Updated at: 16-07-2022 - By: Sienna Lewis

You finally got rid of your old mattress and bought a new one. Your long-awaited night of sound sleep is finally here. You deserve it.

As you lay in bed, hoping to go off to sleep, you may begin to notice that the minutes are ticking by without you actually drifting off to sleep.

You toss and turn in an effort to find a position that is both comfortable and restful. Was there a blunder? Is your new mattress a dud?

Breaking in a new mattress may be all you need. As with a new pair of squeaky shoes, a new mattress will take some time to soften and conform to your body. What to do if you buy a model that’s not a suitable fit may be found in this article, as well as how to return it.

Why Do You Need to Break in Your Mattress?

Breaking in a new pair of shoes isn’t the only thing that needs to be done. Mattresses, trousers, baseball gloves, and even car engines all need to be broken in before they can be used properly.

3 Tips to Help You Break in Your Bed

Consider this: you’re comfortable with your current mattress. You recognize the droopy indents, the worn out springs, and the frayed fabrics. It will take some time to become used to lying on a new, hard surface.

Your body may not be accustomed to the sensation of being in right alignment. If this is your first time purchasing a mattress, expect it to be firm for the first several months.

Be prepared for the first few nights or weeks on your new mattress to be different. Some people fall in love the very first night, while others may suffer for months or longer before they finally discover their soul mate.

Follow these suggestions to speed up the process of breaking in your new bed.

Breaking in a New Mattress – Tips & Tricks

Let Your Mattress Breathe

If you bought your bed online, chances are it came compressed or rolled in a box. To be on the safe side, it’s been well-protected with plastic wrap.

For a few days after installation, the materials may emit an odor from off-gassing. For further reasons, if your mattress was compressed for delivery, it may take a while for it to return to its original dimensions.

It can take anywhere from four to 10 hours to fully expand, depending on the type you purchased. Not only can sleeping on it too quickly make you uncomfortable, but it can also harm the mattress’s capacity to expand properly. Let your mattress breathe for the first 24 hours without any sheets or body weight on it.

Put on the Pressure

If you want to make your bed more comfortable, walk on it. On latex and memory foam surfaces, this method works nicely.

For innerspring or hybrid mattresses, crawl on your hands and knees instead of slouching over. As a result of this difference, the springs can bend or decay more quickly if your body weight is centered too much on them.

If you don’t like the idea of walking along your bed, consider putting books on top of it.

Be Patient

If you’re not in love with the feel of your new bed right away, don’t give up hope. In the beginning, your beloved pair of shoes may have given you a blister. Remember that your new mattress may not feel like home for up to 60 days.

Another thing to bear in mind during this procedure is that the greater the quality, the longer it may take because of the endurance of the materials.

Warm it Up

Memory foam softens and becomes more pliable when it gets heated. If you don’t know this, you should know if you have it. It’s best to maintain the temperature of your bedroom higher than normal if you want to break in your new mattress quickly. As a result, you should notice a difference in the softness of your mattress.

Consider the fact that sleep can be disrupted by high temperatures, so this is a tradeoff. In order to get the best results, you should be in a chilly room and have already planned to warm it up.

Sleep on It Consistently

Discouragement and a desire to take a break from the procedure may cause you to consider spending the night on the couch or in the guest room. Keep in mind that regular use of your mattress might speed up the process of breaking in. You’ll be able to enjoy your item sooner this way.

Put It in the Right Foundation

If your existing foundation is worn, sagging, or broken, don’t put your new bed on it until you double-check that the two pieces are compatible. You may not always require a new foundation, but if you’ve changed the type of bed you’re currently sleeping on, you may need a new one.

Follow Your Gut

If you have a gut feeling that this bed isn’t for you, don’t force yourself to stay in it. This may be worth a try before making up your mind, however.

Give It the Full Time

Most companies need customers to sleep on the product for a certain number of nights before they can return or exchange it. These companies are cognizant of the fact that many people need time to get used to sleeping on a new surface. Customers frequently reach a decision on whether or not they like or dislike their purchase within the timeframe they choose.

How and When to Break in a New Mattress - No more discomfort

Because if they say to wait 30 nights before returning it, why not give it a try? Consider seeking for a company that doesn’t demand four or more weeks of sleepless nights or contacting the brand to express your problem.

How Long Does It Take to Break In?

Innerspring

The break-in period for innerspring beds is usually rather short. There isn’t a lot of firmness or thickness to the pillow top layer above the springs, which are naturally built to adjust to your weight. It’s possible that you’ll sleep soundly on your first night, but it’s also that it could take up to four weeks.

The springs in these mattresses decay more quickly than the high-density memory foam, so keep that in mind. As a result, every three to six months, be sure to flip your mattress over from head to foot.

Latex

Latex has a wide range of time periods. Whether the latex is natural or synthetic, and whether the product is made entirely of latex or a hybrid, are all factors to consider.

As a rule, these beds are more difficult to break in since they contain a lot of extra air. Two to fourteen days is about how long it will take you to get to know your new, fully broken-in latex mattress.

Memory Foam

Memory foam with a lower density feels like a cloud the first night, but it might leave you feeling like you’re sinking into nothing after only a few months of regular use.

Models with a higher density may require more time to break in, but they should last you much longer overall.. Memory foam beds take longer to break in if the density is high. It’s possible that it will take as long as sixty days.

What if It Never Breaks In?

Wait

Never rule out a possibility, as the adage goes. The mattress will eventually break in, but that doesn’t mean it will be comfortable.

At the very least, it’s a good idea to wait the manufacturer’s recommended amount of time. Even if it still doesn’t fit, get in touch with the retailer to arrange a return or exchange.

Exchange

Most companies have more than one model. Compare the firmness or softness of what you now have.

After all, they’d rather spend the money on a new bed than lose you as a customer completely.

Return

You may have to return your bed and start the purchasing process all over if the manufacturer or retailer does not have another model accessible or suitable. Make sure you have your receipt before you begin the return process.

Avoid damaging or staining the product throughout the trial time. If you misuse a product, you may not be able to get a refund from a company that accepts returned goods.

How long does it take to break in a new bed?

There is a break-in period for all mattresses. A 30-day period is standard, although it can extend to 90 days. Mattress type and how different your new mattress from your old one affects how quickly you get acclimatized to a new mattress.

It is for this reason why most mattress manufacturers won’t accept a return or exchange request before the initial 30-day break-in period has passed. That is also the reason why many businesses offer a trial of their product at home.

Memory foam

Because high-density memory foam is heavier and includes more material than low-density memory foam, breaking in a memory foam or hybrid mattress often takes the longest time. Before deciding whether or not a memory foam mattress is right for you, give it at least 60 days of use.

The longer it takes to break in a memory foam mattress, the higher its density.

Spring

Because they’re made to conform to your weight, standard spring mattresses are popular because they’re immediately comfy for most people (particularly if they have a pillow top). To fully break them in, it may take up to 30 days.

In order to avoid the dreaded mattress sinkhole, you should rotate spring mattresses every three to six months because they decay faster than memory foam.

Latex

When it comes to luxury mattresses, latex is the fastest to break in. It can take anywhere from two to 14 days, depending on whether the latex is synthetic or real and if the mattress is 100% latex or a combination.

Tips for breaking in a new mattress

The best way to break in a new mattress is to be patient and allow it to do its thing. While patience is a virtue that’s hard to come by for many people, there are certain things you can do to help speed things up a little.

Swap your foundation

You may not give much care to your foundation or bed frame, but the right support for your mattress can make all the difference. First, check that your mattress and base are compatible. There are two types of foundations for memory foam and hybrid mattresses: platform or box springs.

Make sure your foundation isn’t fractured, sagging, or worn out before purchasing a new mattress. A new one may be necessary if it doesn’t provide even and sufficient support.

Give it time to breathe

Instead of jumping into bed the minute your new mattress arrives, give it a few days to settle in. Your mattress may arrive compressed and wrapped in plastic if you ordered one online.

For a compacted mattress to fully inflate, it can take four to 10 hours, however some providers advocate waiting 24 to 72 hours if you have the option of sleeping someplace else.

If you try to place your weight on the mattress too quickly, the mattress may not be able to fully expand, resulting in restless nights.

Roll around or walk on it

Your body weight exerts pressure on the mattress when you sleep, aiding in the mattress’s break-in process. Try rolling on your mattress like a rolling pin or walking or crawling about on it for a few minutes every day to speed up the process. The materials will be more easily loosened as a result.

The break-in period is a good time to spend more time in bed. Rather than sitting on the couch to watch TV or read a book, bring it to your new mattress.

Sleep on it every night

For the first 30 to 60 days, don’t give in to the impulse to switch to your old mattress or sleep anywhere else. Using your new mattress on a regular basis not only breaks in the materials, but it also helps your body adjust. There’s a danger in switching between your new mattress and your old one too frequently.

Turn up the heat

Memory foam responds to changes in temperature. When it’s hot, it becomes softer, and when it’s cold, it becomes harder. If you have a memory foam or hybrid mattress, you can assist soften the material and make it more pliable by raising the temperature in your bedroom to 72 degrees.

Buy a mattress topper

With a short trial period or if you’re in love with your current mattress but want to change the firmness or softness level, a mattress topper is an excellent choice. It can increase the thickness of your mattress, alter its feel, and even make it feel softer or firmer. The cost of a new bed is prohibitively high, and they come in a broad variety of materials.

When to consider a return

However, what if you’ve been sleeping on your new mattress every night for the past 60 days and you’ve tried all of these methods and still can’t find comfort? There is a possibility that you purchased the wrong mattress and should return to the drawing board. Even worn mattresses can be returned or exchanged at most mattress and furniture retailers because this is so common.

Since you’ve already bought the wrong mattress, you may be reluctant to put your faith in your own mattress intuition at this point. Fortunately, there are a few simple ways to diagnosis your mattress problems.

Stretching After Sleep Images | Free Vectors, Stock Photos & PSD | Page 3

Signs your mattress is too firm

  • You experience pain in your upper back, neck, or shoulders when you first wake up in the morning.
  • Your shoulders, hips, or knees may be hurting you.
  • Pain or numbness in the hands, feet and/or arms
  • No matter how hard you try, the mattress isn’t able to conform to your body’s shape.

A softer mattress may be the answer if you’re experiencing any or all of the following symptoms.

Signs your mattress is too soft

  • When you get out of bed, your mattress has a ding in it.
  • You’re in agony in your lower back when you get out of bed in the morning.
  • Toss and turn a lot
  • With a mattress that sinks in, it’s tough to get out of bed in the morning.
  • Sinking into the mattress feels like you’re suffocating to death.

If you’re experiencing any of these issues, you may want to look into a firmer mattress.

The best way to get the appropriate mattress is to work with a sleep adviser or specialist who can help you find the right one and get back to sleeping properly. Many businesses provide bespoke mattress fittings.

For educational and informational purposes only, this material does not provide medical or health advise. It’s always best to seek the advice of an expert when it comes to medical issues or pursuing health goals.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the fastest way to make a firm mattress soft?

Spending as much time as possible on it will soften it up the fastest. To get the most out of the firm surface, use it for other activities outside sleeping, such as reading, working, or watching television. Put it on the shelf when you’re not home and work on it when you have the time.

To learn more, visit: How to Soften a Mattress

Is it effective to walk on it?

For memory foam and latex-based surfaces, this method works well. Crawl about on your hands and knees instead than on your feet when using an innerspring or spring hybrid mattress to distribute the weight of your body more evenly and avoid putting too much stress on the springs.

How can I tell if my mattress is too firm?

Overly firm surfaces might cause shoulder, hip, and/or arm numbness and/or pain in the morning. There are times when the mattress is overly soft and you’re more concerned about your lower back.

Is it normal for a new mattress to cause back pain?

If you wake up in the morning with back pain, it’s probably not because you’ve just purchased a new mattress. The firmness of the mattress you bought might not be appropriate for your weight or sleeping position.

Another possibility is that your way of living is to blame for the pain in your back. Do you engage in high-impact physical activities? Or do you spend most of your time sitting and slouching? Your back pain could be caused by any one of these things.

Conclusion

Knowing how much time you spend sleeping, it should go without saying that you shouldn’t have to settle for anything less than the best when it comes to your health. Check out the company’s history and reputation before making a purchase. Tips to consider before deciding whether or not to buy the product:

  • Check out consumer feedback. Those who speak of situations similar to yours should get your full attention (low back pain or having arthritis, for example).
  • Check the return policy. Is there a certain number of nights you have to spend on the mattress before you can return it? No matter how long it takes, does the company allow you to make a decision?
  • Check to see whether there is a return policy in place. Depending on your preferences, you may be able to choose between a firmer or softer bed thanks to these options.
  • Consider visiting a local showroom to test out the product before making a purchase. If you’re unable to make a decision between two models, a showroom may be able to help.
  • To make sure you’re satisfied, see if the company sells any add-ons. There are “comfort kits” available from some manufacturers, which allow you to alter the firmness or softness of your mattress to suit your needs.