{"id":25911,"date":"2021-11-05T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-11-05T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.saatva.com\/firm-vs-medium-firm\/"},"modified":"2025-01-10T19:37:08","modified_gmt":"2025-01-10T19:37:08","slug":"firm-vs-medium-firm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/firm-vs-medium-firm\/","title":{"rendered":"Which Firmness Level Is Right For You?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Whatever type of mattress you choose\u2014innerspring, memory foam, or latex\u2014you’ll want to make sure you pick the right firmness level for your preferences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we lay out everything you need to know to determine which firmness level suits you best: medium-firm or firm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is mattress firmness?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Mattress firmness is measured on a scale of 1 to 10 and refers to how soft or hard a mattress feels. On the mattress firmness scale, a soft is a 3-4, medium-firm is a 5-7 (with medium being a true 5), and firm is 8-10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"mattresss<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Key differences between firm and medium-firm mattresses<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Whether you need a firm or medium-firm mattress depends on your typical sleeping position, body weight, body type, and personal preference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s a breakdown:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comparison<\/strong><\/td>Medium-Firm<\/strong><\/td>Firm<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Firmness Scale<\/strong><\/td>5-7<\/td>8+<\/td><\/tr>
Type of Mattress<\/strong><\/td>– Hybrid mattresses
– Memory foam mattresses
– Latex mattresses<\/td>		– Hybrid mattresses
– Innerspring mattresses<\/td><\/tr>
Best Sleeping Position<\/strong><\/td>– Side sleepers
– Combination sleepers<\/td>		– Back sleepers
– Stomach sleepers<\/td><\/tr>
Body Weight<\/strong><\/td>– Good for lighter or mid-sized people<\/td>– Good for any body weight but especially heavier bodies<\/td><\/tr>
Body Type<\/strong><\/td>– Good for people with smaller body types, but also has enough support to work well for people with slightly larger bodies<\/td>– Good for any body type\u2014will provide well-rounded support throughout<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The difference between mattress support and firmness levels<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It’s important to keep in mind that mattress firmness and mattress support are not the same things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mattress firmness levels mainly determine the softness of a mattress, while support determines how well a mattress can support your pressure points throughout the night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To be supportive, a mattress doesn’t need to be firm. A medium-firm mattress can still be supportive enough if its bottom layers provide enough support for your specific body type.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A mattress with low support may cause lower back pain, sinkage, and a lower level of durability. On the other hand, a mattress with higher support levels can help with pressure relief and overall benefit the quality of your sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Major benefits of a firm mattress<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Depending on your sleep style, you may be able to benefit from a firm mattress<\/a>. Let’s take a look at the major benefits of using a firm bed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n