Mattress firmness can be a very personal detail of a mattress, as not all sleepers feel firmness in the same way. But one thing is certain— if a mattress is too firm you will probably feel it.
A mattress that is too firm can cause push-back and limit contour, ultimately leading to pressure relief issues, back pain, and other discomfort.
In This Guide
Break It In | Change the Firmness | Add A Mattress Topper | Change the Temperature | Check the Foundation | Summary | FAQ
Break it in.
If this is a new mattress, you may just need to break it in. When a new mattress is first set up, it will likely feel firmer than expected. Give it a few nights for your body to adjust. Over time your body will help soften the foam and decrease the overall firmness.
Many mattress companies require a “break-in period” for this very reason. Break-in periods range in length, but most are around 30 days. It’s typical for a mattress to take 3-4 weeks before it mostly breaks in, and it can several months before the process is complete.
Give it time and then assess the feel. If it still doesn’t feel right, it’s time to move on and look for ways to soften the mattress. Keep reading below for our top suggestions on how to do this.
Change the firmness.
If you’re still within your trial period, consider swapping the mattress for one of different firmness. Most new mattresses offer at least a 100-night trial period, which gives you ample time to decide if the firmness is a good fit for your needs.
What Firmness Do I Need?
If you’re not sure what firmness is right for your needs, check out the table below. This table considers your personal body weight as well as the most frequent sleeping position to recommend an ideal firmness range.
If using this table, you have found that your mattress is too firm, try one of the following tips change the firmness.
#1. Swap the mattress.
Some mattresses offer a mattress collection that comes in 2 or 3 firmness levels. To switch mattress firmness, you would need to return the whole mattress and exchange it for a new mattress. With most companies, exchanges are free, but sometimes they have a small fee.
Here are some of the most popular mattresses that we’ve tested which come in multiple firmnesses.
- Winkbed Hybrid: Soft (4), Medium (6), Firm (7)
- Saatva Classic: Soft (3.5), Medium (5.5), Firm (8)
- Bear Hybrid Elite: Luxury Soft (4.5), Luxury Firm (6), Extra Firm (7.5)
- Loom & Leaf: Medium (5.5) or Firm (8)
- Ashley Sleep Gruve: Soft (4), Medium (5), and Medium-Firm (6)
- Lytton Signature: Comfort Plush (4) or Comfort Firm (7)
- Brooklyn Bedding Signature: Soft (4), Medium-Firm (6), Firm (8)
- Nolah Evolution 15: Plush (4), Medium (5.5), or Firm (8)
- Nest Bedding Quail: Plush (3.5), Medium (5), Firm (8)
#2. Swap the foam.
Other mattresses have a zippered cover, which reveals a top layer of foam. This foam can either be exchanged or flipped, depending on the manufacturer’s design. This can be a convenient way to change the firmness because you don’t have to send back the whole mattress.
The mattresses we’ve tested to date which have a removable top foam layer include the following.
- Nest Bedding Sparrow: Plush (3.5), Medium (5), Firm (8)
- Nest Bedding Finch: Medium (5) and Firm (7.5)
- EcoSleep Luxe Hybrid: Medium (5.5) or Firm (8)
#3. Flip the mattress.
In other cases, the entire mattress is flippable. Simply flip the mattress upside down to reveal an alternate firmness on the opposite side. This design requires no exchange or zipping—simply flipping.
Here is a quick list of some popular flippable mattresses and their associated firmnesses on each side.
- Layla Memory Foam: Medium-soft (5) and Firm (8)
- Layla Hybrid: Soft (4.5) and Firm (7.5)
- Plank Firm Luxe: Very Firm (8 or 9)
- Propel Hybrid: Soft (4) and Firm (7)
- Nest Bedding Robin: Medium (6) and Firm (8)
- Helix Kids: Side for 3-7-year-olds (8) and Side for 8-12-year-olds (7)
Add a mattress topper.
So what if this isn’t a new mattress? Without variable firmness or the option of an exchange, can anything be done? Absolutely. One of the easiest ways to soften a mattress is to add a mattress topper.
Mattress toppers range from 2-4″ thick and sit on top of your existing mattress. Add your bedding over the topper and voila—a softer mattress to sleep on tonight.
Mattress toppers can be made of a variety of materials, but oftentimes are made of gel memory foam, latex foam, or wool.
For a slight change to firmness, you may want to consider a mattress pad. Mattress pads are typically thinner than toppers and provide a less drastic change to the feel. For a more significant change, I would recommend a thicker mattress topper.
Mattress Pad vs. Mattress Topper: Trying to decide which is right for you? Click here to check out the differences.
Change the temperature.
Some foam mattresses are actually regulated by temperatures. Cooler temps can cause some foams to feel firmer while warmer temps may provide a softer feel.
Changing your mattress’s firmness to softer may be as simple as turning up the heat a degree or two. You could also consider adding an electric blanket as well to further engage with the foams directly.
This strategy could also work for mattresses that feel a bit too soft. Turn up the AC or turn down the heat to help a mattress feel firmer. Adding a gel cooling mattress topper may also help provide the chill you’re looking for.
Check the foundation.
The foundation under your mattress can sometimes cause firmness issues or excessive softness and sinkage.
Look at the underside and check for missing slats or damaged areas. If your foundation is dated or looks like it’s not sufficiently supporting the weight of your mattress, you may want to consider a change.
Good foundations can be platform style, wooden slats, metal slats, bunkie boards, boxsprings, etc. There are numerous ways to support a mattress, but if you don’t have a supportive foundation then the quality of your mattress could suffer.
Boxspring vs. Foundation: What’s the difference? And which solution is right for your bed. Check out the full comparison here.
Summary
When your mattress is too soft or too firm, it makes it hard for your spine to maintain a neutral position. And when spinal alignment gets off, you may notice issues with pressure points, lack of support, or even back / neck pain.
Whether your mattress is new or old, it can be fairly simple to change the firmness.
If you try these tips and still find that the firmness is not right for your needs, I encourage you to reach out.
You may need a new mattress. Take 5 minutes and take our Mattress Finder Quiz and we will reach out to you directly with a personal recommendation for you. No bots. No auto responder. Just real people who really like talking about mattresses.
FAQ
If your mattress is new, consider exchanging the mattress for a different firmness. If your mattress is no longer under a trial period try adding a mattress topper, making your room warmer, or checking the quality of your mattress foundation.
Generally yes. Most all mattresses have a tendency to get softer over time, whether that be from foam breaking down or springs weakening. Over time, this can cause some extra sinkage or sag on the mattress, although most mattresses provide warranties to protect from excessive sag.
Brand-new mattresses may feel firmer than expected when you initially unbox them. Over the course of the first 30-180 days, the mattress should soften slightly. If after that time you still find it to be too firm, consider a return or exchange while the mattress is still protected by the trial period.
