If you are currently on the lookout for mattresses, you might have the word ‘plush mattress’ thrown around quite a bit. But what is a plush mattress that everyone keeps talking about?
A plush mattress is known to give the feel of sinking into a bed of clouds. As soon as you lay down, the mattress sinks under your weight and adjusts itself around your body. They are luxurious mattresses that are firm enough to give support despite being super soft. With these, your joints and spine would unfurl, ultimately relaxing any areas of tension.
And while plush mattresses sound appealing and tempting, they aren’t made for everyone. If it isn’t recommended to you, you will end up with sores and aches.
So, read on to find whether or not this mattress is the right fit for you and your back. We’ll also help you understand different aspects of the plush mattress to assist you in making the right choice!
Who Should Use a Plush Mattress?
As we said, the plush mattress is not recommended for everyone. It is to be used by petite people as the bed tends to contour around the lightweight bodies. The mattress is also fitting for side sleepers as it provides extra cushioning. This implies that there are minimal pressure buildups in the hips and shoulders.
Petite people usually weigh less than 130 pounds so, they do not assert too much weight on the mattress. Hence, the regular mattress does not contour around their body and makes it uncomfortable to sleep. A plush mattress has a low firmness level and quickly surrounds the body with minimal weight. It gives them better comfort.
The plush mattress is top-rated amongst the side sleepers. The plush mattress weight on the sides is significantly reduced and adequately cushioned. The too-firm mattress does not dip with the extra weight on the side, which leads to hand cramps.
People suffering from consistent back, hip, and shoulder pain can also resort to a plush mattress. Foam does not sink in quite as much as the plush mattress does; hence it does not give the required comfort. Foam mattresses do have contouring, but it is a firm mattress, still not enough to relieve the pain.
Also, if you’re sharing a bed with a partner but are a light sleeper who gets up with the slightest movement, then give the plush mattress a try. It has a low motion transfer and does not move with the body shifting.
Who Shouldn’t Use a Plush Mattress?
A firm mattress is recommended for people who like sleeping on their stomachs. While sleeping on a plush mattress, their body would misalign and cause severe pain. They also have the risk of hip sagging and misaligning the spine. Their pelvis sinks in ‘free fall,’ which can arch the spine and lead to back issues.
People who are overweight should also avoid using this mattress. On a plush bed, their body would sink in, and they would find difficulty changing positions. Even getting up after rest will be a challenging task. The soft mattress can also cause over-compression, leading to back problems.
If you are over 230 pounds, it is better to use a firmer mattress than a plush one. Your body, too, won’t sink as much as before the layers. But if you are adamant about using a plush mattress, you can apply zoned or transition layers to add some extra firmness to the mattress and allow you to move around much more manageably.
Why Do Mattress Firmness Matters?
The firmness level of any mattress is the biggest determiner between a good or bad night’s sleep. As soon as you get on a bed, the firmness level determines the initial feeling you get after laying. It will also help you understand the different mattress types.
There is no set industry standard followed by the mattress companies that you can look out for. Though, you can determine it on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 is determined to be the softest mattress ever, while 10 is the most firm mattress on the market. On this scale, we can place plush mattresses on level 3.
Firmness vs Support
While these terms are pretty similar, we can understand firmness and support under different meanings. In technical terms, firmness is understood by ILD or Indentation Load Deflection. It also determines the amount of mattress compression under different weights.
On the other hand, support is understood by the layer construction and mattress materials like zoned support technologies and pocketed coils.
A plush mattress is soft, but companies incorporate support for better sleep. High-end soft mattresses are made with support layers to provide better spine alignment and enhanced comfort. You just need to be on the lookout for the best plush mattresses to find this added support.
Plush Mattress vs Other Mattress Types
A plush mattress is quite different from other soft mattress types. They are incredibly delicate while still providing enough support to counter back problems. Meanwhile, other soft mattresses have just a part of the mattress as a soft layer. It can be either the top or bottom layer, but never the whole mattress.
Plush vs Pillow Top
A pillow top mattress is a regular mattress but with an added comfort layer. The inch or a thick layer is sewn on top of the mattress using coil construction called innerspring or hybrid. These tops are usually made from wool, cotton, or down for softness. However, they lack the support that comes with plush mattresses.
A plush mattress is entirely soft, not just a single layer like a pillow top. Still, companies market their pillow-top mattresses as plush ones. This is because the comfort layer on the top enhances the comfort and softness of coil beds.
Plush vs Euro Top
A euro top mattress is a type of pillow-top mattress, but they are often used interchangeably. While both pillow top and euro top mattresses have a comfort layer present on top, there is a slight difference. The comfort layer is beneath the mattress’s cover in euro top; it is visible on the pillow top.
Euro top’s plushness feels incredibly luxurious and helps ease the pressure points. It works with both petite and non-petite sleepers.
Plush and euro are both very soft and comforting. And since you cannot visibly see the extra layer sewn on the top, it almost feels like you’re laying on a regular plush mattress.
Plush Mattress vs Other Mattress Firmness
The firmness of any mattress is a significant determiner of comfortable sleep. A plush mattress might not be the best choice if you’re a back or stomach sleeper or overweight. Instead, a firm or medium mattress will correspond to your needs much better.
Plush vs Firm
A firm mattress has a comfort layer but is extremely thin, while a plush mattress has a thicker layer. In all terms, firm mattresses are the complete opposite of plush mattresses. They are undauntable while lying down, entirely even, and comfortable to sleep on for the stomach, back, and plus-sized sleepers. It provides the necessary pushback that these sleepers need.
Some companies market these mattresses as ‘plush firms.’ They use it to define their firm mattress with an additional level of the soft layer. It is pretty similar to the pillow-top mattress. The companies also use the terms “cushion firm” or “luxury firm” to describe the mattress.
Plush vs Medium
Medium mattresses are placed 5 on the firmness scale. These mattresses are more firm than plush mattresses but still are soft enough to avoid pressure buildup. They are the most popular firm mattress used by the stomach, back, and plus-sized sleepers.
They are recommended for the side sleepers as they give the neutral alignment needed. But they also help in promoting the necessary cradling. Couples also use this mattress due to its low motion transfer feature and versatile surface to achieve different sleeping positions.
Conclusion
As you must have understood till now, plush mattresses are beneficial in sleeping. If recommended for you, it can provide endless comfort with fewer sleeping issues. Especially petite sleepers, side sleepers, and sleepers with the need for extra comfort can find their relief in a plush mattress.
They are thoroughly convenient and bring out the two most sought-after adjectives of mattress - support and comfort. You can enjoy a cloud-like sensation without feeling as if you’re sinking. With these mattresses, you can also find ease from your back or spine pain.
