If you're struggling with back pain then you might think you need a firm mattress. Indeed, numerous people would argue that the best thing for troublesome back would be sleeping on a firm surface. We all know that person who claims to have cured their back problem by sleeping on a firm mattress or even the floor. Unfortunately, getting the right mattress is not as simple as that. In fact, some people can find that a firm mattress can actually exasperate their pain. In our experience, buying a too firm mattress is the biggest mistake that people make. Indeed, there are multiple factors that affect what tension of mattress you should be selecting. For our full mattress range, just click here.
Your weight will effect what type of mattress you should consider. Generally speaking the heavier you are the firmer your mattress should be. As a rule of thumb, anybody over 15 stone might find a firm mattress to be more suitable. This is because a firmer mattress will be more supportive. Having said this not all mattresses are created equal. Indeed, a cheap firm mattress will be less supportive than a medium tension, high end mattress with memory foam.
We would argue that the internal structure is of more importance than the firmness. Indeed, mattress structures vary widely. In fact, mattresses can be quite confusing once you start looking into them. But fear not, we've done all the hard work so you can differentiate between all the different types.
This is most basic type of mattress. It means that the mattress is made of continuous springs and therefore all the springs move together. Fillings vary which can alter the feeling of the mattress. Generally speaking we advise the use of this type of mattress for spare rooms.
In a pocket mattress, each spring is independently housed. This means that each spring moves independently and therefore provides more support. For those looking for a mattress with natural fillings then this is the best option. However, not all pocket springs contain natural fillings. Therefore you need to ensure you check the specification of each mattress.
These mattresses contain memory foam. This is a material that is body temperature sensitive and therefore moulds to the body perfectly. If you want a firm mattress because of a bad back then we would advise thinking about a memory foam mattress. These mattresses have been proven to provide pressure relief and keep the spine in correct alignment. Memory foam mattresses either have a spring base or a foam base.
Latex mattresses have very similar properties to memory foam mattress. The main difference is that latex is a natural material and therefore some people may prefer this option. Some people argue that latex mattresses are a lot cooler.
It can be seen that there are lots of things to consider when buying a mattress. In our experience when suffering a bad back, a firm mattress isn't always the right the solution. However, a mattress is a very personal experience. Indeed, if you have benefited from a firm mattress in the best then you should stick with this tension. It always pays to do your homework with mattresses as you can own one for a long time. For more info on selecting a mattress visit the national bed federation here
