Certain products often involve a "breaking in" period when they're first purchased, and mattresses are a great example. How should you go about breaking in your mattress, and how long will this process typically take?
At Sunset Bedding, we're here to offer a huge range of mattress options for varying client needs, from pillowtop twin mattresses to full size plush mattresses, king memory foam mattresses and more. Here are some general averages in terms of time length for breaking in a mattress depending on which material it's made from, plus both general and material-specific tips on how to go about this process.
While these can vary slightly depending on specific mattress makeup, here are the time ranges you can typically expect for breaking in various common mattress materials - plus a few factors that may influence these in one direction or another:
- Memory foam: Generally speaking, it should take around 60 days (or two months) to fully break in a memory foam mattress. This can vary slightly depending on the density of the foam, with less dense foams breaking in quicker.
- Spring mattresses: One of the widest ranges is the spring mattress, and the primary differentiating factor will be the kind of springs your mattress has. Continuous coil mattresses may only need 30 days to break in, while pocketed coils can take up to 90 days.
- Latex: One of the shortest break-in times is found for latex. Synthetic latex mattresses can often be fully broken in within just days, while even natural latex mattresses will typically only take about a week or two.
- Hybrid: Another wide-ranging mattress type, hybrids with both memory foam and springs will vary depending on the exact mix. Memory foam takes longer to break in than spring mattresses.
Here are some general tips to keep in mind regardless of your specific mattress material:
- Body weight: Your body weight can make a real difference when it comes to how long mattress break-in will take. If you're on the lighter side, breaking in may take longer because there's less pressure on the mattress compared to heavier individuals.
- Rotate frequently: We'll get into this more below, but one major tip no matter what kind of mattress you have is frequent rotation - about once every two weeks or so. This helps wear down the mattress more evenly and can speed up break-in time.
- Don't rush it: While you may be eager to start using your new mattress, don't rush the breaking in process. Trying to speed things up by jumping on or sleeping on the edges of the bed can actually damage the mattress and negatively impact its lifespan.
Here are some additional tips specific to certain common materials used in mattresses:
- Memory foam: To help break in a memory foam mattress, try walking around on it barefoot or sitting on different areas of the bed - these actions will help spread out your weight more evenly across the entire surface. You should also give it plenty of "rest" time with no pressure on it, and consider adding a mattress topper. And in many cases, increasing room temperature for the first few weeks can speed up this process.
- Spring mattresses: As we noted above, rotating the mattress every two weeks is crucial for spring mattresses. It's also important to give it time to settle once you first set it up - don't immediately sleep on it or add sheets and blankets. Let it sit uncovered for a day or two.
- Latex: With both synthetic and natural latex, keeping humidity low in your bedroom will help speed up break-in time. You should also rotate the mattress regularly here.
- Hybrid: If you have a hybrid mattress with both memory foam and springs, breaking in will work best if you alternate between sleeping on sides that emphasize each material. This means sleeping more on one side for a week or two, then switching to the other side. And again, regular rotation is important.
As you can see, breaking in a mattress is an important process that requires some patience and effort. But by following these tips, you can ensure that your new mattress will provide you with the best comfort and support possible for years to come.
At Sunset Bedding, we're always available to offer additional tips and expertise on breaking in mattresses or any of our other bedding products! Come check out our selection today.
