tossing and turning all night, unable to get comfortable enough to drift off into a peaceful slumber, it might be time to assess your mattress situation. An overly soft, sagging mattress that lacks adequate support could be the culprit behind your restless nights. Plush, pillow-top mattresses feel heavenly at first when you sit or lie down. You slowly sink into the soft cushioning, eliciting an “ah” feeling as the material contours perfectly around your body.
This sensation is deceiving, however. What feels comfortable initially while lounging can cause alignment issues and pressure points once you try sleeping on a bed that’s too soft night after night? This sagging causes your heavier midsection to dip down into the mattress, while your lighter shoulders and legs rest higher up on more solid planes. This imbalance leads to misalignment of your neck, spine, and hips. In essence, different parts of your body are angled in ways contrary to their natural alignment when lying on an ultra-plush mattress.
Relieving key pressure points
A supportive firm mattress helps keep your spine, joints, and muscles properly aligned to alleviate compression, irritation, and strain at critical pressure points. This facilitates faster muscle recovery while decreasing next-day aches.
Shoulders- Side sleeping without enough surface reinforcement allows the shoulder to dip down compared to the torso and hips. This twists the upper spine and strains the shoulder joint. Firmer reinforcement keeps the shoulders lifted evenly to relieve discomfort.
Lower back- Stomach sleeping sinks the midsection into an overly soft mattress, hyperextending the lumbar spine upward. It pulls on muscles and compresses discs. A best firm mattress surface keeps the lower back comfortably floating.
Hips– Side sleepers need cushioning for the hips to prevent uneven twisting of the pelvis and strain on the hip joint. A firm mattress gives just enough contouring to fill this curve without sagging.
Neck-The head sinking too far back into the mattress flexes the neck awkwardly whether you’re a side or back sleeper. Proper lift from a firmer surface holds the neck in better alignment with the rest of the spine.
A look at leading firm mattress brands
Industry leaders and competitive start up bed-in-a-box companies now offer an array of firm mattress models to accommodate sleepers needing proper spinal reinforcement. Take a look at these top-rated picks across various material constructions and price points:
- Helix nightfall
Featuring a medium-firm feel, the Helix Nightfall hybrid contains wrapped coils topped with pressure-relieving memory foam for minimized motion transfer. Popular for couples, thanks to the elimination of sleep disturbances when a partner moves.
- Nectar premier copper
Infusions of copper gel keep the Nectar Premier Copper’s five-layer memory foam construction sleeping coolly. A medium-firm profile gives side sleepers contouring comfort at shoulders and hips with ample midsection support.
- Avocado green mattress
Sustainability defines the GOLS organic certified latex foam and pocketed coil structure of Avocado’s eco-friendly mattress. The gently firm surface strikes a balance suitable for side, back, and combo sleepers.
- Amerisleep as2
Bio-Pur plant-based memory foam gives the Amerisleep AS2 an open-cell design for increased breathability as you sleep. HIVE technology zones this firm mattress for lumbar support and pressure relief at heavier zones.
- Casper wave hybrid
Softer foam around the shoulders and firmer foam at the hips and core make the Casper Wave Hybrid ideal for side sleepers through targeted relief design. Resilient springs pair with velvety-soft cushioning foams.
