What’s the Difference Between Firmness and Support?
You’ve likely seen the words firmness and support thrown around when it comes to mattresses. While it may seem that firmness and support mean something similar, these two words mean entirely different things. This article will help you understand the difference between these two terms, so you can make a well-informed decision when deciding to purchase a new mattress:
Firmness describes how the top layers of the mattress feel to the touch. While some people prefer a very firm mattress and others prefer a super soft mattress, generally speaking, most people prefer something in-between. About a six out of ten on the firmness scale. The most important thing to keep in mind is pressure relief. The sleep surface needs to be soft enough for all your pointy bits to sink in without feeling any pushback. Firm mattresses often struggle with this aspect.
Support on the other hand refers to how well your spine is kept in alignment while you sleep. This is often delivered by the lower thicker layers of a mattress.
Which is More Important?
While a firm mattress or soft mattress is more of a personal choice, support is not. Support is critical for restful sleep — you’ll know you’re not getting support if you wake up with an achy back every morning. This is a good sign you need a new mattress.
When upgrading your mattress, you should look for one that supports the natural curvature of your spine in all sleep positions. A layer of good quality memory foam will help with this by contouring to your body shape.
Firmness Scale
The firmness scale is designed to give you an indication of how firm a mattress is. The scale goes from one to ten — with one being the softest type of mattress and ten being the firmest. When a mattress is at a one, be prepared for a super squishy, sinky experience. When at a ten, bring your softest PJ’s as it will feel like your perched on top of a diamond!
The ‘universal level of comfort’ falls between numbers five through seven. These mattresses are firm enough to provide proper support, but soft enough to feel a sense of luxurious comfort and relaxation.
Find the Right Fit For You
It can be overwhelming to consider all of the different firmness types the big bed stores have come up with over the years. At Winkl we like to keep things simple. We’ve done away with the endless variations and developed a solution we call ‘the perfect firmness’. An unbeatable balance of comfort and support for the majority of NZ sleepers. Winkl mattresses are both around 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale. The Lux however offers a slightly softer plusher feel that gives a real sense of luxury without compromising support.
So, unless you’re in the market for a super firm mattress or a super soft mattress, take a look at our mattress options. We’re confident We have you covered. Sweet dreams!
