What to expect from your new mattress

So, you have just received your new bed set or mattress and now you’re wondering what you should expect while unwrapping and finally sleeping on your new bed. Well, in short, many people will instantly fall in love with their new mattress while others will experience a time of dismay.

To save you from any unnecessary stress in your life (because let’s face it – we have more than enough of that), I have put together some of the most common things to expect from your new mattress.

Why does my new mattress smell bad?

Mattresses are obviously manufactured in huge big factories that work with many chemicals and different processes that they have perfected over many years. When the mattress is ready to be distributed it usually gets neatly wrapped up in plastic to ensure that it stays in perfect condition.

All the smells from the factories and manufacturing processes get trapped in this packaging and therefore you tend to get that “new mattress smell” when you unwrap your new mattress. Just think about it as being similar to that “new car smell” when you bought your first new car :-).  We do advise that you air out your mattress for a while before putting on the bed linen. The smell should disappear within a day or two and is not harmful at all, so don’t stress about it!

How long does it take to get used to a new mattress?

In an ideal world, you would get into bed the first night and have the best night’s rest you have ever experienced. Unfortunately, in the real world, this will probably not be the case. Your old mattress has shaped itself around your body throughout the years and your body has become used to the feel of your old mattress. Therefore, your body will need some time to adjust to its new sleep-time surroundings.

Generally, it will take about 2-4 weeks for your body to get comfortable on your new bed. At Beds Online we offer you, our customer, a 100 night comfort exchange policy, which means that if you are not comfortable on your new mattress within the 100 night period, we will assess the problem and exchange your mattress for you. A new bed set or mattress is a long-term investment and therefore we want to ensure that you are 100% satisfied with your new purchase.

Why is my new mattress causing me pain?

As mentioned above, your old mattress has molded to the curves of your body, keeping your body in a specific position during the night. This might not have been the ideal position though, as your old mattress did not provide adequate support, but still, your body became used to this position over time. With new technological advances in the bedding industry, they have improved the conforming abilities of mattresses, ensuring that your spine is correctly aligned in whichever position you sleep in. So, even though, in theory, this sounds perfect, your body will need time to adjust to this “new position”.

During the first few nights, you might find it difficult to fall asleep, constantly tossing and turning and struggling to become comfortable. This might cause you to wake up with new aches and pains but this is no reason to instantly come to the conclusion that you might have chosen to wrong mattress. Give it a few nights, because as mentioned, it will take time for you and your mattress to adjust to one another.

If after about 2 weeks you are still waking up with aches, it could be that the mattress you chose is too soft, too firm, or does not have the correct support you need. We would then suggest that you contact us to discuss the exchange guarantee and assess the problem.

Conclusion

Similar to buying a new pair of shoes that need to be worn in before you are comfortable in them, you need to give it a week or so to break-in your new mattress. Initial discomfort and possible aches and pains are not uncommon as your body will need time to adapt to its new sleep-environment. Each person’s break-in time will differ and could be anything from a day or two to a couple of weeks.

So keep calm and give your body and mattress some time to adapt before making any rash decisions!