Memory foam mattresses are renowned for their shape-shifting abilities, moulding to the contours of your body to provide support, comfort and a great night’s sleep like no other mattress can.
You’ve placed your order and eagerly awaited its arrival, only for the mattress to arrive... but you're instantly not a fan. It’s far too firm. However, you need to approach foam mattresses with patience and allow them to adapt to you.
So, let’s answer the question you’re wondering about – will a memory foam mattresses soften over time?
Yes. Memory foam mattresses do soften over time. The heat and weight of your body will cause the mattress to become softer with just a few weeks of use.
How Long Does It Take to Break In Memory Foam?
Don’t panic if your memory foam mattress feels firmer than you’d hoped. It won’t stay that way forever.
These types of mattresses are designed to mould to their owner, so they take a little time and patience for the dense memory foam to decompress and adjust to your unique body shape. Think of this stage as a marathon, not a sprint, and you’ll be enjoying the best night’s sleep of your life before you know it.
Generally speaking, the breaking-in period, after which your new bed will feel softer, can be anywhere between two and four weeks. Luckily, we have a few tricks up our sleeve that might help you speed the process up a bit…
How Do You Make A Memory Foam Mattress Softer?
Turn up the heat!
One thing to note about memory foam is that it’s temperature-sensitive. The temperature-sensitive qualities are the reason the foam is able to mould and adapt to the curves of your body in the first place, so you can use this to your advantage on your journey to a medium-soft or soft mattress.
If you can, raise the temperature in your bedroom, especially while you’re lying on the memory foam mattress. This will encourage the foam to soften and mould to your body much more easily. A cold room can make a foam mattress firmer, so crank up the heating a few notches when you first buy your mattress. Then you can allow your body heat – and the radiators – to work their magic and make your firm foam bed softer. You can also heat the mattress with an electric blanket or hot water bottles.
Step To It!
Have you always been told to stop jumping on the bed? Us too, but we’re going to tell you to temporarily overlook this rule - kind of.
Rather than an intrusive jump, gently walking or even crawling on the top of the mattress can help to relax the foam and make for a much softer sleeping environment, and it is probably one of the most effective ways of doing so.
Before walking, it’s best to take it off the frame to avoid causing damage to the bed frame or its slats. If the mattress is too heavy to do this a couple of times a day, it’s best to stick to the kneading your knees method - unless you’re confident in the foundations of your bed.
Try Out a Memory Foam Topper
Buying a mattress topper is a quick way to achieve your desired firmness in the adjustment period of your new mattress.
Memory foam mattress toppers offer a layer of supportive comfort to your existing mattress, and because of the slight difference in structure and density than a proper mattress, they’re far more forgiving and shouldn’t need their own breaking in period.
Patience is a Virtue
Ah that old saying, patience is a virtue, but it really is true when it comes to a new mattress. With every night that passes, your body weight, body heat and general movement on the mattress will help to soften it slowly but surely. If you can ride out the firm mattress for just a couple of weeks we can assure you that you will eventually reap the rewards!
Do You Have a Mattress Trial Period?
While a trial period won’t help to break your mattress in any quicker, it will protect your if it’s just a case of a poor mattress or simply not the one for you!
Some memory foam mattresses are naturally a lot firmer than others and can stay like this for a few months, so it might be that you’ve ordered a mattress that doesn’t suit your preference, and that’s completely fine. Therefore, you should make sure your mattress comes with a free trial, especially if you have ordered online and have been unable to try it out beforehand in a showroom.
We know the importance of getting your mattress choice absolutely right, which is why we offer a 200-night trial on all of our mattresses. We’re confident you’ll be satisfied with your purchase, but just remember; give it time and try out some of our techniques to cheat your way to a softer mattress.
Ready to try out a memory foam mattress yourself? Whether you’re looking for traditional memory foam, hybrid mattresses or orthopeadic memory foam our range has something for all budgets, sleeping positions including front sleepers, stomach or side sleepers, and yes, mattresses of all firmness levels!