A familiar scene: The mattress you tested — poked at and prodded, and perhaps even rolled on for a few minutes — went from, “This is perfect!” in the showroom, to “Why the heck is this thing so firm?” once you got it home.
Since you spend up to a third of your life on your mattress, settling for one that’s too firm and that you find uncomfortable is really just out of the question.
Sometimes a new mattress simply requires a breaking-in period before it starts to feel truly comfortable.
And these periods are real — many mattress companies won’t even consider returns until you’ve gone through the mattress’ recommended break-in period.
Even when you’re not lying in it, you can still help the break-in time along by walking on the bed, crawling on it, or even rolling on it.
The length of time that this process takes can vary, depending on the type of mattress you have.
Latex mattresses have the shortest break-in time, usually around two weeks. Next are innerspring mattresses, which can take around 30 days to break in.
The longest break-in times are usually found with Memory foam mattresses, which can sometimes take up to 60 days to reach their maximum comfort point.
Hybrid mattresses can vary, depending on the combination of materials they are made from.
One of the easiest, quickest, and most effective ways to increase the softness of a mattress is through a pad or topper.
A thin pad or mattress topper is essentially just a layer you add to a mattress’s top in order to make it more comfortable.
If you’re looking to increase both contouring and comfort, the thicker topper is probably going to be a better choice here.
Toppers sell in a variety of thicknesses, and can be made from foam, wool, latex, and even goose down. Foam is by far the most common and popular topper material, particularly for those looking for a softer mattress feel.
Some mattresses are actually made with a different firmness on each side. As such, the key to a softer mattress may be as simple as just flipping it over.
Even if the mattress is not flippable, it’s still a good idea to flip it and/or rotate it 180 degrees occasionally to even out the wear and prevent the mattress from sagging over time (which is often a result of the mattress becoming too compressed).
One of Memory foam’s primary features is the way it reacts to your body’s warmth by softening up, which allows it to contour to your body better.
If you find that your Memory foam mattress is too firm, you can try raising the thermostat in your bedroom a bit so the overall temperature of the space is a little warmer.
If that doesn’t work, try using an electric blanket to heat up the mattress before retiring for the night.
Before you purchase a replacement, it’s important to research the difference between plush and firm mattresses.
Mattress Insider offers a complete line of mattresses available in custom sizes and of various types — all made to best suit your restful sleeping needs!
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This is the most common complaint by those sleeping on a mattress that is too firm. Side sleepers who rest with most of their weight on their shoulders and hips are particularly susceptible to this type of pain.
Waking with any sort of muscle pain on a consistent basis is a sign that your mattress is not working for you.
If you wake in the morning with a stiff neck or any sort of neck pain, it could be a sign that you are sleeping on a too-firm mattress, or that you are using a pillow that is not designed for your preferred sleep position.
A too-firm mattress can increase the pressure on various points of your body as you sleep, causing misalignment and pain.
Do you often wake with stiffness, but find that you can stretch it out if you work at it for 15 minutes or so? This is a sign that your mattress may be too firm for you.
If it feels like you’re laying atop your mattress instead of sinking into it — at least somewhat — this is a sign that it’s not providing what you need. A common complaint from lighter-weight sleepers on a too-firm mattress.
When you’re experiencing any kind of pain or discomfort, or when you’re unable to get comfortable overnight.
You can try a mattress topper, flipping the mattress, or — if you have a foam mattress — warming up the room, as this can relax the material. Another common reason a mattress might feel too firm is that it isn’t yet broken in.
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