How do I know if my mattress is too firm?

If you're waking up with back, neck or shoulder pain, your mattress might be too firm. If you wake up in the morning — or during the night — feeling discomfort at certain pressure points, like your shoulders, hips, or knees, your mattress is probably too firm.

What happens if mattress too firm?

An overly-firm mattress can put excess strain on your pressure points (shoulders, hips, and torso) or cause spinal misalignment. You might also find that your body stays tense as you sleep, resulting in muscle, neck, or back pain.

How do you tell if my mattress is too firm or too soft?

Do firm mattresses soften over time?

Do firm mattresses get softer? All mattresses get a little softer within the first 50 to 60 nights of regular use. This is called the natural break-in period. However, this natural break-in doesn't make it an uncomfortable mattress, rather it tempers down the extra firmness of a new mattress.

Can a firm mattress cause body aches?

There's nothing wrong with a firm mattress, provided it's supportive. If you sleep on a mattress that's overly firm and stiff, the extra pressure on your tailbone, shoulders and arms could lead to joint soreness over the long term.

Is Your Bed Killing Your Back? Causing your Back Pain or BackAche

Why do I wake up sore and stiff every morning?

Scientists have discovered that we wake up stiff and achy because our body's natural ibuprofen has not kicked in yet. As day darkens into night, the circadian clocks in joint tissue suppress inflammation and also the body's production of anti-inflammatory proteins, our natural pain-dampeners.

Why do I wake up sore all over?

Morning body aches can be caused by a lack of good quality sleep, which deprives your body's tissues and cells of repair time. An effective way to improve sleep is with exercise, which tires the body and reduces stress, helping to improve both the quality of your sleep, and the amount of sleep that you get each night.

How long does it take to break in a firm mattress?

Most mattresses take anywhere from 30 to 90 days to fully “break in." Your new mattress may be different from your old one, or it may seem stiff from its newness, and thus may seem uncomfortable for a little while. Like a new pair of shoes, the mattress materials haven't had time to soften and conform to your body.

How can I make my mattress less firm?

Can a firm mattress hurt your back?

If you go to bed feeling great and wake up miserable, it's a good sign your mattress is causing back pain. A mattress that's too soft will cause your spine to fall out of alignment all night long, and a mattress that's too firm will cause joint pressure in your hips that leads to pain in your lower back.

What firmness is best for side sleepers?

Mattress ratings for side sleepers

If you're a side sleeper, we would generally advise going with a medium/soft or medium mattress — depending on your body compensation, this will be firm enough to stop your body sinking into the mattress entirely, but will be plush enough to alleviate pressure and pain as you sleep.

Which type of mattress is best for back pain?

What type of mattress is good for back pain patients? Back pain patients should purchase memory foam or a certified natural latex orthopaedic mattress as these mattresses are ergonomically designed to reduce back pain by improving posture, increasing blood circulation, and distributing the bodyweight evenly.

Can you get used to a firm mattress?

The easiest way to adjust to your new mattress is to simply keep on sleeping on it. Allow your body to get accustomed to the firmer mattress feel, and see from there if it's something you can eventually appreciate. If you find it difficult to sleep on a firm mattress even after a few nights, don't fret!

Is it better to sleep on a hard or soft mattress?

For those not experiencing troublesome back pain, a firm mattress is will generally be more comfortable. When sleeping on a firmer surface, the bones absorb most of the pressure, meaning there is less stress on muscles, veins and arteries. Muscles are less strained, and circulation is improved.

Why are hotel mattresses so hard?

Hotel beds don't cater to individual preferences and are often quite firm because they need to be durable to be able to withstand the varying body weights of guests. There are ways that you can make a hotel bed that feels too firm feel softer and more comfortable.

Can a firm mattress cause neck pain?

When searching for a mattress, look for one that's not too firm or too soft. If the mattress is too firm, it will push on your pressure points and cause misalignment. If the bed is too soft, it will allow your body to sink into the bed, causing bad posture while you sleep, which can also result in neck or back pain.

Can a firm mattress cause hip pain?

If a bed's firmness level isn't well-suited to a sleeper's body type or sleep position, it may create painful pressure points around the hips.

Why does my mattress not feel like it did in the store?

It may not feel like the bed you tried when you visited our showroom. But the good news is that your mattress will adjust to your body and it will take on the “showroom feel” after the proper amount of time and pressure. In the end, your new bed will feel like it did the day you first fell in love with it.

Is it normal to not sleep well on a new mattress?

So, if you have just bought a new mattress and are experiencing some discomfort, then do not worry, it most likely just hasn't had enough time to adjust and conform to your body. Think of your new mattress as a new pair of shoes, you both need time to adjust and achieve optimal comfort.

Do you really have to break in a mattress?

Car engines, jeans, baseball gloves, and yes, even mattresses, all require a breaking in period. Think of it this way: you're used to your old mattress. The saggy indents, the worn-out springs, and the frayed materials are all familiar to you.

How do you break into a hard mattress?

Roll around or walk on it

While you sleep, your body weight puts pressure on the mattress, which helps break it in. If you want to speed up the process, roll back and forth on your mattress like a rolling pin or walk or crawl around on it for several minutes during the day, every day.

Should your shoulders be on your pillow?

It should only be thick enough to create a straight line from your head and neck down through your spine. Your shoulders should not be on the pillow.

Should I get up as soon as I wake up?

"As soon as you wake up after a night of sleep, you should get out of bed. If you lie awake in bed, your brain links being awake to being in bed," according to Professor Matthew Walker from University of California Berkeley.

How do I stop morning stiffness?

Why am I so tired when I wake up after 8 hours of sleep?

For most people, feeling tired when you wake up is the result of sleep inertia, which is a natural feeling you experience as you transition between being asleep and awake. This feeling generally dissipates between 15 and 60 minutes after waking, but for some it can last longer.