Mattress Comfort Level & Type Guide

Mattresses come in all shapes and sizes and without laying down on a few it can be difficult to know which one is right for you, that’s why we put together this simple guide so you can easily find the differences between the different comfort levels and get a better idea of what mattresses will suit your preferences. There are several levels and types to choose from, read about them below!

Ultra Firm

An ultra-firm mattress typically lives up to its name and is a considerably harder sleeping surface comparable to sleeping on the floor. An ultra-firm mattress is going to have very little give and provide a very solid feel when lying down.

Firm

A firm mattress usually has a little bit of give but still provides a harder sleeping surface on the mattress. If you tend to wake up with back pain on a softer mattress, a firm mattress may be the ideal choice for you.

Cushion Firm

A cushion firm mattress is still a hard sleeping surface but has the added feature of a small amount of padding to cushion the firmness of the mattress a little bit, making it a supportive middle ground for people who want a taste of both levels.

Plush

Plush mattresses offer a softer more comfortable give to your sleeping surface, they are definitely the ideal choice for the softer mattress lover and tend to carry a smaller price tag than the pillow top mattress.

Pillow Top

Pillow top mattresses are the ideal model for cloudlike softness and comfort. With additional padding on top of the mattress, you have the added benefit of extra cushion to help you sleep comfortably, however many pillow tops cannot be flipped, which may shorten the longevity of your mattress.

Euro Top

Euro Top mattresses are a newer style and feature a unique design that allows for additional padding in the pillow top. The Euro top tends to have more square edges and is much smoother than a pillow top, which helps reduce pressure points that are inherent in a typical innerspring mattress.

Mattress Types

Mattress types are as many, and varied as anything else, with so many different technologies and shapes, it is not always an easy task deciding which is best for you. With this part of the guide, we will give you the pros and cons of each mattress type we sell here at Bedplanet.com so you are more easily able to make an informed decision.

Innerspring

Innerspring mattresses are the most popular technology found in a wide variety of mattresses. An innerspring mattress provides exceptional support and has been a tried and true staple feature of mattress construction for many years. One of the pitfalls of the innerspring mattress is the springs themselves, they can cause uncomfortable pressure points on the shoulders and hips which cause back pain in the morning and tossing and turning during the night, this is especially true for people over 250lbs.

Memory Foam

Memory foam mattresses are a very supportive style that contours to your unique shape and weight, memory foam is also more resilient than an innerspring system so it is able to handle heavier people much more easily. The unique body contouring helps your spine keep in alignment and allows you to fall asleep faster, and stay asleep much longer. Memory foam is not without its caveats though; standard memory foam can sleep a little warmer than a typical mattress, rarely consumers complain of a significant loss of elasticity within their bed causing a lack of support where they typically sleep.

Gel Memory Foam

Much like the standard memory foam, gel memory foam is a very supportive style, and contours to your body the same way that memory foam does. However, gel memory foam doesn’t succumb to the same heat accumulation as standard memory foam and actually breathes much better. In rare cases, the loss of elasticity still can occur, but there have been fewer reported complaints of this problem with gel memory foam.

Gel Latex Foam

Gel latex foam mattresses are an innovation to address some of the complaints with memory foam mattresses, specifically the sinking feeling. If you like the sinking in sensation you get from a memory foam mattress stick with that type. If you don’t, but you still want that level of support out of your mattress this is the mattress type for you. With a latex mattress you sleep on it, it still conforms to your body without the sinking, whereas with a memory foam mattress you almost sleep IN it. Gel Latex mattresses tend to have the same issues of memory foam, however, they do not typically have the lack of elasticity issue.

Hybrid Mattresses

These types of mattresses are a beautiful combination of two of the best bedding technologies in one mattress. The top half is typically gel memory foam or standard memory foam, and the bottom is an innerspring system. The benefit of this type of mattress is that it addresses many of the issues with both styles of the mattress. With the memory foam on top, pressure points are significantly reduced, and you still get the contouring support with the benefits of the deep innerspring support from the bottom of the mattress. These types of mattresses also sleep cooler as well, since the innerspring bottom half allows for much more airflow than standard memory foam. This does tend to be one of the more expensive types, and it does not address motion transfer as well as full memory foam or latex mattress.