Mattress Firmness Guide

Understand firmness, support and how sleep position and body weight change perceived feel.

Firmness is the immediate resistance you feel at the surface; support is the mattress's ability to keep your body from collapsing into an unstable posture. They overlap, but they are not identical.

The 1–10 scale

Reviewers often use a 1–10 scale with higher numbers indicating firmer feel. It is subjective and useful mainly for relative comparison.

Side sleepers

Often need enough give at the shoulder and hip to avoid concentrated pressure.

Back sleepers

Often need moderate contouring with stable support under the pelvis and lumbar area.

Stomach sleepers

Often prefer a firmer surface that resists midsection sink.

Body weight

Heavier sleepers generally compress layers more deeply; lighter sleepers often experience the same mattress as firmer.