How to Make a Mattress Firmer

What Types of Mattress Toppers Can Make My Mattress Firmer?

Based on our research, memory foam and latex mattress toppers are the most likely types to make a mattress firmer. With that in mind, let’s look at how the Saatva Graphite Memory Foam and Saatva Natural Latex Mattress Topper offer support and firmness that may improve the feel of a mattress that feels a bit too soft.

Natural Latex Foam

Natural latex is a responsive, buoyant material that can add firmness and support to a mattress topper. It is full of tiny pores that keep the mattress topper cool by promoting airflow. Made from rubber tree sap, natural latex is also a highly renewable and sustainable resource. A popular one is Saatva’s Natural Latex Mattress Topper, offering comfort, support, and the opportunity for a firmer sleep surface.

Memory Foam

Memory foam is a conforming material that adapts to body shape and fills gaps between the curves of the spine and the mattress topper. When changing positions, the foam bounces back to its original form. It supports and cradles the body simultaneously, keeping the spine, shoulders, and hips properly aligned. Some memory foams are infused with cooling materials to prevent body heat retention. For example, the Saatva Graphite Memory Foam Mattress Topper provides contouring support and is infused with naturally cooling graphite.

Visit Saatva

How to Make A Mattress Firmer: What Should I Look For in a Mattress Topper?

A firmer mattress topper is designed to improve the support and comfort of your current mattress. Our team has researched leading mattress toppers that can make your mattress firmer. Read on to learn what to look for in a leading firmer mattress topper.

Pressure Relief and Support

To make your mattress feel firmer, look for a mattress topper that balances pressure relief and support. For example, a memory foam mattress topper offers conforming support by cradling your spine, shoulders, and hips. The Saatva Graphite Memory Foam Mattress Topper helps maintain alignment by supporting and cradling the body. On the other hand, the Saatva Natural Latex Mattress Topper provides responsive support and adds some bounce to the feel of the mattress. You will feel more like you are sleeping on the surface of the mattress topper rather than being cradled in it.

Firmness

If you want to know how to make your mattress firmer, look for a mattress topper that has a firmer feel than your mattress. If you have a soft or medium-soft mattress, a medium to medium-firm mattress topper is likely to make sense. Not too soft and not too firm, this firmness range is comfortable for many people. 

If your current mattress is medium or medium-firm, look for a medium-firm or firm mattress topper that keeps your body on the surface rather than sinking in. On a firmness scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the firmest, a medium mattress topper would have a 5 or 6 rating. A medium firm topper would fall into the 6 or 7 range, and a firm mattress topper would have a 7 to 9 rating. Extra-firm mattress toppers would be a 9 to 10.

Consider Your Sleep Style

Your usual sleep position is an important consideration when deciding how to make your mattress firmer. Besides personal preference, the ideal amount of pressure relief and support depends on whether you sleep on your side, back, or stomach. Side sleepers, for example, often need pressure relief and a less firm mattress topper than back or stomach sleepers.  

If you sleep on your side, a topper that cradles and conforms to your shape, such as Saatva’s Graphite Memory Foam Mattress Topper, may be ideal. The memory foam helps prevent uncomfortable gaps between your spine and the sleep surface. On the other hand, if you sleep on your stomach, a firmer mattress that prevents your midsection from sinking may be better.

Visit Saatva

Other Considerations for Firmer Mattress Toppers

Besides firmness, there are other factors to consider in a new mattress topper. Here are some other considerations when searching for a firmer mattress topper.

Mattress Topper Thickness

Mattress toppers generally range from 2″ to 4″ thick, with some exceptions. Keep in mind the height of your mattress when searching for a new mattress topper. For example, your sheets may not fit a 4″ thick topper added to a 14″ mattress. The Graphite Memory Foam Mattress Topper is 3″ thick. At 1.5″ thick, Saatva’s thinner Natural Latex Mattress Topper suits many thicker mattresses well.

Temperature Control

Besides making a mattress firmer, a mattress topper that has cooling technologies and materials can help regulate temperature. Both mentioned Saatva toppers have breathable, organic cotton covers that wick moisture and promote cooling airflow. The Graphite Memory Foam Mattress Topper has naturally cooling graphite that draws heat away from the body, while the Natural Latex Mattress Topper features naturally breathable and cooling latex.

Does it Stay in Place?

After placing your new mattress topper on the mattress, it should stay put without sliding around or hanging off the edge. That’s why we like the corner straps on the Saatva Graphite Memory Foam and Natural Latex mattress toppers. The corner straps anchor the mattress topper in place, creating a more stable sleep surface.

Safety and Eco-Friendly Certifications

When searching for the best mattress topper to make your mattress firmer, you may notice certifications. For example, Saatva’s Graphite Memory Foam Mattress Topper is made with CertiPUR-US® certified foams. That means the memory foam in it meets third-party safety standards and is free of several harmful chemicals and heavy metals, such as mercury and lead. The latex foam in the Natural Latex Mattress Topper is eco-INSTITUT® certified to meet strict emissions and chemical standards. The latex is also certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, meaning it is recognized as being responsibly sourced.

If allergies cause you to wake up with the sniffles, look for a mattress topper made with hypoallergenic materials. For example, the latex foam in the Saatva Natural Latex Mattress Topper is generally hypoallergenic. However, people allergic to latex should ask their doctor before buying a latex mattress topper.

Can You Try the Mattress Topper at Home?

When buying a mattress topper to make your mattress firmer, making sure it’s right for you is important. Sleep trials, such as Saatva’s 180-night sleep trial, let you try your new mattress topper at home for several months. In the unlikely case the new mattress topper doesn’t suit you, return it for a full refund within the period, meeting policy terms. 

We also like the 1-year limited warranty that Saatva includes with both mentioned mattress toppers. The warranty covers workmanship defects; Saatva US will repair or replace either mattress topper model if they agree it meets policy guidelines. Always read warranty terms when shopping for a new mattress topper online. 

How to Make a Mattress Firmer: Conclusion

Your mattress is a little too soft, but you’re not ready to buy a new mattress. Fortunately, you can enhance the firmness of your current mattress with a mattress topper. We especially like the features of Saatva’s Graphite Memory Foam Mattress Topper and Natural Latex Mattress Topper.  

The Graphite Memory Foam one can be a great choice for side sleepers and those who looking for cradling comfort and pressure relief. If you seek a bouncier, more responsive sleep surface, the Natural Latex Mattress Topper may be the right choice. Both toppers offer support and comfort in the medium to medium-firm range, and both include cooling and moisture-wicking materials that may help hot sleepers. 

Both of the Saatva mattress toppers also have eco-friendly certifications. Feeling confident about your purchase is important, so it’s also great to see a 180-night sleep trial and 1-year warranty comes with both toppers.  

We believe that Saatva’s Graphite Memory Foam Topper and Natural Latex Mattress Topper are quality products with the potential to make a mattress firmer. We recommend including both in your search for a firmer mattress topper.

Visit Saatva