Do you find yourself unable to get out of bed because you sink into your mattress? What’s worse, do you wake up every morning with excruciating lower back pain? Mattresses that are too soft may be to blame.
As mattresses age and their materials lose strength, they may soften and sag. It’s a good sign that your mattress needs to be replaced, but you may not be able to replace your bed right away. Your bed can be made softer and firmer with the right mattress firmness.
You are reading: How to Make a Mattress Firmer? Easy Step-by-step Guide
Ten Ways to Make a Mattress Firmer
1. Check Your Mattress’s Sleep Trial and Warranty
Checking the connected sleep trial and warranty terms are two simple methods to replace a too-soft mattress. The first three months of a trial period for a bed in a box mattress should be sufficient, although other businesses give up to a year of testing. For some who find their new mattress too soft, a firmer mattress type may be the answer.
You may be eligible to make a warranty claim for repairs or a replacement mattress if your mattress is no longer new and has softened and begun to sag. Check your warranty to check if any indentations are deep enough to invalidate it.
The depth of a mattress sag required to be addressed varies from one company to the next. Some companies will replace your mattress if it sags an inch or more, while others will only replace it if it sags more than 2 inches.
2. Buy a Firm Mattress Topper
In addition to providing additional comfort, mattress toppers can be used to improve the look and feel of the mattress. To remedy a sagging mattress, you can also purchase firm mattress toppers. Even if a nice topper can cost up to a few hundred dollars, purchasing a new mattress is still more expensive.
Some of the most common materials for mattress toppers are either memory foam, latex, or poly-foam. Don’t forget to check out user reviews and features like you would for a new mattress.
3. Add or Replace Plywood
A firmer mattress can be achieved by placing a piece of particleboard or plywood under the mattress. A mattress will not sag if it is supported by a solid or slatted foundation.
Airflow in your mattress can be restricted by plywood’s strong construction, which can lead to mildew growth. Our recommendation is to buy plywood that is resistant to moisture, and to keep your mattress covered in a waterproof cover.
4. Move the Mattress to the Floor
For those who need a quick fix to firm up their mattress, a hard floor can give the same level of uniform support as a plywood board, making it a viable option. If you plan to leave your mattress on the floor, you should know that it will be more susceptible to dirt, insects, and mildew.
As with plywood, the floor impedes airflow and collects absorbed moisture beneath your mattress, making your sleep more uncomfortable. Mold can grow in and around your mattress as a result of this buildup of moisture. Mattresses might become softer due to high levels of humidity.
There may be a period of time when you’ll need to keep your mattress on the floor. Once a week, elevate it and lean it against a wall to allow the mattress to breathe.
5. Change Your Box Spring
Contrary to popular belief, mattress box springs do not endure indefinitely. Uneven support will result from the sag in the inner coils. If you hear squeaks or creaks, or if the wood has a stench, it’s time to replace your box spring. Box springs shouldn’t be used for more than a decade before being replaced.
When a box spring is used with a mattress, the bed may sag early if the box spring does not offer the complete support the mattress requires. There is no need to put a box spring under a memory foam mattress or any other form of foam mattress, such as latex or poly-foam.
Replacement of the box spring with an all-solid foundation for memory foam mattresses can increase the firmness of your bed.
6. Lower the Room Temperature
Memory foam mattresses, for example, are temperature-sensitive. When heated, memory foam mattresses relax, allowing the mattress to contour to your body and relieve pressure points. Because of this sensitivity, the bed can actually seem firmer when it’s cold outside.
Read more : How To Store A Mattress Topper? Common Question And Answers
Lower the thermostat, turn on a fan, or open the window to help firm up your mattress.
7. Give it Time to Breathe
Not only may body heat soften a mattress, but so can trapped moisture in the fibers. Sleeping on a wet mattress is a possibility in hot, humid climates.
Take your mattress for a walk so that it can soak up some natural light. The evaporation of moisture and the removal of bacteria, mildew, and allergies from a mattress can be aided by sunlight.
8. Rotate and Flip the Mattress
Do you have a habit of sleeping in the same spot every night? There are a lot of us who do, and over time, the stress on that part of the mattress might cause it to sag. When you rotate your mattress, the sensation of the mattress will be more even all over your body.
Most foam and hybrid mattresses aren’t flippable, though. The flippable foam or hybrid mattresses, on the other hand, allow you to balance out wear and tear on your mattress by flipping it.
Every three to six months, you should rotate and, if possible, flip your mattress.
9. Flatten Your Bedding
Make sure your fitted sheets lie flat if you want a firmer mattress. It is possible for a mattress to harden if it is too snugly fitted.
When it comes to mattress pads, you may want to forgo them if you like a more luxurious feel to your bed. A mattress protector is a better option if you’re looking for an extra layer of protection between your sheets and your mattress.
10. Replace Old Layers
If your mattress includes a detachable cover, such as those made of latex or memory foam, this is a viable alternative. If you can move the layers of the mattress and unzip it, you should be able to replace any worn-out ones with a new set. Your mattress company may be able to custom order an additional foam layer for you.
Finding the Right Mattress Firmness
Choosing the right mattress firmness relies on your preferred sleeping position and the weight of your body. You’re less likely to buy a mattress that’s either too soft or too firm if you keep these two criteria in mind when you go mattress shopping.
Sleeping Position
Your body is put under pressure in different places depending on how you sleep. In addition, it defines what kind of support your spine needs.” Because of these differences, each sleep position requires a distinct firmness level.
Because their shoulders and hips provide most of the support for side sleepers, pressure points are more likely to develop there. For best pressure relief, a mattress for side sleeping should have a soft to medium feel.
Evenly distributed pressure across your body and a neutral spine naturally occur when you sleep on your back. A mattress with a medium-firm to firm feel is ideal for back sleepers, as it keeps the spine in a more natural position. When looking for a mattress, look for one with a medium feel that provides targeted back support.
If you sleep on your stomach and you have a soft mattress, you run the danger of misaligning your spine. They feel the weight of gravity on their belly when they are laying on their backs. Overextension of the spine occurs when the stomach sinks into the mattress. Even whether you prefer to sleep on your side or back, a firm mattress will keep your stomach and spine elevated.
All three postures can be used by a person who is a combination sleeper. In order to give enough support regardless of the position taken to sleep in, a mattress designed for mixed sleeping should have a medium feel. If you want to avoid sleep disruptions, you should also look for a mattress that has motion isolation capabilities.
Body Weight
The amount of pressure you exert on the mattress depends on your weight. A person’s weight naturally affects how much pressure they put on a bed, while a little person sleeps with less pressure than the majority of people.
A softer mattress is recommended for people who weigh less than 130 pounds. You’re not heavy enough to sink into a soft bed, therefore you shouldn’t feel like you’re sinking into it.
Try a firmer mattress if you weigh more than 230 pounds and need a bed that can handle a lot of stress. Mattresses with a higher firmness level should be able to contour to your body without sinking.
Read more : How Your Baby’s Sleep Cycle Differs From Your Own? Sleep Tips For You
There is no need to worry about your weight while shopping for a mattress if you weigh between 130 and 230 pounds.
Buying the Right Mattress
There is no alternative for sleeping on the correct mattress for you, even if the strategies we’ve outlined are effective.
When looking for a mattress, it’s critical to consider not just the firmness but also the thickness. A mattress’ firmness can diminish with wear and tear, and thinner mattresses often have a lower density of material to withstand the effects of wear and tear. In general, the best mattresses have a thickness of at least ten inches.
To accommodate someone who weighs more than 250 pounds, you may want to look for a mattress that is at least 12 inches thick. Increased comfort layers and additional transition layers can help reduce the chance of bottoming out on a mattress’s support layer.
Make sure you choose a mattress that comes with a sleep trial and a long guarantee before making a purchase. If you’re considering purchasing an internet mattress that you haven’t seen or touched, a sleep trial is an excellent way to determine whether or not the mattress is suited for you.
FAQs
Is there a firm mattress topper?
Rather than relaxing your mattress, some toppers stiffen it up. It’s possible to make a firm mattress topper using memory foam, latex, poly-foam and other materials. A mattress topper isn’t the only technique to make your mattress firmer, but it’s the most comfortable.
How can I make my sagging mattress firmer?
Sagging mattresses can be fixed in a number of ways, so you don’t necessarily have to buy a brand new one just yet. The simplest technique is to use a firm mattress topper, however this is also the most expensive option. Mattress indentations can also be filled with hard pillows and then covered with a sheet.
Finally, have a look at the mattress foundation that you’ve selected. Your mattress may slump if your foundation isn’t providing enough support. A foam mattress should never be placed on a box spring and should never have its slats separated by more than three inches.
Does putting plywood under a mattress make it firmer?
The answer is yes, you can make your mattress feel firmer by slipping a piece of plywood or particleboard trimmed to fit over the mattress. Having a solid piece of wood on the bottom of your mattress makes it difficult for air to properly remove the moisture that accumulates there. Unless you want to sleep on a mattress covered in mildew, we strongly advise purchasing wood that is resistant to moisture.
Another option is to place the bed’s mattresses on top of each other. A few hours of leaning your mattress against a wall might help prevent moisture buildup. About once a week is recommended.
Can a bed that is too soft hurt your back?
If you’re sleeping on the wrong mattress firmness, you may wake up with back pain in the morning. Pressure on your spine might be caused by the mattress being too soft. On the other side, a mattress that is overly firm can cause your spine to be out of alignment.
Consider your preferred sleeping position and weight while looking for the perfect mattress firmness. It is best to buy a softer mattress for persons who sleep on their sides and weigh less than 130 pounds. Firmer mattresses are preferable for back and stomach sleepers, as well as individuals who weigh more than 230 pounds.
Is a firm bed good for a bad back?
There’s a lot of room for debate here. If you suffer from back pain, a firmer mattress may help, but you don’t want to pick one that’s too firm. Back pain can be alleviated by sleeping on a medium-firm mattress, according to a study conducted in 2015.
Our top picks for a mattress to alleviate back pain are memory foam beds. Because of its conforming properties, this mattress is more able to alleviate pressure points than most others.
Did We Help?
To make a mattress firmer, you can use a mattress topper or a piece of plywood, or you can just place the mattress on the floor. Keeping your mattress in good condition is as simple as following a simple care regimen. Rotate the bed regularly and spend a few hours outside in the sun to get rid of dampness and other nasties from the mattress..
With a sleep trial and warranty, you’ll be able to get a mattress that’s just right for you.
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Source: https://bestpillowsleepers.com
Category: Sleep Advisors
