Help with too firm tempurpedic mattress

I’ve had a Firm Tempurpedic Pro Adapt mattress, supported by the tempurpedic boxspring, on a platform bed, for a little over a year now and I’ve reached the conclusion that it’s just too firm for me(it’s out of warranty). Its fine some nights, but much more nights than not, it gives my shoulders, elbows & hips hell(I have to continuously change and switch positions). And I’m a hot sleeper, so I have to sleep with a fan on me, or else I wake up sweating.

It’s a little too expensive to just toss it and buy a new mattress, so I’m wondering if you guys could help me come up with a resolution to soften it up to give me a little relief. The mattress is in perfect condition. No dents or soft spots.

I sleep great in most hotel beds(which is why I went with a firm bed in the first place). When shopping for bed, salesman stated that hotel beds tend to be firm, with things like mattress pads, foam eggshell pads, etc on top of it to make it soft SMH. I can see how the mattress being firm makes for a good foundation, because overall, I love the sturdiness of the mattress, but I don’t know how I can soften it up to get that hotel bed like soft feel to it, to help alleviate the joint aches. I don’t know if that information will be of any help with understanding the softness level I’m looking for.

However, I do know that my lower body back doesn’t cooperate too well with beds that are TOO SOFT to the point that it doesn’t support my weight.

Height/Weight: 6’3/220(athletic build, broad shoulders)
Type: mostly a Side Sleeper, unless my joints need relief, and then I end up on my back.

Hi sharperw09.

Welcome to our Mattress Forum. :slight_smile:

The good news is, it’s entirely possible to remedy a too firm mattress. A too soft mattress, however, is nearly always a lost cause.

There are some suggestions in post #2 here that may be helpful with a new mattress that is too firm but if you need some additional softness and pressure relief on your mattress then a topper can certainly be a good solution. The key with a topper is to add “just enough” thickness and softness so that in combination with the mattress it will relieve your pressure points in your most pressure prone position (generally side sleeping) so that there is less alignment risk in your other sleeping positions.

If you do decide to add a topper then post #2 here and the topper guidelines it links to can help you use your sleeping experience as a reference point and guideline to help you choose a topper that has the best chance of success and also includes some links to some good sources for toppers as well.

Also, in regards to sleeping hot, there is more about the many variables that can affect the sleeping temperature of a mattress or sleeping system in post #2 here that can help you choose the types of materials and components that are most likely to keep you in a comfortable temperature range. You may also wish to read more about the Sleeping Microclimate and Temperature Control in post #6 here that talks about all the many factors that are involved in the sleeping temperature of a mattress.

NikkiTMU

After reading the posts you pointed to, I think a topper would best suit me. In your expert opinion, do you feel that a latex topper along with something like a featherbed would be too much? I don’t think a memory foam topper would be a good choice, since I I’m looking for more of a hotel bed type surface.

If you already sleep hot I would definitely not be using memory foam on the top surface and obviously that’s what Tempurpedic is known for in their mattresses. You’re also pretty similar to me being 6’3 and 220lbs with an athletic build so I would caution that there’s really only so much you can do on the soft comfort layer before you start to create alignment issues (due to weight and body shape). I also understand how it’s not fun buying a really expensive mattress only to find out it’s a complete disappointment (yep, been there too…basically threw out a few months old $2500 mattress when it killed my back sleeping on it). My suggestion would be to start adding a comfort layer (topper) as though you are building a new mattress. This way if it works and you get what you want in terms of pressure relief then great, otherwise if you end up finally needed to change out the mattress your investment won’t have gone to waste. So I would start with a 2" talalay topper (19-22ILD) first to get some pressure relief. Then if you still don’t get what you need I would add a 3" talalay 36ILD support layer below the comfort layer and see if that improves things. You can stop at any time if you get what you need but this allows you to continue to make progress until you finally get what you’re after (see below).

A full mattress for someone your size would look something like this:
2-3" Soft (19-22ILD) - Comfort Layer
3" XFirm (36 ILD) - Support Layer
3" XFirm (36 ILD) - Support Layer
3" SFirm (44 ILD) - Support Layer

Thank you so much for your reply. I’m going to follow your advice, and start with the 2inch latex topper, first.

But just out of curiosity, is there a reason you’d recommend a 2 inch opposed to a 3 inch? I’ve always read that heavier sleepers generally should start at 3".

That’s a great question. It’s hard for me to know what your exact preferences are but you can really approach it 2 different ways. The vast majority of people prefer a comfort layer between 2-4" (usually 2" for firmer or 3" for a softer feel). Now in my case I actually started with a 2" topper (convoluted from flobeds) but found I needed more to I added a second 2" topper (22ILD talalay) and both my wife and I love it. If you use the 2" increments then you can add to it if needed (ie if it’s still too firm) but if you have a single 3" layer and it doesn’t give you what you want then that investment is likely lost (unless you can return it) because I can pretty must guarantee 5" (3" + 2") would be too much. Ultimately only you will know which config works best for you, I can only try to provide suggestions for what might work. It’s totally up to you how you want to go about it but I wanted to give you my thought process so you can make an informed decision for your own situation. Remember that although all the layers work together the comfort layer is primarily for distributing pressure (pressure relief) and that alignment problems (ex shoulders/hips not sinking in or lack of support in the waist) need to be addressed in the support layers below.

Thank you. I went with the 2inch (19ILD) talalay.