Best Extra Firm Mattress: Top Picks For Sturdy Support

Extra firm beds are the firmest of the firm on our scale – too much firmer and you’re basically sleeping on hardwood or concrete. These mattresses provide some of the strongest support on the market, a flat sleep surface, and they often resist sagging more than other firmnesses. Extra firm beds are typically best for stomach sleepers, back sleepers, sleepers with larger builds, and anyone who feels like regular firm mattresses are too soft. Side sleepers should beware since extra firm beds are usually too harsh on the hips and shoulders.

Who Is an Extra Firm Mattress Best For?

Extra firm mattresses offer unique features that often appeal to stomach and back sleepers as well as heavier individuals. 

The surface of an extra firm mattress generally feels dense rather than plush. Contouring properties, if present at all, are subtle. Since back and stomach sleepers need stronger support to promote spinal alignment, they may benefit from this firmness level. Extra firm mattresses also limit sagging and sinkage that can lead to heat buildup or a stuck feeling, especially for heavier individuals. 

Because of their solid surface, extra firm mattresses also allow extremely easy movement across the surface, which can make them a good choice for combination sleepers, or those that have trouble getting in and out of bed.

Who Should Avoid an Extra Firm Mattress?

Sleepers that prefer a plush surface or who need deep contouring and pressure relief should likely avoid extra firm mattresses. In particular, side sleepers and lighter-weight individuals often need the adaptive support of a softer mattress to promote spinal alignment and relieve tension.

Video: Is a Firm Mattress Right for You?

While some people may associate mattress comfort with plushness, a firmer mattress can be more beneficial for certain sleepers. In this video, our sleep experts cover everything you need to know so you can select the best mattress firmness for your needs.

Choosing the Right Mattress Firmness for You

When choosing between a firm and soft mattress, remember that you experience firmness differently based on your body type and sleeping position. What feels firm to one sleeper may feel too soft to another. 

Side sleepers often benefit from softer mattresses, since these cradle the hips and shoulders to relieve pressure. For stomach and back sleepers, firmer mattresses deliver strong spinal support, and are usually more comfortable. 

Individuals weighing less than 130 pounds generally need a lower firmness level to feel support compared to those who weigh more. On the other hand, sleepers who weigh over 230 pounds may experience uncomfortable sinking on a soft mattress.

We use a 10-point scale to measure firmness, with higher numbers indicating more firmness. Mattresses that rate 7 or 8 out of 10 in firmness are considered firm to extra firm, while those that rate 9 are extra firm.

What You Should Consider in an Extra Firm Mattress

Once you’ve decided that an extra firm level is right for you, there are a number of factors to consider before choosing a specific mattress.

Mattress Material

Extra firm options are available in all mattress types, but different construction materials affect how each mattress type performs. 

Foam mattresses, constructed from memory foam or polyfoam, are generally associated with plush surfaces and contouring properties. However, extra firm foam mattresses use denser foam that creates a sturdy sleep surface, usually with minimal contouring.

Latex mattresses are made from the sap of rubber trees and offer a responsive surface that provides cushion and pressure relief without foam’s adaptive properties. Back and stomach sleepers looking for an extra-firm mattress with extra bounce often opt for latex. 

Hybrid mattresses stack foam or latex comfort layers atop pocketed coils for a balance of adaptive cushion and support. Extra firm hybrids generally use dense comfort layers to create a supportive surface that minimizes sinking. 

Airbeds (not to be confused with air mattresses) consist of comfort layers over air chambers that you control with a remote or an app. By adding or removing air, you can adjust the firmness to a precise degree. Many airbeds have separate controls for each side of the bed, which is helpful if your partner finds the extra firm level uncomfortable. Because of the technology involved, airbeds often cost more than other types of mattresses.

Spinal Alignment

For proper spinal alignment, the mattress should distribute weight evenly. Extra firm mattresses provide excellent support to maintain alignment since they resist sagging, which can cause the spine to fall out of its natural curvature. 

However, the ideal mattress for spinal alignment depends on your body type and position. For example, side sleepers under 230 pounds generally need a more even balance of pressure relief and support and generally find extra firm mattresses too stiff.

Motion Isolation

Motion isolation refers to a mattress’ ability to absorb movement. Mattresses with strong motion isolation prevent a sleeper’s movements from disturbing their bed partner. Extra firm mattresses generally allow some amount of motion transfer since they lack the contouring properties that absorb movement. That said, the amount of motion transfer still varies among extra firm models, depending on their materials and construction.

Pain Relief

Finding the ideal mattress firmness for your body type and sleeping position will help prevent new aches and pains, and might even relieve existing ones. If the mattress is too soft or firm, it can cause spinal misalignment or pressure buildup that worsens the problem. 

Extra firm mattresses can help relieve pain if they match the sleeper’s needs. For example, heavier individuals often find that the strong support of an extra firm mattress provides the balance of subtle contouring and pushback they need to maintain a healthy sleep posture.

Tips for Firming Up Your Mattress

If the firmness of your current mattress isn’t measuring up to your needs, there are several steps you can take to potentially improve its performance before replacing the mattress. 

• Buy a firm mattress topper: Mattress toppers come in a wide range of materials, and can be a quick, affordable way to adjust the firmness of your bed. They can also lengthen the lifespan of your mattress and change the feel of its surface. 
• Use the proper mattress foundation: Using a proper foundation, be it a box spring, bed frame, or bunkie board, prolongs the lifespan of the mattress and can alleviate sagging. 
• Flip or rotate your mattress: We recommend rotating your mattress once or twice a year to spread out which areas get heavy use. If your mattress design is flippable, turning it over regularly also keeps it from wearing out as quickly. 
• Check your mattress warranty: Many mattresses include a warranty so that you can get a mattress repaired or replaced if it becomes defective within a certain time period. If your mattress is sagging, check its included warranty policy to see if it’s still covered.

Discover More Mattress Solutions

Finding the perfect bed for your needs can be overwhelming. Let us help. We have expert-tested, unbiased guides for every type of mattress.

More Mattress Guides

To determine the best extra firm mattress, we gathered dozens of models that rated a 7 or above on our 10-point firmness scale and evaluated them according to our rigorous methodology. Using in-house testing, we gathered both subjective and objective performance data on all models.

Our goal is to help you find the perfect mattress for your needs. Over years of testing sleep products, we’ve learned that no two sleepers are exactly alike, so our testers run the full gamut of body types, sleeping positions, and preferences.

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