At a Glance:
Potential Health Risks of a Soft Mattress
5 Mattress Recommendations and Who They’re Best For
Like many sleepers, you’re probably wondering if you need a soft or firm mattress for lower back pain. Everyone wants a solution to lower back pain, joint pain, or neck pain when they wake up in the morning. The answer isn’t one-size-fits-all, though, but soft mattresses can be a great choice for some individuals, particular snoozers who sleep on their sides.
If that’s news to you, then there’s plenty more to learn in this mattress softness guide, where we explain the mattress comfort level rating system, discuss the benefits and risks of a soft mattress, and offer our top mattress recommendations for a variety of sleepers.
Mattress Comfort Levels
Mattresses are categorized by mattress comfort levels, also known as firmness levels. Here is a simple guide to understanding the comfort names and labels you may see as you search for a mattress:
- 1: Extra Soft or Ultra Plush
- 2-3: Soft or Plush
- 4: Medium Soft or Medium Plush
- 5: Medium
- 6: Medium Firm
- 7-8: Firm
- 9-10: Extra Firm
Level 1 denotes the softest mattress that sinks the most and also conforms to your body the most. As the firmness rating increases, mattresses gradually get firmer, sink less, and conform to your body less. Using this knowledge, now you know that if you’re looking for a “soft mattress,” that probably means something between a 1 and 3 on the mattress comfort scale. An extra soft, ultra plush, and plush mattress are all worth considering if you’re in the market for a soft mattress. Different brands use different terms to mean the same thing, so make sure you read descriptions carefully.
Learn More: Which Mattress Comfort Levels Can Lessen Back Pain?
Benefits of a Soft Mattress
For some sleepers, soft mattresses are the right fit. For others, they try a soft mattress and end up with soft mattress back problems. Here are some benefits of a soft mattress and who they’re best for so that you can finally settle the firm vs soft mattress debate.
| Sleep Solution | How a Soft Mattress Helps | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pressure Relief | Soft mattresses can conform more closely to the contours of your body, helping to distribute your body weight evenly. This can reduce pressure points and alleviate discomfort in areas like the shoulders and hips. | ||
Types of Soft Mattresses
Just like medium, firm, and extra firm mattresses, soft mattresses come made of various materials. The most common types are memory foam, innerspring, and hybrid, which combines memory foam, coils, and layers of other material to provide comfort and support. Here’s what you need to know about each type:
✅Pressure Relief: Memory foam is known for its ability to conform to the shape of your body, providing excellent pressure elief and reducing pressure points.
✅ Motion Isolation: Memory foam mattresses often absorb motion well, making them a good choice for couples to minimize disturbances.
Custom Contouring: Ideal for individuals who prefer a mattress that hugs and molds to their body.
❌ Heat Retention: Traditional memory foam can retain heat, potentially causing discomfort for those who sleep hot.
❌ Slow Response Time: Some people find that memory foam has a slower response time, which can make it difficult to change positions quickly.
✅ Combination of Support and Comfort: Hybrids typically combine the support of innerspring coils with the comfort of memory foam or latex layers.
✅ Better Airflow: The innerspring coils in hybrids promote better airflow, reducing heat retention compared to traditional memory foam mattresses.
✅ Responsive Feel: The inclusion of innerspring coils can provide a more responsive feel, making it easier to change positions.
❌ Price: Hybrid mattresses can be more expensive compared to traditional innerspring or memory foam mattresses.
❌ Potential Motion Transfer: While hybrids often minimize motion transfer, they may not be as effective as memory foam in this regard.
✅ Bounce and Responsiveness: Innerspring mattresses are known for their bounce and responsiveness, making them easy to move on.
✅ Affordability: Innerspring mattresses are often more budget-friendly compared to memory foam or hybrid options.
❌ Less Conforming: Innerspring mattresses may not conform as closely to the body as memory foam, potentially leading to more pressure points.
❌ Limited Motion Isolation: Innerspring mattresses may have less effective motion isolation compared to memory foam or hybrids.
Potential Health Risks of a Soft Mattress
Soft mattresses can be the right fit for you, but that’s not true for everyone. Is your mattress too soft? This can be associated with potential health risks. Sleeping on the wrong type of mattress for your body type and sleep position night after night can cause lower back pain, joint pain, and neck pain in addition to even more serious effects like memory problems, a weakened immune system, and high blood pressure.
So, how do you know if your mattress is too soft? What are some common soft mattress problems? If you consistently sink into your mattress or feel swallowed by it, that’s a clear sign that your mattress is too soft.
If you are a back or stomach sleeper or a heavier weight individual, we recommend avoid sleeping on a mattresses. Some lighter weight back sleepers may do well with a soft mattress, especially if their partner is a lighter weight side sleeper, but otherwise, back sleepers, stomach sleepers, and heavier individuals require firmer mattresses.
5 Mattress Recommendations and Who They’re Best For
Shopping for a mattress requires more knowledge than ever, but luckily, we’re here to help make the decision easier.
Best Ultra Plush Mattress: Scott Living by Restonic York Hybrid Ultra Plush Tight Top Queen Mattress
Shop This Scott Living Ultra Plush Mattress
Our pick for the best for side sleepers and lightweight individuals, this ultra plush hybrid mattress brings the best of both worlds with the pressure relief of foam and the support of springs. You’ll enjoy the motion isolation, edge support, and breathable construction. If you tend to get hot during the night, you’ll also love the Scott Living Tripe Cooling technology.
Learn More: Check Out Our Favorite Restonic Mattress Models [Brand Guide]
Best Plush Mattress: Scott Living by Restonic Morgan Hybrid Plush Euro Top King Mattress
Shop This Scott Living Plush Mattress
This plush mattress is slightly firmer than the previous pick, and it’s also great for side sleepers and lightweight individuals who want a little less conforming and a little surface support. Foam-wrapped coils combine with layers of gel foam, super soft foam, and memory foam to offer comfort and support. Infused with AlumiLast fibers, this pick is also great at keeping away night sweats.
Best Plush Mattress for Children and Teens: Scott Living Ferndale Wrapped Coil Tight Top Plush Twin Mattress
Shop This Scott Living Twin Mattress
This pocketed coil mattress is a step above a traditional innerspring mattress with foam-wrapped coils that offer edge to edge support. Various types of memory foam (gel-infused, super soft, medium foam) offer comfort and body-conforming support. This is the best soft mattress for children and teens, who tend to be lighter weight, especially if they’re side sleepers.
Best Memory Foam Mattress for Side Sleepers: Restonic ComfortCare Deluxe Foam Plush Tight Top Queen Mattress
Shop This Restonic ComfortCare Memory Foam Mattress
This memory foam mattress is a Consumers Digest Best Buy™ Award-winning mattress that is great for side sleepers and lighter weight individuals. Like other memory foam mattresses, it’s known for its pressure relief, motion isolation, and custom contouring.
Best for the Average Sleeper: Scott Living by Restonic Ellis Hybrid Medium Plush Tight Top Queen Mattress
Shop This Scott Living Medium Mattress
Equally as good for the typical back sleepers, this medium plush mattress combines Restonic’s best technologies: 3X cool-to-the-touch sleeping surface for hot sleepers, comfortable AlumiLast Memory Foam, resilient MicroCoils, and targeted Q5 Twin Support for correct spinal alignment. The medium plush design is great for side sleepers, lightweight and average weight individuals, and lighter back sleepers. This mattress offers a great compromise if one partner prefers a softer mattress while the other prefers something firmer.
We hope this mattress comfort guide has all the tips and insider info you need to determine whether a soft mattress is right for you. Just remember: If you are a side sleeper or have a smaller, lighter body type, a soft mattress may offer the right balance of support and comfort that you’ve been looking for. At Colder’s, you can find a wide selection of memory foam, hybrid, and innerspring soft mattresses to suit your needs, making it the best place to shop for a soft mattress in the Milwaukee area. Stop by one of our four Milwaukee locations (West Allis, Oak Creek, Delafield, and Grafton) to test out beds in person today.
FAQs
Can sleeping on a too soft mattress cause back problems?
Yes! If your mattress is too soft, you will sink into your mattress, which can lead to improper spinal alignment and back pain.
What kind of mattress do I need?
Finding the right mattress is a personal decision based on factors like your body weight and sleeping position. The sleep experts at Colder’s can help you find the right mattress for you.
What are some common mattress health risks?
Sleeping on the wrong mattress is associated with health risks like joint pain, back pain, memory problems, a weakened immune system, and high blood pressure.
What’s better: a firm or soft mattress?
This depends on your body type and sleeping position. Side sleepers are better suited to soft and medium mattresses as are lighter individuals. Back sleepers and medium weight individuals are better suited to medium and firm mattresses. Stomach sleepers and heavy individuals are better suited to firm and extra firm mattresses.
Why Trust Colder’s?
Since 1942, we at Colder's pride ourselves on offering value, selection, and service. Serving Southeastern Wisconsin with four showrooms that stock quality name-brand furniture, appliances, and mattresses, Colder’s is sure to house exactly what you are looking for. And if you can't find it on our floors, chances are, we can order it for you. As a local, family-owned company, we are always doing our best to provide the highest value at the lowest cost to everyone who walks through our doors.
Colder’s is committed not only to continuously offering can’t-miss sales but also to working with each customer, making sure that you take advantage of every possible markdown — that’s our best price guarantee. Still need help? We offer zero percent appliance and furniture financing for your home needs!
Shop Soft Mattresses at Colder’s
Don’t put off happiness — and shop mattresses online for unbeatable prices at Colder’s. Our friendly experts are always happy to help you learn whether a soft mattress is for you, whether you call us at 414-476-1574 or use our online chat feature. Better yet, stop by one of our Colder’s locations in West Allis, Oak Creek, Delafield, and Grafton, Wisconsin to touch, see, feel, and experience home products that fulfill your dreams. Visit us today!
Learn More: Euro Top vs Pillow Top Mattress - Which is Best?