How to Break in a Mattress

Knowing how to break in a mattress can be a game-changer when you are considering buying a new bed for your home. Let’s say you have just purchased a brand new mattress. You browsed the showroom’s selections, spoke with an expert, and tried out different mattresses until you found the perfect fit. But when you get your mattress home and lie down that first night, you notice it feels much more stiff than it did in the store. Why does it feel different? The answer: the mattress has not been broken in. 

Breaking in a mattress is a crucial part of getting the best night’s sleep long-term. But, how do you go about breaking it in? Texas Mattress Makers answers your FAQs and explains everything you need to know about how to break in a mattress. 

Looking for where to buy a mattress in Houston? Look no further than Texas Mattress Makers. 

1. Is it Possible to Break in a Mattress? 

Of course! Breaking in a mattress can be a lot like breaking in new shoes –– the more they adjust to your body, the more comfortable they feel. 

The best tip when it comes to knowing how to break in a mattress is simple: continue to sleep on it! The more you sleep on the mattress, the more the materials will begin to loosen up and conform to your body, getting rid of that firmness you’re experiencing. The experts at Texas Mattress Makers say that when you receive your mattress it will be about 20% firmer than what you felt at the showroom but this will change once it is broken in. To speed up this process, you can use your hands and feet to apply pressure around the mattress to soften it further. This last tip is especially useful if you’re experiencing new mattress back pain and want to make your mattresses more comfortable quickly. 

2. How Long Does it Take to Break in a Mattress?

Depending on the type of mattress you have, it can take around 30-60 days for the mattress to adjust to your body, soften up, and give you the “showroom” feel you experienced. Remember, your mattress may not feel perfect right away, but again, the materials need time to adjust to your body before it’ll feel perfect for you. 

If you’ve waited the break in period and still feel like you’re not getting a good night’s sleep on your mattress, call the mattress store where you purchased your mattress. 

3. Why is my New Mattress too Firm?

Is your new mattress too firm? Do mattresses get softer with time? Essentially, yes. When a mattress is bought straight from the showroom, it can often feel a bit firmer than it did in the store because it hasn’t been broken in yet. The components in the mattress are all new and have to adjust to your body. As you continue to sleep on your mattress, the components will contour and mold to your body creating what we call a mattress body impression. This impression is natural and healthy and helps the mattress properly align your spine as you sleep.  

In fact, some of our mattresses in the Texas Mattress Makers showroom include these body impressions. This helps our customers get the most realistic idea of what their mattress will feel like once it’s been broken in. 

4. Why is my New Mattress too Soft?

We talked about what to expect when your new mattress feels too firm, but what if your new mattress is too soft? This is sadly a reality for those who purchase mattresses from major retailers. Earlier we mentioned that our showroom mattresses may contain body impressions to give the customer the most realistic idea of what the mattress will feel like after it’s been broken in. Major retailers don’t do this. 

When in the purchasing process, you may be lying on a mattress that hasn’t been broken in, therefore that feeling will soften over the next few weeks (and can take up to 60 days to fully break in). Long story short, you may have bought a mattress thinking it would stay that firm, when in reality, it will mold and adjust to your body’s pressure. 

Keep this in mind when considering a new mattress. Ask the salesperson questions about how the mattress performs to be sure you’re making a smart investment. We do spend approximately one-third of our lives asleep, so it’s important to take the time to find the perfect mattress for you. 

Breaking in a Mattress: Why it Matters

Customers researching how to break in a mattress should understand that your mattress will change over time. Just because your brand new mattress doesn’t feel 100% perfect in the first few days, doesn’t mean it will always feel that way. Our mission is to educate customers on how your mattress will feel throughout its life-span and not to focus on the short-term differences.  

As mentioned above, breaking in a mattress only takes around 30-60 days. After that, you’ll start to notice the comfort, the support, and the feel is just right. It just takes a little patience! 

At Texas Mattress Makers, we don’t want to sell you a mattress without letting you know how it will perform in the long run. After all, our vast selection exists so that you can find the right mattress fit to your unique sleep needs. 

If you’ve had your mattress for a while and noticed issues with your mattress, make sure to see if your experience lines up with top bad mattress symptoms, as these could be signs that your mattress is breaking down instead of breaking in.

Get Realistic Mattress Expectations at Texas Mattress Makers

Now that you know how to break in a mattress, you’re ready to purchase your new bed. With over four decades of experience, our experts will assist you in finding the right mattress that will last you a lifetime. And if you have any concerns about breaking in that mattress, we will gladly answer any questions you may have. 

Browse our full selection of handmade mattresses online and choose to shop by either comfort level, mattress type, mattress size, or budget. If you’d prefer to physically touch and feel a mattress before buying, you can visit us at any of our convenient Houston locations today!

More Beducation by Texas Mattress Makers:

• What is Serene Foam? 
• Where to Throw Away a Mattress in Houston
• Tips for How Often to Buy a New Mattress
• Can a Bad Box Spring Ruin a Mattress?
• When is the Best Time to Buy a Mattress? (Hint: Not Always During Sales!)