There is nothing like a good night’s sleep to give you the energy and focus you need during the day, allowing you to function better and finish your tasks on time. The quality of your sleep depends on several factors, but the mattress is one of the most important factors to focus on. You have the choice of purchasing a soft or firm mattress and they both have their advantages. The topic of which is better is a never-ending debate and it’s quite interesting to learn the facts from each side.

Read on to learn about the different types of mattresses and which one you should get for better sleeping patterns.

Are You Suffering from Chronic Back Pains?

The choice differs from one person to the other, especially if they suffer from chronic back pains. Traditionally, doctors and physicians always advised people to get the firmest mattress ever when they have back pain, but that isn’t an optimal solution anymore after the development of different types of mattresses. If you have back pains, the best choice should be a medium-firm mattress because it minimizes discomfort and it keeps the spine aligned properly. Having that 50-50 mix of firmness and softness improves your posture and keeps your ligaments and muscles relaxed. The key is to lower the pressure and discomforting pain when you lie down to have a deeper and better sleep.

Memory Foam vs. Temperature Responsive Foam

Mattresses can be designed with specific types of foams that give people a hybrid feeling of firmness and softness. Memory foam is a popular choice because it gives the sleeper a pinpointed feeling with dense support. However, even though it forms around your body for extra comfort, it stiffens when it gets colder in the winter and that can be a problem. Several foam technology specialists and mattress manufacturers suggest that the Energex foam has a uniform comfort effect that doesn’t stiffen the mattress when it gets cold. The design of temperature-responsive mattresses has a 70% firmness and 30% softness level that reacts to the sleeper’s body heat. It reaches the gap between memory foam and latex and gives you the best of both worlds. Even though it is designed to be more firm than soft, the features that temperature-responsive foam beds have can give you ultimate comfort regardless of body heat and weather changes.

How Do You Sleep?

You can narrow down your choice based on the way you sleep. Do you sleep on your side? Stomach? Or Back? People have several sleeping positions that can help them sleep better, but the choice of mattress can stop them from feeling comfortable in the position they’re used to. Firm mattresses are designed to give stomach sleepers a better good night’s sleep, accommodating sleepers that enjoy lying on top and it gives them more support. However, if a sleeper is used to sleeping on their side and they enjoy sinking into their beds, then a soft mattress will feel a lot more comfortable. When it comes to back sleepers, it depends on the type of pillow they have because firmness and softness aspects align the spine differently. Different body types can make the decision difficult but testing the bed out before you purchase it can help you make the right decision.

Weight and Support

The designs of each type of bed can accommodate different people, but the key is to find one that matches your weight and body type. For thin and lightweight sleepers, softer beds can give them more comfort and support because their weight doesn’t sink in too much to cause discomfort. Bigger and heavyweight sleepers need more support to accommodate the weight, making firm beds an excellent choice. Each kind is designed differently and the level of support differs based on your weight.

Are You a Hot Sleeper?

Hot sleepers that naturally have excessive body heat should choose firm beds because it can keep them cooler at night. Soft designs tend to have an annoying effect that traps body heat, directing it back to the sleeper.

The choice falls down to the sleeper at the end because firmness and softness is kind of subjective. The final decision depends on the person, what they prefer, how they sleep, and their body type. Consider testing both if you’re unsure and be prepared for some trial and error phases. However, trying out both or trying the hybrid kind of mattresses that combine firmness and softness aspects will help you decide in the end what’s good for you. Whether you like sinkage, support, or plushness, there will always be a good mattress out there that will fit your needs and preferences.