Mattress firmness guide: plush to extra firm

Firmness is the first thing people ask about and the thing they most often get wrong. "Firm" does not mean better support, "plush" does not mean soft all the way through, and the number on a 1-to-10 scale means something slightly different at every brand. Here is how we explain it on the showroom floor.

The scale, in plain words

Most of the industry uses a 1-to-10 scale, where 1 is the softest and 10 is the hardest. Almost everything sold sits between 3 and 8. We group mattresses into six feels:

• Ultra plush (2 to 3). You sink in. Deep pillow top or thick foam layers.
• Plush (3 to 4). Soft on top with support underneath. The classic pillow top.
• Medium (5). Balanced. The feel many people pick when they try everything.
• Medium firm (6 to 7). A little push-back. A common choice for back sleepers.
• Firm (7 to 8). Little give on top. You lie on it, not in it.
• Ultra firm (9 to 10). Very little cushioning, for people who want a flat, hard surface.

Firmness is not support

Support is what keeps your spine straight. It comes from the coils or the dense foam at the bottom of the mattress. Firmness is what you feel in the first few seconds, and it comes from the top layers. A plush mattress can be very supportive, and a firm one can be poorly built. When someone asks for "a firm mattress," what they often want is good support with enough cushioning for their shoulders and hips. That is often a medium firm, not a firm.

Which feel suits how you sleep

Side sleepers put their weight on a shoulder and a hip. Plush to medium lets those points sink in so the spine stays level. Too firm and the shoulder takes the pressure.

Back sleepers usually do best on medium to medium firm: enough give for the curve of the lower back, enough push-back that the hips do not sag.

Stomach sleepers need the hips held up, so medium firm to firm. Soft beds let the hips drop.

Combination sleepers who move all night usually land on medium, the compromise that works in every position.

Your weight changes the feel

The scale assumes an average body. If you weigh under about 130 pounds, most mattresses will feel firmer than their label, so shop one notch softer. Over about 230 pounds, you sink further and a bed will feel softer than its label, so shop one notch firmer and look for sturdier coils or high-density foam. Couples with a big weight difference often do well with a split king, where each side has its own feel. Our split king guide explains how it works.

Material changes it too

A plush innerspring with a pillow top feels different from a plush memory foam bed at the same number. Foam hugs and springs push back. Latex is springy and tends to sleep cooler than memory foam at the same firmness. Hybrids sit in the middle. If you have only ever owned one type, try the others at the same firmness before you decide. Our guide to hybrid, memory foam and innerspring mattresses covers the differences.

Firmness myths

• A firm mattress is not automatically the better choice. Support matters more.
• A new mattress feels firmer in the first month than it will later. Give it three to four weeks before you judge it.
• Two brands' "medium" are not the same medium. Lie on both.
• A mattress topper changes the feel of the top layer, not the support underneath.

How to test firmness in the showroom

Wear comfortable clothes, take your shoes off, and lie down the way you actually sleep for at least five minutes per bed. Pay attention to your shoulders and hips on your side and your lower back on your back. If you share the bed, test it together. Trying several feels side by side is the fastest way to learn what the numbers mean for you.

Take the test further at a sound bath

Five minutes on a showroom bed tells you a lot. An hour tells you more. Our sound bath nights let you rest on a mattress for an hour after closing. If you are deciding between two feels, it is a good way to find out how one feels after a real rest.

If you get it wrong

You have 120 nights to exchange the mattress once if the feel is not right. See the refund policy for the terms.

Questions people ask

What is the most popular mattress firmness? Medium and medium firm. They suit the most sleep positions and most couples.

What is the difference between plush and firm? Plush has a soft top layer you sink into. Firm has little give on top. Both can have the same support underneath.

What is the difference between medium and medium firm? About one point on the scale. Medium feels balanced. Medium firm has a little more push-back, which back and stomach sleepers often prefer.

Can a mattress be too firm? Yes. If you feel pressure at your shoulders or hips, the bed may be too firm for your weight and position.

Does a pillow top make a mattress softer? On top, yes. It adds cushioning without changing the support core.

Do adjustable bases change the feel? Slightly. Raising the head or feet changes where your weight rests, which can make a bed feel a little softer. See our adjustable base guide.

Which firmness lasts longest? Firmness does not decide lifespan. Materials do. Dense foam and good coils outlast soft, low-density layers at any firmness.

Find your feel

Browse all mattresses, or come lie on a few at 3319 Glendale Blvd in Atwater Village, open daily 9 AM to 8 PM. Call (323) 522-3410.