Breaking in a new mattress is something you’ll have to do whenever you purchase one, and it can take a longer or shorter amount of time, depending on the mattress’s material. Of course, there’s no easier way to break in a mattress than simply sleeping on it, but you can speed up the process with a few easy tricks.

The Break-In Period

The break-in period for your new mattress is the time it takes the mattress to reach the feel it will have for the duration of its lifetime. Usually, you can expect the adjustment period for new mattresses to last anywhere from one to three months.  

How Long It Will Take to Break in Your Mattress

However, different mattress types break in at different speeds. The time it takes for your mattress to reach its true feel will depend a lot on its materials and construction.

• Hybrid Mattresses – Hybrids have the widest range of break-in times because they can be made of many different materials. Expect them to take anywhere from 30 to 90 days to break in. 
• Innerspring Mattresses – Innerspring require the least break-in time. They generally arrive how they’re going to feel, taking only a few days to break in. 
• Memory Foam Mattresses – Memory foam mattresses take longer to break in, especially if they’re dense. These mattresses also experience the most considerable adjustment in feel because they react to your body temperature. They will soften up over around 30 days.
• Natural Latex Mattresses – Natural rubber foam mattresses usually break in faster than memory foam mattresses. Expect a latex mattress to reach its permanent feel in around 14 days. 

Tips for Adjusting to Your New Mattress

You won’t get used to your new mattress overnight, as your joints and muscles will have to adjust to the sleep surface. No matter how fantastic the new bed you purchased, you’ll probably still need at least a month to grow accustomed to sleeping in it. But you can follow a few tips to make the adjustment period go faster. 

Pick the Right Mattress

Of course, you need to choose the best type of mattress for your needs, but you’ll also need to ensure you pick the right firmness level for your body weight and sleep position. 

Lighter-weight sleepers and side sleepers typically need softer mattresses, like the MLILY ChiroPro Plush. Our cooling and ergonomic chiropractic mattress offers a soft feel while maintaining fantastic support. 

Firm mattresses work better for heavier sleepers and stomach sleepers. And a fine firm specimen is the MLILY ONYX Hybrid Firm. Our sleek and ultra-cool firm mattress offers amazing support without sacrificing too much pressure relief. 

Combo and back sleepers will need medium and medium-firm mattresses. Check out our breathable and cool MLILY Dream if you’re a combo sleeper and our contouring and supportive MLILY Harmony+ if you’re a back sleeper.  

Unpack and Decompress the Mattress

Mattresses that arrive in boxes will need to be unrolled and decompressed before use. This can take between 12 and 72 hours, and you’ll need to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. 

Mattresses that don’t come rolled up generally still need to breathe so that they can off-gas (for synthetic materials) and shed any odors that may have come from being packed in plastic.

Don’t Forget the Appropriate Accessories

Make sure you’re using the recommended bed base (foundation/platform bed/box springs) for your mattress type. Also, be sure to use a mattress protector. 

Placing your mattress on an incompatible foundation or getting stains on it could void your mattress warranty. Typically, voiding your warranty or damaging the mattress will also automatically end the sleep trial period and make the mattress unreturnable. 

What to Expect During the Initial Adjustment Period

When you sleep on your new mattress for the first few nights, you may find yourself waking up sore. Even if your old mattress sagged or had soft spots, your body will still need time to adjust. So expect a little discomfort in the first few nights, and expect it to fade over time.  

Tips to Break in Your Mattress Faster 

Use it Regularly

Sleeping on your mattress consistently will help it break in faster. Sleep on your mattress all night, every night, as soon as it’s decompressed. 

If, however, your new mattress is so different from the old one that it’s interfering with your sleep, you can switch beds in increments, sleeping on the new mattress more and more each night. Otherwise, you may not be able to break it in within the trial period. 

Rotate and Flip It More Frequently

You are normally supposed to rotate and flip your mattress every six months, but try to do it every week or two at the beginning to ensure you’re breaking your new mattress in evenly as you need to put weight on every part of the mattress to soften the whole thing. 

If you don’t want to spend so much time moving your mattress, you can sleep on different sides of the bed and facing different directions. 

Roll Around and Walk on the Bed

Walking on your mattress and rolling around on it can help soften up an overly firm sleep surface faster. Just tread carefully to avoid damaging the support core, and never jump on the bed, especially if it has springs. 

Spend Time in Bed While Awake 

The more time you spend putting your weight on the bed, the quicker it will break in. So even though it’s normally not a good idea to use your bed for things like TV watching or working, you can do so while breaking it in to speed up the process. 

Try a Mattress Topper

If your mattress is too different than what you’re used to, you can try placing a topper on it to provide extra comfort while the sleep surface breaks in. 

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Common Mistakes to Avoid When Breaking in Your Mattress

Getting the Wrong Firmness Level

You want to make sure you get the correct firmness level for your needs. All mattresses will soften up slightly over time, but they will not soften substantially. So don’t get an overly firm mattress thinking it will soften when it breaks in.

Overloading the Bed

You might be tempted to place heavy items on your bed to break it in while you’re away. This is generally not a good idea. Mattresses are made to support sleeping bodies – not furniture or stacks of books. Using items like these could damage your mattress’s internal structure. 

Neglecting to Redistribute Weight 

If you don’t rotate your mattress or sleep on different sides of it, it will not break in evenly over the entire sleep surface. 

Expecting Instant Results

Be patient. Mattresses can take up to 90 days to break in, and most manufacturers won’t even entertain the idea of a return if you have not slept on your mattress for at least a month. Don’t think you can tell in 30 seconds whether you like your bed – you’ll need more time than that. 

Signs Your Mattress is Fully Broken In

Improved Comfort and Sleep Quality

Most of the time, you’ll start getting used to your mattress within a couple of weeks of purchasing it. You’ll know you’re fully accustomed to it when you’re sleeping as well or better on your new bed than the old one. 

A Slight Increase in Softness

All mattresses will get slightly softer as time goes on. If you start to notice more contour and more pressure relief than when you first purchased, you’ll know your sleep surface is getting close to its intended feel. 

When to Consider Returning Your New Mattress

You Realize You Bought the Wrong Firmness

If your mattress comes out of the box much firmer or softer than expected from the manufacturer's description, breaking it in may not help. You should still give it a shot, especially if the seller requires you to wait before returning. But if the firmness is too off, you may need to get a refund or exchange your mattress. 

You Can’t Get Comfortable After a Few Weeks

If you’ve been breaking in your mattress for weeks, and you can’t seem to get comfortable on it, it may not be the right fit. Go ahead and return if you’ve already gone through a significant portion of the sleep trial and are still feeling uncomfortable. 

Conclusion

Breaking in a mattress takes time and patience, but you shouldn’t have to compromise on comfort. That’s why you should give every new mattress a fair shake, but don’t let the sleep trial expire if you plan to return your purchase.