Firm mattresses are the ideal choice to prevent – or relieve – pain, especially if you are a bigger person. They usually have extra layers of foam or padding that support the weight of the body and prevent the mattress from falling, which keeps the spine correctly aligned.
But it is a delicate balance to find a mattress that offers ample support, but at the same time is comfortable. Although you do not want to sink into the mattress, it is recommended to have enough cushion to help relieve pressure, especially on the shoulders and hips. Fortunately, there are many options out there, and these are the best firm mattresses for the job.
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Casper Original is a real viscoelastic foam mattress built with three layers – a traditional viscoelastic foam base, a second layer of viscoelastic foam by specialized areas and an upper layer of perforated viscoelastic foam. This top layer serves two purposes: it adapts perfectly to your body and allows more air to circulate, which means that I felt fresh and comfortable all night.
Casper also has Zoned Support – it is divided into three separate “zones” that have varying levels of firmness. The foam under the shoulders and the upper body is softer, so it provides the necessary pressure relief in those areas. The foam near your hips, waist and lower back is firmer, to provide adequate support to keep your body and spine aligned, so you don’t sink or sink into the mattress. Basically, you get the best of both worlds. When I woke up in the morning, I had no lingering pain – something I was dealing with on my previous mattress.
Intellibed
Somehow firm and smooth, the Intellibed Signature Matrix Grand is everything Goldilocks was looking for. Squeezed between layers of latex and foam, it features a Gel Matrix, an elastic gel that flexes and moves to contour its shape and evenly distribute body weight. I don’t know how Intellibed does this, but the firmness of the mattress provides ample support to keep your spine in proper alignment, while the softness allows the right amount of application to relieve pressure without sagging.
As soon as I settled on the mattress, I could feel the pressure leaving my body. And after a few weeks of it, I was sleeping through the night and waking up painlessly.
Cocoon by Sealy
Cocoon by Sealy states that most sleepers prefer a mattress that has ample support, but it is not also firm – something I definitely found to be true for me – so in response to that, they made a specialized memory foam designed to provide the perfect fit. The Perfect Fit viscoelastic foam, as it is aptly called, adapted to my body, providing pressure relief and support where I needed it most.
This Perfect Fit memory foam sits on top of another layer of responsive comfort foam that provides a little extra softness (something that many traditional memory foam mattresses lack) and some extra support so that the mattress never sinks or sinks. And the elastic mesh cover that wraps these layers is made of a patented material that absorbs and dissipates heat, so I was comfortable and the mattress remained cool to the touch.
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The mattress is made of layers of inner springs with luxury latex foam and pillowtop-like cushioning. This provides just enough cushioning to make the mattress comfortable, but not so much that you feel it is sinking and misaligning. It also has viscoelastic foam in the center of the mattress that provides special lumbar support, so that your spine is aligned, especially when you sleep on your side – something that many other firm mattresses fall short of.
There are two firm options – firm (rated 8 out of 10 on the standard mattress firmness scale) and luxury company (rated 5 to 7 out of 10) – and two mattress heights – 11.5 inches and 14.5 inches. If you choose the deepest mattress, be sure to get deeper pocket sheets.
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Rated from 6 to 7 out of 10 on the firmness scale, Ghostbed is classified as medium-sized. It is made of a combination of latex-like memory foam that feels soft and elastic, but also provides enough support so that you don’t feel like you are sinking into the mattress (and then waking up in pain). It also has two rows of reinforced coils around the edge of the bed that hold the layers and contribute to excellent end-to-end support.
Of all the options on this list, Ghostbed looked more like a traditional spring mattress, in all the right ways. Another thing I really liked about this mattress is that it was always nice to touch. The padded cover has cooling fibers that are woven directly and help to disperse body heat.
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Helix Plus, rated 7 to 8 out of 10 on the firmness scale, was designed to offer extra support for heavier sleepers, although it is an excellent option for sleepers of any size and shape. It is made of coiled coils and several layers of memory foam in varying densities, but the real star of the show is a 4-inch high-density foam layer. This extra foam supported the other layers, providing adequate support, but also adding a little cushioning that provided relief for my shoulders and hips.
As the mattress is thicker – it is 33 cm high – it will look firmer if you have a lower body mass index, but I thought it had the right amount of elasticity. It was comfortable in any sleeping position and isolated movement very well, so I didn’t bounce, even when my boyfriend moved in the middle of the night.
The information in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended for medical or health advice. Always consult a doctor or other qualified healthcare professional regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health goals.