The 13 Best Firm Mattresses for Support and Alignment in 2022
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If you associate bedtime with plush bedding and fluffy pillows, the idea of a firm mattress might put you off—but the best firm mattress for you can improve your sleep to the point that it spills over into your waking life. It all depends on your sleeping position and preferences. Here’s what you need to know about firm mattresses—and whether you should pick one up for your next new bed.
What are the benefits of sleeping on a firm mattress?
As SELF has previously reported, firm mattresses usually provide the kind of sturdy support that back sleepers and stomach sleepers need to avoid back pain and sleep with a neutral spine; although most doctors will tell you that it’s challenging to have any sort of spinal alignment as a stomach sleeper since this position inherently places pressure on your lower back and neck. While soft mattresses allow uncomfortable pressure points to form where your body weight sinks into the bed, firmer mattresses prevent that sinkage from happening in the first place. Instead, they create the sensation of sleeping upon the bed, and not in it—which is how experts say a mattress should feel when you’ve found the right one for you. Side sleepers, on the other hand, do need a little more give in their beds in order to accommodate their shoulders and hips, so they should look for a medium-firm mattress over a truly firm one.
Luckily, firm beds come in a variety of materials and forms, from bed-in-a-box-style gel memory foam mattresses to hybrid mattresses to more traditional innerspring mattresses to eco-friendly latex mattresses. You can even find them on Amazon if you need a new mattress ASAP.
Should you buy a firm mattress?
If you sleep on your back or stomach and regularly wake up feeling sore and achy, you may want to consider trying out a firm mattress (emphasis on try—plenty of best-selling brands offer generous risk-free trial periods with their mattresses). And if you don’t want to part with the plushness of a softer mattress, you can opt for a luxury firm mattress or pick up a mattress topper for some additional cushion.
Whether you love the supportive, firm feel of a harder mattress or are shopping for one for the first time, we’re here to help. Below, we’ve selected our top picks for the best firm mattresses on the market, with high-quality options from retailers like Saatva, Nectar, Helix, Winkbed, and more.
The Saatva Classic is a luxe innerspring mattress with three different firmness levels to choose from, including a firm version that rates an eight out of ten on the brand’s firmness scale. That’s pretty hard, even in terms of firm mattresses, but the Euro pillow top layer will keep you comfy all night long.
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This cooling mattress from Nectar features a layer of gel memory foam that reacts to body heat as it builds overnight, preventing you from overheating in your sleep. While you may expect an all-foam bed like this one to feel medium-soft as opposed to firm, the Premier Copper mattress has a moderate firmness that customers report feels just right for resolving their back pain.
The top-rated Winkbed is considered one of the best cooling mattresses on the market thanks to its airflow-encouraging design. But back sleepers can find as much to love about this bed as hot sleepers, especially if they select Winkbed’s firm option (as opposed to the softer or luxury firm) at checkout. This bed is also available at a plus firmness level, which is intended for larger body types.
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Made with natural materials like organic cotton and latex foam, this firm mattress from Essentia is breathable, dust mite-resistant, and hypoallergenic. Plus, thanks to latex’s durability, it comes with a 20-year warranty.
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The firmest bed among Purple’s innovative offerings, this hybrid option provides extra support and a lovely level of responsiveness thanks to its steel coils paired with a unique grid design. This flexible gel layer cradles your body without letting you sink down too far, and it promotes airflow so you can stay cool through the night.
Another budget-friendly option, Lucid’s firm memory foam mattress drastically limits motion transfer, pressure points, and sinkage. And if a foam bed sounds stuffy to you, don’t sweat it: This mattress might be sturdy, but its gel-infused comfort layer works to regulate body heat and temperature.
Whether you prefer a mattress that’s on the medium side of firmness or share your bed with a combination sleeper, consider Layla’s flippable hybrid mattress. Where one side feels plushier and has a thick top layer, the other side is firmer and feels more stable than soft. Both feature superior edge support and cooling internal layers.
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Not as intensely firm as some of the other beds on our list, this Amerisleep mattress shines when it comes to pressure relief. Its zoned support system targets the parts of the body that are prone to arching and sinking out of alignment, like the lower back, cushioning and stabilizing them so that back sleepers don’t wake up with knots and aches.
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SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.
