<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-12-23</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0001206264</issuerCik><issuerName>TEMPUR PEDIC INTERNATIONAL INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>TPX</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001272489</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>MCLANE P ANDREWS</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>125 HIGH STREET</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 2500</rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>BOSTON</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>02110</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Class B-1 Voting Common</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-12-23</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate><value>2003-12-23</value></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>C</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1" /></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1625.21</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><footnoteId id="F1" /></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1625.21</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value><footnoteId id="F5" /></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>See Footnote 5</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-12-23</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate><value>2003-12-23</value></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>155406</value><footnoteId id="F2" /><footnoteId id="F3" /></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>13.09</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>697829</value><footnoteId id="F2" /><footnoteId id="F3" /></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value><footnoteId id="F5" /></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>See Footnote 5</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Warrants to Purchase</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F1" /></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-12-23</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate><value>2003-12-23</value></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>C</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>116.51</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>.01</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F4" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F4" /></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>B-1 Voting Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>116.51</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value><footnoteId id="F5" /></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>See Footnote 5</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Series A Convertible Preferred</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F1" /></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-12-23</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate><value>2003-12-23</value></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>C</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1508.7</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>1508700</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F4" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F4" /></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>B-1 Voting Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1508.7</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value><footnoteId id="F5" /></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>See Footnote 5</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Converts 1-for-1.</footnote><footnote id="F2">After the conversion of the Series A Preferred Stock, and the net exercise of the warrants, on December 23, 2003, the Company renamed its Class B-1 Voting Common Stock as Common Stock.</footnote><footnote id="F3">On December 23, 2003, the Common Stock of Tempur-Pedic International Inc. split 525-for-1 in the form of a stock dividend of 524 shares for each outstanding share. This resulted in the acquisition of 851,610 additional shares of Common Stock.</footnote><footnote id="F4">Not applicable.</footnote><footnote id="F5">The reporting person may be deemed to have an indirect pecuniary interest as a Member of TA Investors LLC in 697,829 shares of Common Stock. The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of all such securities, except to the extent of 200,928 shares of Common Stock in which he holds a pecuniary interest.  On 12/23/03 TA Investors LLC sold 44,760 shares on behalf of the reporting person.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>P. Andrews McLane</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-12-26</signatureDate></ownerSignature><ownerSignature><signatureName>By: Thomas P. Alber, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-12-26</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

