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Soft mattresses
A soft mattress lets your shoulders and hips sink in, which suits side sleepers and lighter people. This range covers soft (1 to 2) and medium-soft (3 to 4) on our 1 to 10 firmness scale, with the number on every mattress page.
Read our buying guideWhat is a soft mattress?
A soft mattress is one that gives noticeably under your weight, graded 1 to 4 on our 1 to 10 firmness scale: soft at 1 to 2 and medium-soft at 3 to 4. Instead of lying on top, you sink into the upper layers and the mattress shapes itself around your shoulders and hips.
The softness comes from the comfort layers. Many soft mattresses use memory foam, which softens with body heat, moulds around you and recovers slowly. Others put soft foam or deep padding over pocket springs, which feels bouncier and lets more air move through. Underneath either, a good soft mattress still has a supportive core.
The two bands feel different. At 1 to 2 you sink in deeply and feel held in place. At 3 to 4 your shoulders and hips still settle in, but the mattress pushes back sooner, so turning over takes less effort.
Who should sleep on a soft mattress?
Soft mattresses (1 to 4 on our scale) suit side sleepers and lighter people best: side sleepers need the shoulder and hip to sink in, and lighter people don't press far enough into a firmer mattress to feel its cushioning. They suit front sleepers and heavier people least, because their hips can sink too far.
| Firmness | How it feels | Usually suits | Think twice if |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soft (1 to 2) | You sink in deeply and feel held | Lighter side sleepers | You sleep on your back or front, or you're heavier |
| Medium-soft (3 to 4) | Shoulders and hips settle in, your middle stays supported | Most side sleepers | You sleep on your front, or you're heavier |
| Medium (5 to 6) | A little give, then firmer support | Combination sleepers, back sleepers and heavier side sleepers | You're light and like to feel held |
If you sleep mostly on your side, our guide to mattresses for side sleepers covers pillow height and construction as well as firmness.
Is a soft mattress bad for your back?
A soft mattress isn't bad for your back if it keeps your spine roughly level in the position you sleep in; it becomes a problem when your hips sink lower than your shoulders.
That's most likely if you sleep on your back or front, or if you're heavier, because your middle carries most of your weight and presses furthest into the mattress. On your side it's different: the shoulder and hip need to sink in for your spine to stay straight, which is why soft suits side sleepers best.
Back pain is a separate question. If you have pain that doesn't go away, see a GP or physiotherapist, because a mattress can't treat it. Our page on mattresses for back pain explains what the research does and doesn't say.
Should I choose soft or medium?
Choose soft or medium-soft (1 to 4) if you sleep on your side and like to feel the mattress give; choose medium (5 to 6) if you change position through the night, share with a back sleeper, or are heavier.
Medium-soft and medium sit next to each other on our scale, and the usual advice for side sleepers spans both. Your current mattress is a useful guide. If it feels hard at the shoulder, go softer. If you feel you sink too far and it isn't simply worn out, look at our medium mattresses instead.
How can I make a firm mattress softer?
The simplest way to make a firm mattress softer is to add a mattress topper, which puts a cushioning layer on top; it changes the feel but can't fix a mattress that has sagged.
A topper is worth trying if your mattress is still flat and supportive but feels hard at the shoulder and hip, and our mattress toppers are the place to start. If the mattress dips in the middle, has lumps or you can feel the springs, a topper will just follow the dip, so replace the mattress instead. On a bunk bed or high sleeper, the topper counts towards the depth, and the total must stay at or below the maximum mattress line marked on the bed.
As a family-run shop, we're happy to talk firmness through: tell us how you sleep and what you're sleeping on now, and we'll suggest a starting point.
Soft mattresses: your questions answered
Can't see your question? Ask us and we'll get back to you.
Are soft mattresses good for side sleepers?
Soft mattresses suit many side sleepers, because the shoulder and hip need to sink in for the spine to stay level. Medium-soft (3 to 4 on our scale) is the usual starting point. Fully soft (1 to 2) suits lighter side sleepers, and heavier side sleepers may need medium (5 to 6) so their middle doesn't sag.
What is a medium-soft mattress?
A medium-soft mattress is graded 3 to 4 on our 1 to 10 scale, between fully soft and medium. Your shoulders and hips settle into it while your middle stays supported, which is why medium-soft suits most side sleepers. It's the firmer of the two bands in our soft range, with more push-back than a mattress graded 1 to 2.
Is a soft mattress good for heavier people?
A soft mattress usually isn't the best choice for a heavier person, because more weight sinks further into the same surface and the hips can drop below the shoulders. Heavier people generally need firmer support, more depth, a sturdy spring unit and firm edges. A heavier side sleeper who likes some give could try medium (5 to 6).
Are soft mattresses suitable for children?
Soft mattresses aren't usually the first choice for children, who mostly sleep well on something medium to medium-firm: supportive for a growing body without feeling hard. Soft mattresses are not suitable for babies under 12 months. The Lullaby Trust's safer sleep advice is a firm, flat, waterproof mattress that fits the cot snugly.
How is mattress firmness measured?
Mattress firmness has no industry-wide scale, so each brand grades its own and one maker's medium can feel like another's medium-soft. We grade every mattress on the same 1 to 10 scale, shown on its page: soft 1 to 2, medium-soft 3 to 4, medium 5 to 6, medium-firm 7 to 8 and firm 9 to 10. Compare numbers within one shop.
Are all memory foam mattresses soft?
Not all memory foam mattresses are soft. Memory foam describes how the material behaves: it softens with body heat, moulds to you and recovers slowly. It's made in different firmnesses and is often layered over firmer foam or springs, so a memory foam mattress can be anything from soft to firm. Check the number on the mattress page.
Do soft mattresses sleep hot?
A soft mattress can feel warmer, because you sink further in and more of your body touches the surface. Memory foam in particular can hold warmth. If you run hot, look for soft comfort layers over pocket springs, which let air move through, and keep the bedroom cool: The Sleep Charity suggests around 16 to 18°C.
Can a soft mattress be supportive?
A soft mattress can still be supportive. Softness is how the top layers feel; support is how well the core underneath holds your spine level. A good soft mattress has cushioning comfort layers over springs or firmer foam. A mattress that dips where you lie has lost its support, whatever its firmness when it was new.
Not sure which mattress?
Tell us about your bed and how you sleep, and we'll suggest a few that fit.