Mattresses are one of the major aspects of our lives. For most people, firmness is a very important factor they consider when shopping for a new mattress.
Many people misunderstand why foams are considered to be firm or soft. They believe that density is what makes foams firm or soft. But in reality, the firmness of foam mattresses is determined by their Indentation Load Deflection (ILD) rating. ILD (which is a property found in all foam mattresses) is a measure of the hardness of foams.
ILD numbers range between 24 and 31 for conventional foam mattresses. This is when they are considered to be supporting and firm (medium firm).
The firmness of a mattress is of optimal importance when choosing a mattress. Whether you’re shopping online or in stores, here are 5 major reasons why you should buy a firm mattress.
Table of Contents
1. Absence of body movement transfer
Firm mattresses are designed to minimize the transfer of your partner’s movement to you while you’re both on the mattress. You still get a sound and peaceful sleep even if your partner gets in and out of the bed countless times.
This feature is as a result of the pocketed coils that are used in firm mattresses. The coils (also known as Marshall coils) help to reduce the sensation of movement on the bed. They are mostly found in high-end mattresses because they are expensive to construct.
2. Pressure & pain relief
Another important reason why you should buy a firm mattress is that it helps to reduce the pressure on your circulation system. This also allows blood to flow easily through your system.
A firm mattress also enables you to inhale more oxygen while you sleep by preventing your lower back from collapsing. It is designed in such a way that it effectively distributes pressure across your body to enable circulation. This helps to reduce the movement of your body and increase your sleep quality.
The firmness of a mattress is an important factor to be considered by back pain sufferers. A firm mattress will balance on the sleeping surface, unlike the soft one that sinks and provides contours that can cause or worsen back pain. A reasonably firm mattress doesn’t cause pain on your body. In fact, it reduces the pain you may already feel.
3. Spine alignment
A firm mattress facilitates a neutral spine position that helps to keep your body straighter. It is designed to conform to the natural curves of your spine and to keep your spine in alignment when you sleep. This is a feature you don’t get in soft mattresses.
A soft mattress does not distribute your weight properly, and this can result in misalignment of your joints. You may want to avoid misalignment because it is not something that can be easily reversed. A firm mattress will give you proper alignment.
4. Support
One of the factors that make a mattress great is support. This is especially important for older people or people with chronic or joint pain. Some firm mattresses particularly provide great support for the lumbar region in all sleeping positions. A typical firm mattress gives you the maximum support you need to get a quality sleep.
It supports the use of body pillows and pillows between the knees to allow for more comfort. It also provides you with the support that prevents you from tossing and turning around from one place to another on the bed. You’d experience a superior level of comfort than you imagine.
5. Versatility
If for whatever reason, you change your mind or begin to find a firm mattress uncomfortable, you can change it to a soft mattress or make it cushier by using a gel topper. This way, you get the comfort you desire just like sleeping on a soft mattress. It is easy to make a firm mattress soft but it is almost impossible to make a soft mattress firm.
Firm mattresses provide enough support at the edge. You can sit comfortably on them while using your laptop without sinking.
Wrapping it up
The firmness of a mattress is not the only factor that indicates the quality of that mattress. It is one of the numerous indicators of quality that has to be considered alongside thickness, resin quality, foam core properties, density, type of cell structure, temperature-sensitivity.
When you’re set to get a new mattress, you may want to get a firm mattress except if your doctor advises otherwise. Even if you buy a firm mattress and it feels too hard for you, the good news is that the body can adapt to sleeping on a hard mattress and begin to find it comfortable over time.