Is this normal settlement?

Hi Carol,

Thank you for your enquiry asking about mattress settlement.

This is a frequently asked question, particularly in the first few weeks and months of a new mattress. During this period any new mattress will start to settle and show somebody indentations.

Settlement should cause no concern if maintenance of the mattress is undertaken. This is completely normal and with frequent turning and rotation, you can even out this normal initial wear of the mattress. The National Bed Federation has an excellent article here on whats normal and what is a mattress fault.

You can read our Mattress Care Guide here for more detail on how to look after your new mattress.

In your case Carol we would not expect a product to dip in such a way in such a short period of time from purchase, but factors such as the base and the body weight of the person using the bed will all have an effect.

If the base is slatted, there may be a central support bar, which can cause dipping or ridging in that area of the mattress. This can be alleviated by placing a thin barrier, usually (3-5mm) MDF over the slats to provide the mattress with a uniform surface upon which to sit. There is an industry tolerance for settlement, but this should only apply after a longer period, certainly not after the first night.

We have a detailed article here on what to expect with mattress settlement and dips. We explain exactly what to look for with a mattress in relation to normal wear and tear vs faults.

If it's not the base then it may be a manufacturing fault especially if you're really sinking into the middle of the mattress. In any event, we would suggest contacting the store from which you bought the product and raising the issue with them to see if they can offer any advice or a solution.

Alternatively, if you get no satisfaction to your query with them, you could contact the Furniture Ombudsman to see if they can help.

Please let us know how you get on.

Kind regards.

John & Ryan