Your weight has a lot of influence on the firmness of your mattress. The heavier you are, the firmer the mattress support should actually be. If you are a lightweight, it is better to choose a soft mattress.
How is the firmness of mattresses measured?
By lying down on a mattress, you immediately experience for yourself how hard it feels. In addition, you can also look for a combination of a letter with a number. In fact, mattress firmness is usually shown in H1, H2, H3 or H4, which you can read more about below. Although you also often hear soft, medium and firm or soft, firm and extra firm.
- H1: H1 is the softest mattress. This is especially suitable for the lightweights among us.
- H2: H2 is a soft/medium mattress and is suitable for back and side sleepers.
- H3: H3 stands for medium/firm. This type is suitable for back and side sleepers and notorious stomach sleepers.
- H4: H4 is thus the firmest mattress and is especially suitable for persons heavily built.
What is a good mattress if you are heavy?
So it’s important to pay attention to firmness when buying a new mattress. In doing so, you should definitely consider your weight as well. You can read more about this in a handy table below.
| Weight class | Recommended mattress | Features |
| 80 kilograms or less | Soft – medium mattress | Generally provides adequate support and comfort, especially for side sleepers. May also suit back and stomach sleepers, depending on their preference. |
| 80 to 100 kilograms | Medium -rigid mattress | Provides a good balance of support and comfort. This type is suitable for different sleeping positions. |
| 100 kilograms or more | Firm mattress | Provides extra firmness and support to prevent the body from sinking too deeply into the mattress. This type is especially suitable for back and stomach sleepers. |
What other factors affect the firmness of a mattress?
So your weight has a lot of influence on the firmness of a mattress, but there are basically a lot of other factors to consider in this area. For example, your height also plays a role on hardness. The taller you are, the more stretched your back often is, and thus the firmer the mattress should actually be. Consequently, this means that the Dutch for example, generally choose mainly firmer mattresses.
In addition, it is also important to pay attention to your sleeping position before buying a mattress. A little disclaimer, because a mattress is supposed to be suitable for all sleeping positions. However, often you have a preferred position for falling asleep. This is especially true if you are a stomach sleeper. Firm mattresses are then more suitable, depending on the volume of your belly, of course. Sleeping on your stomach requires a little more effort from your body. Your lower back gets stretched more and your neck starts to get a little more torsion. So pay attention to the pillow as well. It is best to use no pillow or a very low pillow to keep torsion as low as possible. Basically, all mattresses are reasonably suitable for back and side sleepers.
Of course, you must also consider your own preferences. It could be that by all guidelines, hard mattresses are better, but you still find this terrible. If this is the case, it’s really better to choose a soft one anyway. After all, your sleep comfort is important, so your preference affects this.
Can a mattress be too hard?
Yes, a mattress can definitely be too hard. So that’s why it’s so important to choose the right firmness when buying a mattress. If your mattress is too hard, it can cause several problems. There is more pressure on your joints and bones. That can create sores. You will also turn and turn more often if you sleep too hard. And that disrupts your deep sleep.
A mattress that is too hard can also restrict your blood circulation. This is because the pressure points in your pelvis and shoulders are overloaded. This is especially true if you turn while sleeping. As a result, you may experience pain in your back when you wake up.
Can a mattress be too soft?
So a mattress can be too hard, but unfortunately it is also possible that you are lying on a bed that is actually too soft. Again, this has a few drawbacks, but the biggest downside of a mattress that is too soft is the hammock effect. This makes it feel a bit like your mattress is sagging all the way through, making it feel like you’re lying in a hammock.
The hammock effect prevents the spine from receiving optimal support, making your back look like a banana when lying on your side. Which can cause back and shoulder pain. In addition, you can sink too deeply into a mattress that is too soft, making it feel like your body is completely enclosed. As a result, moisture removal and heat regulation will be a little more difficult and you will sweat. And if you sink deep, your range of motion will be limited, so it takes more energy to change sleeping positions.
What mattress firmness for what weight: Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Medium or Firm mattress?
Soft mattresses in general are especially suitable for lightweight people. Persons who are a bit heavier are more likely to benefit from a medium or firm mattress. Are you even heavier? Then you most likely need a hard or firm mattress. Of course, this also depends on your height, preferences and sleeping position.
How firm should it be?
How firm your mattress should be depends on a few factors. For example, your weight affects this. Heavier people, for example, should opt for a very firm mattress. In addition, your decision also depends on your sleeping position. Do you lie on your back a lot? Even then, a firmer support in of the mattress is normally better.
Which mattress for 120 kg (265 lb)?
If you weigh 120 pounds or something in that neighborhood, it’s a good idea to choose a firm or extra firm mattress. Of course, it is important that this copy is also very high quality. Thus, the mattress supports your body optimally.
Conclusion
It is very important to pay attention to the firmness of the mattress if you want to buy a new one. After all, this has a lot of influence on your sleeping comfort. It is often difficult to determine firmness, though, especially since you have to take several factors into account.
Similarly, your weight affects your decision. The heavier you are, the firmer your mattress should be. On the contrary, if you do not weigh much, it is still better to choose a soft mattress. For example, do you weigh more than 100 kilograms? It is best then to choose an H4 or firm mattress, which is the firmest type.
This need not always be the case. After all, it is important to take your own preferences into account as well. Your comfort greatly affects the quality of your sleep, so make sure you choose the right firmness. Even if it means your mattress may not last as long.
