Mattress Firmness Guide: What Level Is Best and Why

Key takeaways

I've learned that finding the right mattress firmness level comes down to these key points:

• Latex choice and body weight: Choose the surface feel first, then use body weight to select the spring support.
• Firmness is subjective: There is no industry standard. What feels firm to a 65kg person will feel soft to a 110kg person.
• Sleeping position: This helps choose the cushioning. Side sleepers usually prefer the Cloud’s 2 micro spring layers, while stomach sleepers usually prefer the Aurora’s single layer.
• Separate support from feel: The main springs provide support, latex creates the immediate surface feel, and micro springs add cushioning.
• Adjustability is key: You can't perfectly predict comfort. The best mattress system provides a good starting point and allows you to fine-tune the firmness level at home.

Firmness depends on you, not the label

The mattress industry has made this simple concept unnecessarily confusing. The core concept is simple: the ultimate question of mattress firmness comes down to how hard or soft the mattress feels.

But the label alone is never enough. You'll see marketing hype about "cloud-like softness" and "orthopaedic support," but nobody tells you the truth: the wrong firmness level will ruin even the highest-quality mattress. In contrast, the right firmness can make a budget mattress feel perfect. I believe this is the single most overlooked factor in the entire industry. The term "firmness" is completely subjective.

What a 60kg person feels is "Firm" might feel like a "Medium" to someone much heavier. Heavier sleepers may require firm springs, but the correct threshold depends on whether they choose soft or medium latex.

How we match springs to latex choice and body weight

First choose the surface feel: soft latex for a plush feel or medium latex for a balanced, responsive feel. We then use your latex choice and body weight to select the support underneath.

Soft springs are available by request for children and people under 50kg, but they are too soft for most adults. Contact us for a quote. If you weigh more than 130kg, contact us so we can check the complete setup.

Soft latex is only available with the Cloud’s 2 micro spring layers.

Firm latex is also available by request, but it is far too firm for most applications and can cause pressure pain. Firm springs with medium latex usually provide a better balance of firm support and cushioning.

What happened to Levels 2–19?

We used to offer 18 firmness levels, from 2–19. We recently simplified the choice to make the fitting process easier to understand. You now choose the surface feel, and we match the springs underneath to your latex choice and body weight.

Each mattress includes felt and a flippable spring unit, so you can still make it firmer at home. If you need to go softer or firmer, contact us and we’ll help with the right adjustment or component.

How do I know if the mattress is too firm or too soft?

If the springs are too soft for your weight, your hips can sink too far and create a hammock shape. If the support or surface is too firm, pressure can build around the shoulders and hips.

Keep the jobs of each component separate. Latex controls the immediate surface feel. The main springs provide support underneath. Micro springs add cushioning and contouring. Felt and the flippable spring unit provide smaller at-home adjustments.

Firm latex is available by request, but it is far too firm for most applications and can cause pressure pain. Firm springs with medium latex usually provide a better balance of firm support and cushioning.

How sleep position changes the cushioning

Sleep position helps choose the cushioning after the latex feel and main spring support are selected. It does not replace the latex-and-body-weight calculation for the springs.

Side sleepers

Side sleeping creates concentrated pressure around the shoulders and hips. Most side sleepers prefer the Cloud with 2 micro spring layers because it gives those areas more room to settle.

A common mistake is confusing support with a hard surface. Firm springs can sit under soft latex, so a heavier side sleeper can have strong support underneath without creating pressure pain at the shoulder and hip.

Back sleepers

Back sleepers need enough cushioning to follow the lumbar curve without letting the hips sink too far. They can choose the Cloud for more cushioning or the Aurora with 1 micro spring layer for a firmer, more direct surface.

Stomach sleepers

Stomach sleepers usually prefer the Aurora. Its single micro spring layer creates a flatter surface and reduces the chance of the pelvis sinking too deeply and overarching the lower back.

Debunking myths about firm and soft mattresses

I hear these all the time. Let’s clear up the two biggest myths about mattress firmness.

Myth #1: “A firm mattress is good for your back”

A firm mattress is not automatically better for your back. A 50kg person and a 120kg person compress the same mattress to very different depths. The goal is neutral spinal alignment, not the hardest possible surface.

A more accurate rule is that people with back pain have more to gain from getting the fit right. The latex controls the immediate surface feel, while the main springs need to provide enough support for the person’s body weight.

Myth #2: “Soft mattresses cause sagging”

Springs rarely sag. Foam softens and develops impressions. If the springs are too firm for the sleeper, the comfort material can be crushed between the body and an unyielding spring unit, which speeds up wear.

Get the spring support right and you do not need excessive amounts of foam to make the mattress tolerable.

Firmness and support: why spring tension matters

I have mattresses in the showroom where the only difference is 0.1mm in the pocket-spring wire. They feel completely different. That small change has a major effect on how the mattress distributes body weight.

The latex changes the surface feel. The main springs determine how the body is held. The micro springs add cushioning. Keeping those jobs separate makes the mattress easier to fit and adjust.

Comfort materials: latex vs memory foam vs polyfoam

These materials sit above the springs and affect surface feel, pressure relief, heat and durability.

Polyfoam

• Usually the cheapest option
• Softens and develops impressions sooner than natural latex

Memory foam

• Good at reducing partner disturbance
• Heat-sensitive, so it can feel softer in summer and firmer in winter
• Creates a slow-sinking feel that some people enjoy and others dislike
• Usually retains more heat than latex or springs

Natural latex

• Responsive rather than slow-sinking
• Open-cell and less heat-retentive than memory foam
• More durable than polyurethane foam
• Available in soft or medium as standard; firm by request

Natural latex over pocket springs gives us a durable surface material and adjustable support underneath.

How to test firmness

When you lie on a mattress in the showroom or during the trial, focus on two priorities.

Priority #1: it must feel good while you are lying on it

Lie down in your normal sleeping position and give yourself time to settle. Ask:

• Is there pressure at the shoulder, hip or lower back?
• Do you feel as though your hips are sinking too far?
• Does your spine feel relaxed and naturally aligned?

There is no universal answer. That is why the showroom lets you try every firmness option rather than relying on a label alone.

Priority #2: it must keep feeling good

A mattress can feel comfortable for five minutes and still soften badly after a few years. This is why we use natural latex, pocket springs and replaceable components.

Common firmness mistakes

Mistake #1: choosing from somebody else’s recommendation

Asking a stranger which mattress feels good is like asking them what size jeans you should buy. Their answer describes their body, not yours.

Mistake #2: changing the mattress too quickly

Your body needs time to settle into a different mattress. Unless the setup is obviously painful, give it time before making a major component change.

Mistake #3: confusing firmness with support

A mattress can have a plush surface and still provide strong support. Soft latex over firm springs is one example: the latex cushions the body while the springs hold it up.

Mistake #4: ignoring the bed base

A mattress follows the surface underneath it. Flexible or damaged slats can create a dip that feels like mattress failure. Use a solid, stable base and avoid curved flexible slats. See our bed-base guide for details.

Use the at-home settings before changing components

Each mattress has three settings using the felt position and the flippable spring unit. We normally deliver the softest, most contouring setting.

• Standard spring orientation with felt below: softest setting
• Standard spring orientation with felt above: middle setting
• White-mesh side with felt above: firmest setting

If those settings are not enough, contact us. The 7-month trial includes 2 free firmness swaps, with one component per swap.

We find the right firmness through a good starting recommendation, testing and adjustment—not prediction alone.

Final thoughts: Why adjustability matters

The Ausbeds system gives you a clear starting point without locking you into the first setup. You can adjust:

• the latex surface feel
• the medium or firm spring support
• the number of micro spring layers
• the felt position and spring-unit orientation

Choose soft or medium latex, match the springs using the confirmed weight thresholds, then choose the Aurora or Cloud cushioning for your sleep position. If the three at-home settings are not enough, the 7-month trial includes 2 free firmness swaps.

The goal is not to make you choose from a long numbered scale. It is to start with the right components and give you a practical way to fine-tune them.

Gary S. experienced that adjustability under our previous numbered system after switching from a waterbed to the Aurora:

“I thought the 6 would suit me, even though Karl had suggested the 5 might be more appropriate. After giving the 6 a two weeks trial, I had to concede that Karl knows more about beds than I do. I changed the bed to a 5 and it is now perfect.”

— Gary S., ProductReview

Ready to find your firmness option?

Visit our Marrickville showroom to try every firmness option, or call us at (02) 8999 3333 to discuss your specific needs.