Mattress feel guide
Your local experts in better sleep solutions
Lets talk about feels
Buying a mattress can feel confusing. Plush, medium, firm, support, comfort, feel: the words get used as if they mean the same thing, but they actually describe different parts of your sleep. Understanding the difference makes it much easier to find the right mattress for you.
Comfort, or feel, is how the mattress feels when you first lie down. It comes from the top layers, like memory foam, latex, gel-infused foam or quilted cushioning, which contour to your body and help relieve pressure. Comfort can help you relax and drift off, while support helps your body stay well aligned so you can stay asleep.
Here's the thing: no feel is better than another. A plush mattress can still give excellent support, and a firm mattress won't automatically suit your body if its core isn't right for you. Your body shape, weight, sleeping position and personal preference all play a part, and spring, foam and hybrid mattresses can all provide great support when they're matched to you.
Lets talk about support
Support is how well a mattress helps your body keep a natural sleeping posture through the night. It comes from the core of the mattress, like pocket springs, coil systems or high-density foam. Good support helps carry the heavier parts of your body, like your hips and shoulders, while filling in lighter areas like your lower back. This spreads your weight more evenly, so your muscles can relax and you're not constantly shifting to get comfortable.
That's where Forty Winks bedMATCH® comes in. Our exclusive diagnostic system uses over 1,000 scientific calculations across 18 body measurements to recommend mattresses based on your individual support needs. Then our Sleep Advisors will help you find the feel you love. It's personalised, backed by sleep science, and takes the guesswork out of mattress shopping.
Ultra plush mattresses, our softest, most cushioned feel
Ultra plush mattresses: our softest, most cushioned feel
If you love a soft mattress you can sink into, ultra plush is our softest feel. Deep, generous comfort layers contour closely to your body and can help relieve pressure for a cloud-like, cocooning feel. With the right support system underneath, a soft mattress can still help your body keep a natural sleeping posture through the night. Shop plush mattresses
Plush to medium mattresses, soft comfort with a little more lift
Plush to medium mattresses: soft comfort with a little more lift A plush to medium mattress sits between soft and balanced, giving you a cushioned feel with a touch more surface resistance. It can suit people who enjoy a gentle, sink-in feel but find an ultra soft mattress a little too much. It's a popular choice for anyone who wants comfort without feeling too deep in the bed. Shop medium mattresses
Medium to firm mattresses, a balanced feel with a firmer surface
A medium to firm mattress offers light cushioning on top with a firmer surface overall. It can suit people who like a little give but prefer to feel more on top of the mattress than in it. It's also a versatile option for those who change positions through the night or share a bed with different preferences. Shop firm mattresses
Extra firm mattresses, our firmest, most solid feel
Looking for a super firm or ultra firm mattress? Extra firm is our firmest feel, with minimal cushioning for a solid, stable, on-top feel. It's a personal preference that some people find the most comfortable way to sleep. Remember, firmness describes the feel, not the level of support, so choose a mattress with support that suits your body too. Shop firm mattresses
FAQs
Support is how well a mattress helps your body maintain a natural sleeping posture, and comes from its core, like springs or foam. Comfort is how it feels when you lie down, and comes from the top layers. Both matter, but they aren't the same thing.
Not necessarily. Firmness describes how a mattress feels, not how well it supports you. A plush mattress can provide excellent support, and a firm one may not suit your body if its core structure isn't right for you.
There's no single feel that's right for everyone. Your body shape, weight, sleeping position and personal preference all play a part. Forty Winks bedMATCH® can recommend mattresses that suit your support needs, so you can then choose the feel you enjoy.
Forty Winks bedMATCH® is Forty Winks' exclusive diagnostic system. It uses over 1,000 scientific calculations across 18 body measurements to recommend mattresses based on your individual support needs.