A good night's sleep is essential for overall well-being, and our mattress plays a significant role in ensuring we wake up refreshed and rejuvenated. If you have a too-firm mattress that feels uncomfortable, you might wonder how to make it softer without investing in a new mattress. Fortunately, there are several techniques and methods you can employ to make your bed feel like a softer and more comfortable sleeping surface. In this article, we will explore various ways to make your mattress softer, allowing you to enjoy a more restful night's sleep.
What Happens if Your Mattress Is Too Firm?
If you have a firmer mattress, it can lead to discomfort and poor sleep quality because an overly firm mattress may not provide adequate support and may cause pressure points to form in areas like the shoulders and hips, leading to aches and pains. It can also result in improper spinal alignment, potentially exacerbating issues like back pain. Additionally, a firmer mattress might not conform to your body's natural curves, making it challenging to get a good night's sleep and rest.
How do I know if My Mattress is Too Firm?
A mattress that's too firm often doesn't contour to your body's natural shape, preventing you from getting a restful night's sleep. Here are the other few signs that your mattress is too firm:
- Your mattress is too firm if you experience discomfort and stiffness when you wake up, or if it is hard to fall asleep.
- If you notice that pressure points, such as your shoulders and hips, are sore after sleeping,
- If you find it difficult to relax and you toss and turn frequently,
- Waking up with numbness or tingling in your extremities
9 Ways to Make Your Mattress Softer
1. Break It In
Breaking into a mattress involves allowing it to adapt to your body and become more comfortable over time. To break in a mattress, sleep on it regularly and consistently for several weeks or months. As you do, the materials inside the mattress, like memory foam for memory foam mattresses or coils for innerspring mattresses, will gradually conform to your body's shape and soften, making the mattress more comfortable and supportive.
Aside from sleeping on the mattress regularly, other helpful methods for breaking in a mattress are to gently walk or lightly bounce on it to encourage the materials to settle and adapt.
Breaking a mattress can help improve its comfort, especially if it feels firmer when it's brand new. Over time, with consistent use and care, your mattress will reach its optimal comfort level, ensuring a more restful and supportive sleep quality.
2. Use a Mattress Topper
Using the best mattress topper is a practical and efficient method to soften your mattress. These toppers, available in various materials such as memory foam, latex, or down, add an extra layer of plushness and comfort to your existing mattress.
By selecting a mattress topper with the preferred thickness and material, you can personalise your mattress's firmness level to suit your needs, as it improves sleep quality and pressure relief.
3. Flip Your Mattress
Flipping your mattress can be an effective method for making it softer and more comfortable. Over time, mattresses tend to develop uneven wear, with one side becoming more compressed and firm than the other. By flipping the mattress, you can redistribute the weight, allowing the previously unused side to regain its original shape and plushness, especially for double-sided mattresses designed for flipping.
4. Use Mattress Pad
A mattress pad is an effective way to make your mattress softer and more comfortable. This mattress cover is available in various materials like memory foam, down, or fiberfill, offering an extra layer of cushioning and plushness to your existing mattress.
Additionally, mattress pads often provide benefits such as pressure point relief and temperature regulation, enhancing your overall sleep experience because they not only soften the sleeping surface but also protect your mattress from stains and wear, extending its lifespan.
5. Adjust Your Bed Frame
Your bed frame can also influence the firmness of your mattress. A bed frame that is too rigid or lacks proper support can make your mattress feel firmer, while an appropriately adjusted frame can enhance its softness. Factors like the frame material, support systems like slats or box springs, and adjustability play a role. To make a mattress softer, make sure that your bed frame has even and sturdy slats, adjust the angle if your frame is adjustable, and use a suitable box spring foundation to provide the right level of support, ultimately optimising your sleep comfort.
6. Use Plywood Board Beneath Your Mattress
Using a plywood board beneath your mattress can be a practical solution when you want a soft mattress or something more supportive for a solid foundation. You might need them if you have a saggy mattress that has developed sags or uneven areas or feels too firm due to a lack of support.
Simply place the plywood or support boards between your mattress and your bed frame, and ensure they are of the right thickness and properly positioned to bridge gaps or reinforce the sagging mattress.
7. Adjust Your Room Temperature
The materials in your mattress can be affected by temperature sensitivity and humidity, especially if you're using a memory foam mattress. Warmer temperatures and higher humidity levels can make the materials in your mattress softer and more pliable. So, it is also important to consider adjusting your bedroom's temperature or using a humidifier to achieve a softer mattress.
8. Change Your Sleeping Position
Changing certain sleeping positions can be an effective strategy to make your mattress feel softer, and the perceived firmness of a mattress can vary depending on sleep positions. For instance, side sleepers often find their mattress softer as it contours to the body's curves, preventing back and neck pain. Back and stomach sleepers may find the same mattress to be firmer because it provides more even support. So, to make your mattress feel softer, try adjusting your sleeping position to one that naturally accommodates your body's needs and preferences. This simple change can optimise comfort, promote better sleep, and extend the lifespan of your existing mattress, saving you the expense of purchasing a new mattress.
9. Invest in a New Mattress
Investing in a new bed is a straightforward and often the most effective way to make your sleeping surface softer if your current mattress is too firm or has lost its comfort over time. As mattresses age, their materials can deteriorate, leading to increased firmness and diminished support.
A new bed allows you to choose the level of softness that suits your preferences, whether plush, memory foam, or a hybrid option. By investing in new mattresses with the right firmness level and support features, you can ensure a more comfortable and restful night's sleep, potentially alleviating issues like back pain and discomfort that your old, worn-out mattress might have caused.
How to Achieve the Perfect Mattress Firmness Level
The perfect mattress firmness is highly subjective and depends on your preferences, body heat and type, and medical conditions. To determine the ideal firmness for you, consider factors like your sleeping positions (side sleepers, back sleepers, or stomach sleepers), body weight, and any chronic pain issues.
Side sleepers typically prefer a soft mattress or soft bed for pressure relief, while back and stomach sleepers often need a firmer surface or firmer mattresses for proper spinal alignment. Additionally, your personal comfort is crucial, so try different firmness levels in-store or choose a mattress with adjustable firmness settings if possible.
Remember that the proper mattress firmness should balance support and comfort, promoting a restful night's sleep and ensuring you wake up without pain.
Final Thought
Achieving the ultimate comfort on your mattress is not limited to buying a brand new mattress. There are several proven methods to make your mattress feel softer, ranging from simple additions like mattress toppers and mattress pads to adjusting your bedding to flannel sheets and giving your mattress time to break in. Experiment with these methods to discover the perfect level of softness to make sure you get a restful and comfortable night's sleep. Keep in mind that a little extra effort can go a long way in providing the comfort and support you need for a good night's sleep.