Choosing a Mattress - Firm or Soft?

For many years we had been told that a firm mattress was necessary for a good night's sleep and to avoid postural problems. This led to the view that having a soft mattress was being indulgent and asking for trouble. The truth is not so cut and dried, and it really is a matter of personal choice, with the most important factor being;whichever type of mattress gives you the most restful sleep.

Most doctors would agree that when choosing a mattress you need to buy one which will give your body plenty of support, especially the pressure points like neck, shoulders and lower back. They also recommend sleeping on a hard surface for certain back problems, even to the extent of sleeping on the floor or putting a wooden plank under a thin mattress. Generally speaking, back problems arise from overall incorrect posture rather than from sleeping on the wrong surface. We are all told as children to sit up straight and not to slouch, and this is an important rule to follow.

These days there is a lot more choice in the mattress market with specialist mattresses to meet your needs. There are the normal ones ranging from very hard to extremely soft, and also orthopedic ones recommended for anyone with back troubles. Lately we have seen the mattresses which although are double, have different compositions on each side so that a couple who disagree on the type of mattress they should have, can compromise and each use the side they prefer. Sometimes a firm single and a soft single mattress is attached together to make a double, and these are cheaper than the ones above.

Another addition to the market is the new cheap memory foam mattress, which has now become affordable for a larger consumer market. This is a unique product which will shape itself to your form and provide the maximum support where your body needs it. This memory foam is also available as toppers for you to place on your existing mattress, in case you do not wish to spend too much money on changing your whole mattress.

If you prefer a softer mattress, make sure that it is not so soft that you sink into it without any support for your back and neck. A soft mattress can feel wonderful at first, as you fall onto it and feel as though you are floating on a cloud, but if it is too soft you may start to experience problems with posture and getting out of bed too. A good compromise which often works is to choose a firm mattress and then pile up the bed with soft cushions and duvets, to give a sense of comfort, warmth and luxury. Some of the best products to achieve this include using Hungarian goose down duvets and Hungarian goose down pillows. These are easily available in most department stores and are often included as items in bed linen sales.

Here we mention the word good sleep as well. During the Crusades, Europeans espoused the Arabic process of napping on cushions terrified on the floor.