Mattress Secrets You Never Knew
With this calculator the optimal degree of hardness can be calculated on the basis of the body weight.
Which degree of hardness of a mattress is the right one for me?
Still too few people pay attention to how they are bedded and that, even though we spend about a third of our lives sleeping! In fact, sleep quality is closely linked to health and personal wellbeing. During sleep, body, mind and soul regenerate, and the immune system works at full speed. Reason enough to deal more intensively with the individual need for sleep and the choice of mattress. The degree of hardness plays an important role here.
What is the degree of hardness of a mattress?
According to www.thebest-mattress.org/tempurpedic-mattress-reviews/ the degree of hardness of a mattress is one of the criteria that determine sleep quality. It should be adapted to the individual needs of the person sleeping on the mattress. The different degrees of hardness of mattresses are determined by the strength of the material from which they are made. The strength and density of a mattress is measured by determining the compression hardness. Then it depends on the pressure that must be exerted to compress the mattress in relation to their actual height. The higher the crush strength, the stronger the material that makes up the mattress. The material of a mattress is a criterion for the respective degree of hardness.
Despite the stated degrees of hardness, it is difficult for consumers to follow this manufacturer's instructions. The reason is that they are not uniformly standardized. Due to a lack of standardization, the degrees of hardness may differ. In that regard, the degree of hardness mentioned by the manufacturer is not a solid guide, but merely a rough guide. There is agreement that there are up to four or five degrees of hardness, which are designated by the letter "H" in combination with the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5. Grade 1 marks a mattress as soft, while numbers 3, 4 or 5 stand for a hard or very hard mattress. By way of derogation, some manufacturers also use the letter "F", which stands for strength, or categorize mattresses as soft, medium or solid.
The different degrees of hardness of mattresses - an overview
The degree of hardness is directly related to the body weight. If you are heavier, you need a higher degree of hardness. For lighter people, a softer mattress with a lower degree of hardness is suitable. If a heavy body sinks deeply into a soft mattress, the spine is not aligned horizontally. Instead, it is bent, which can lead to back pain and postural damage. The following overview clarifies for which body weight which degree of hardness is suitable.
- Mattresses designated H1, F1 or soft or soft are suitable for people whose body weight is 60 kilograms or less.
- If you weigh up to 80 kilograms, you should opt for a mattress rated H2 or F2 or medium-hard or medium.
- A mattress with the hardness H3 or with the strength F3 or the term fixed is ideal for people whose body weight is between 80 kilograms and 110 kilograms.
- Who has a body weight between 110 and 130 kilograms, should opt for an extra firm mattress, which is also called H4 or F4.
- From a body weight of 130 kilograms, mattresses with hardness H5 or with the strength F5 are recommended, which are also offered by some manufacturers as XXL mattresses.
What are the criteria for choosing the right mattress?
There are other factors that affect the choice of the degree of hardness. In addition to the body weight, these are also the body size and the sleep behavior, in which between back sleepers, side sleepers or abdominal sleeper’s distinction is made. When subdividing into different degrees of hardness, body size is not taken into account. The weight of tall and athletic people spread over a larger area on a mattress compared to smaller people with a higher body weight, sinking deeper.
The weight distribution is also influenced by the width of the shoulders and pelvis. Also, the quality of a mattress and the material from which it is made, affect the degree of hardness and sleeping comfort. The quality of sleep is also a matter of personal feeling and habit. There is no formula for calculating the right degree of hardness for a mattress. Reliable is only the position of the spine as a gauge for the right mattress.
The material from which mattresses are: spring core, cold foam and latex
The commercially available mattresses are mainly made of cold foam, spring core and latex. The materials each have different properties, quality features and advantages and disadvantages, so that the entire range of individual sleeping habits can be served.
Spring mattresses: Breathable, supportive and long lasting
Spring mattresses offer a comfortable support function due to their inner life, are breathable, very robust and durable. The spring mattress owes its name to the innerspring inside the mattress. It is an ordered and interconnected system of metal and steel springs. Due to these compression springs, it is possible that the mattress returns to its original starting position after a load condition. To ensure a comfortable padding, the springs are covered with foam. Protective carrier material is felts that protect the foams against damage caused by the steel and metal springs. The uppermost layer of a spring mattress consists of a cover. This is made of different materials, Due to this nature spring mattresses are suitable for back and abdominal sleepers. The stabilizing effect of the spring mattress prevents a deeper sinking, which the back and abdominal sleepers feel comfortable.