So you finally decided to retire your old mattress and invest in a new one, and of course, you’d expect that your new mattress would let you sleep like a baby on the first night.
Quite the contrary, regardless of the type of mattress, they take an amount of time before they are considered broken in.
Like a new pair of shoes that need to be worn for a little while, your mattress will break in after a few nights of sleeping on it.
We provide you with some of the best tips to help you break in your mattress and adjust to them better.
Why Do You Need to Break in a New Mattress?
Honestly, mattresses can be usable the moment you get them out of their box, but we’re rarely accustomed to the firmness of a new mattress.
When we’re used to sleeping in our beds for quite a long time, shifting to a new bed would need a little getting used to.
No two mattresses are alike, they’re never the same level of plush, and the sleeping surface never feels the same.
In some cases, you might even be missing the sagging of your old bed, and a firm mattress would feel unusual to you.
More than wearing in the mattress material, the break-in process concerns more of finding your comfort and sleeping positions that give you the best comfort levels as you sleep.
How Long Do You Need to Break in Your New Mattress?
Mattress materials are made to be rigid and robust, yet flexible and soft enough to not only conform to your body but also support it as you lie down.
Typically, it takes a couple of weeks to get accustomed to your new bed and for the material to soften and conform to your sleeping positions.
For some people, it can happen instantly; there’s no objective way of evaluating if your mattress is broken in – it all boils down to your preference.
If you think that your mattress feels comfortable already, then that’s probably broken in, and you could start moving on from your old one.
The Best Ways to Break in Your Mattress
Let Your Mattress Breathe after Unboxing
We know how exciting it is to unbox your new mattress and immediately lie down on it, we can’t stop you from doing that.
But we encourage you to let your mattress breathe a little before you put on some bedding, a few hours should do the trick.
It’s best to take it out of the box in the morning, have the plastic sheets removed and only place your bedding when you’re close to bedtime.
This is more important for high-density memory foam mattresses for the air to flow better and for the material to loosen up and be less compact.
Break It in with Your Body Weight
An easy way to let your new mattress break-in is to loosen it up by applying weight to it, the most available weight being your body.
Spend some time on your mattress, lie down to take naps, sit on it while you watch some TV, roll around in it.
Having weight applied consistently will allow for changes in the mattress firmness; it will eventually be more comfortable to lie on it after quite some time.
If you’re not available to just be in bed the whole day, you may place some books or other moderately heavy objects across the mattress surface.
And if it wasn’t obvious yet, your mattress needs you to sleep on it.
Turn up the Thermostat a Bit
If you own a memory foam mattress, you should know that the foam cells in the mattress can be more malleable when you have higher room temperature.
Sacrificing a few nights without the air condition turned on can help accelerate your new bed’s break-in process.
It doesn’t mean you have to sleep in a hot room. A few degrees difference is already enough to help the firmness level of your new mattress to feel softer.
Other Things to Consider
Innerspring Mattresses Should Be Treated Differently
Innerspring mattresses are built with metal coils and springs inside a soft material like foam and other forms of cushioning.
Mattresses with inner springs break in faster than memory foam or latex mattresses, but they usually take a few extra steps.
To ensure that your innerspring mattress breaks in evenly, you should regularly flip and rotate your mattress.
Flipping and rotating allows the springs and coils to wear evenly.
Latex Mattresses or Hybrid Mattresses
Latex mattresses are different from the others in the sense that they feel more elastic than foamy; they can also be paired with springs, which can make them considered hybrids.
The unique thing about latex is its composition; unlike standard foam mattresses, latex doesn’t change much from the day it’s new and when it’s broken in.
NEW MATTRESS ALERT: Our extra firm Align Firm Mattress is our firmest mattress yet. Get the support you’ve always wanted for a sold night’s sleep with the Align Firm Mattress.
You Can Always Use a Mattress Topper
There are times when a new mattress doesn’t ever feel right, even after a considerable break-in period. If your mattress doesn’t feel quite right, you can opt to use a mattress topper.
Mattress toppers are especially useful when your mattress feels too firm, and you get back pains from lying down on a firm bed.
The memory foam material allows for better back support and less strain on your pressure points, thereby enabling you to get better sleep quality.
Final Thoughts
Breaking in your mattress will always be a part of the process; it’s inevitable. The sooner you have it broken in, the sooner you get to enjoy sleeping on it.
Just make sure you buy it from a reputable mattress company, so you can get a return policy should the mattress be unable to break-in and give you a satisfactory experience.
Ecosa ensures that you only get the right mattress, and if you’re not satisfied, you can have it returned at any time during the 100-night trial period.
Check it out: King Size Mattresses, Queen Size Mattresses
