How Long Does it Take to Break in a Mattress?

Texas Mattress Makers

November 16, 2023 · 7 min read

Have you ever slept on a brand-new mattress and thought to yourself, why does my mattress not feel like it did in the store? Is it normal for a new mattress to hurt your back?Is my mattress going to feel like this forever? There’s no need to worry.

When you buy a new mattress, your body needs some time to adjust to your new bed — similarly, your mattress needs time to adjust and conform to you. Just like a new pair of shoes or denim jeans, mattresses too need to be “broken in.” And this mattress break-in period doesn’t happen overnight.

But how long does it take to break in a mattress? The mattress experts from Texas Mattress Makers are here to answer your questions regarding why new mattresses need to be broken in and how long you can expect them to take.

Why do new mattresses need to be broken in?

When you purchase a fresh mattress, the components used to make up the mattress are brand new, meaning they are likely to be a little stiff because they haven’t been used yet. This means that the supportive base components and the top comfort components are ready to conform and adjust to your body specifically, but they need time to do so.

This process of breaking in a mattress allows the bed to form what we call natural body impressions to accommodate the curves in your body as you sleep and promote proper spine alignment for healthy, quality sleep. For more information and a demonstration of how natural body impressions are a good thing, our founder Youval Meicler explains it all.

If your mattress is not given proper time to break in, it will not conform to your body properly and you will feel discomfort when you wake up every morning. Ouch. Therefore, you need to allow your mattress some time to adapt to you and your sleep patterns. But, how much time does a mattress need to break in?

How long does it take to break in a mattress?

The mattress break-in period can vary depending on the type of mattress you bought, where you bought it from, and how often you’re sleeping on the mattress.

Typically, it takes 30-90 nightsof you consistently sleeping on a mattress to fully break it in. This gives the mattress’s components enough time to adapt to your particular body shape in your preferred sleeping position. After this period, your mattress should feel perfectly comfortable to your liking while maintaining its strong support system.

To be clear, “breaking in” a mattress does not necessarily mean that the components are weakening over time, just that they are learning how to support your body best as you sleep. Those natural body impressions play a large role in satisfying your sleep needs.

Can you speed up the mattress break-in period?

If you’re wondering how to break in a mattress faster, there isn’t a way to do that safely without compromising the components in your mattress. Some articles may say to turn the heat up in your room to 75 degrees (in Texas?! Are you crazy?!) to “soften” the materials or jump up and down on your bed to loosen it up. Do not do this.

Hurting your mattress’s components before they’ve had the chance to break in properly will only leave you with an uncomfortable, bad mattress that will only cost you more money to replace in a few short years.

Patience will pay off when you’re getting the best sleep of your life after your mattress is properly and naturally broken in!

Is it normal for a new mattress to hurt your back?

Yes, it is normal to wake up with minimal aches as the mattress adjusts to your body and as you adjust to sleeping on the mattress. The discomfort should be minimal and short-lived, but if you are still experiencing significant discomfort after the mattress break-in period, speak to the retailer that you purchased the bed from and see if they can help you figure out a solution.

We recommend allowing a 30-night period for the materials to adapt to your unique sleeping pattern before reporting a comfort concern. Our 90-Night Comfort Guarantee gives you an ample amount of time to see if the mattress you purchased from us truly is the perfect mattress for you. If you have concerns about the feel of your mattress, please contact any of our showrooms so that our experts can help you to get the quality rest you deserve.

My husband and I got a Casper mattress a couple of years ago and were both having aches when we woke up. Once I was pregnant, my back and neck were hurting so much that we decided it was time to look for a new mattress. We are so happy with our Texas Mattress Makers mattress! We were told that there would be a short period of needing to break it in which we waited out and are so happy we did because it’s so comfortable now. So happy we trusted them and got this amazing mattress.
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Do mattresses get softer over time?

For the most part, yes! However, it depends on what type of mattress you bought and what components make up that mattress. Typically, a mattress that has been consistently slept on will begin to become more comfortable and to your liking as the components begin to loosen and conform to your body. But for some mattresses, this may not be the case.

There are some mattresses in our showroom that will maintain their feel from the day you buy them. For example, our River Oaks Euro Top Mattress contains a coil-on-coil configuration that allows it to maintain its medium-firm feel even after the mattress break-in period. This mattress will still form those healthy body impressions we discussed earlier, but it will not get much softer. This is a great mattress choice for those who want to maintain that medium-firm feel throughout their time sleeping on this mattress.

Want to Know How Your Mattress Will Feel When It’s Broken In? Texas Mattress Makers Has You Covered.

For those who were wondering “How long does it take to break in a mattress?” we understand that it can be a little intimidating not knowing how your mattress will feel once it’s broken in. Purchasing a mattress is a big commitment, and we understand wanting it to be the one before you spend your hard-earned money!

If you are looking for the holy grail of tips for mattress shopping, here are two major points to consider: ALWAYS try before you buy and shop at a Texas Mattress Makers showroom. All of the mattresses on our showroom floors are already broken in to give you the best idea of how they will feel once the mattress break-in period has passed. No other mattress retailer does this. This is a huge benefit for people who know they want a certain feel and can be confident in achieving that feeling once the “new mattress feel” wears off after the break-in period. Less guessing for you, and better sleep too!

Come into any of our mattress stores in Katy, Downtown Houston, The Woodlands, Rosenberg, Humble, and Baybrook, TX, and try out our incredible selection of handmade-in-Houston mattresses today! Your best night’s sleep is just one visit away.

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