How Often Should You Replace Your Mattress?

by Andrew Tory July 4, 2022

How Often Should You Replace Your Mattress?

You might think that the secret to a good night's sleep lies in your pillow or sheets, but the truth is that it begins with your mattress. Your mattress is what supports you for one-third of your day, so it's no wonder that getting quality slumber comes from having a good and comfortable mattress. This makes it necessary to think of one's mattress as an investment in one's health and productivity during the rest of the day.

Many people have a common and important question: how often should I change my mattress? While most mattresses can last for ten years, the lifespan of your mattress will depend on several factors.

Factors That Influence Mattress Lifespan

Quality of mattress material: low-quality mattresses tend to break down faster than high-quality ones—especially those made from synthetic materials like polyurethane foam instead of natural fibres like cotton or wool. These materials are less durable than natural fibres because they lack elasticity—and so does the quality of any coverings used with them (such as sheets).

Your body weight: your body weight affects your bed's life span. Sleepers with a light frame will have less impact on their bed than those with a heavier build.

The number of occupants: Beds that more than one person use tend to wear out faster because they get heavier over time.

How often you use it: If you use your bed daily and sleep on it for eight hours every night, you'll wear out the mattress more quickly than someone who uses their bed only once or twice a week for six hours.

Lifestyle habits: If you are a smoker or own pets, you might need to change your mattress regularly. This is because you are more likely to have more stains on your bed than someone who has no pets and does not smoke.

Another factor that affects the degradation of your mattress is whether or not it is protected with a mattress protector, an organic cotton cover, or leave it naked under blankets/sheets. Using a protector tends to extend the shelf life of your hybrid mattresses.

Signs That You Need A New Mattress

Here are a few signs that you need to change your mattress:

Waking up with back pain

Waking up in the morning with pain in your lower back is a sign that you need to replace your mattress. This means that your bed is no longer as supportive and relaxing as it should be. The lower back pain might also be accompanied by pain in the neck, shoulders, and hips. If left unchecked, this pain can lead to worse medical issues. So, before it gets out of hand, consider getting a new, more supportive, and comfortable mattress.

Noticing that one side of your body hurts more than the other when you wake up from sleeping on a certain side all night

Like the first sign, this is also a telltale sign that you need a new mattress.

This shows that your mattress has lost the ability to provide the necessary support to your body as you sleep.

Sagging Mattress

A mattress gets a lot of wear and tear during its lifetime and will eventually start to sag in certain areas. This can cause the mattress to lose its original firmness, comfort level, height, and thickness. You may also notice that your bed starts dropping down on one side or both sides (as if it's "sinking"). This makes to begin to feel like you're sinking into the bed or feel the springs poking into your back when lying down.

Change in lifestyle and living conditions

Even when your mattress is in good condition and does not give all the signs mentioned above, a change in living conditions might necessitate a new mattress. Gaining a new sleeping partner, medical conditions like arthritis, sciatica, or fibromyalgia, and getting pregnant are all factors that can require the need for a new mattress.

The bad or irritating smell emanates from your mattress despite cleaning.

How To Make Your Mattress Last Longer

Use a Mattress Protector: one of the most important steps to prolonging the life of your mattress is to consider using a mattress protector. This serves as a layer of protection from spills, furs (if you have pets), bodily oil, and anything that can affect your bed's life span.

Clean your mattress regularly: Dust mites and dirt can collect on the surface of your mattress, so you should vacuum it at least once a week. It would help if you also washed the sheets every week or two, which will help keep odours down and reduce allergens in the room. Washing your innerspring mattresses will also keep dust mites away while improving sleep quality.

Change the position of your mattress occasionally: Depending on the type of mattress, you might need to occasionally change the position of your mattress to increase its shelf life. This is because sleeping in the same place on the mattress can cause one section of the mattress to wear quickly. If you use memory foam, latex foam, hybrid and innerspring mattresses, you might need to rotate or flip the mattress every few months to make your mattress last longer.

Avoid Mattress-wearing practices: Practices like bouncing on the bed, eating in bed, not addressing stains immediately, and letting your pets in your bed should be avoided as they increase the tendency of a mattress to wear on time.

Also, If possible, keep your mattress out of direct sunlight whenever possible; this will prevent it from becoming hot when left uncovered during warmer months. A cool place away from windows is best for a long mattress lifespan!

Is Buying A New Mattress Worth The Cost?

As stated earlier, buying a new mattress might be determined by some signs exhibited by your old mattress or the changes in your living conditions and lifestyle. Buying an average mattress is an investment in your sleep and health, but you don't want to overspend. Is it time to buy a new one? Is buying a new mattress worth the cost?

Consider the following questions when deciding whether it's time for a new one:

How old is your current mattress?

How well has it held up over the years?

Do you feel like you get enough sleep?

Do you wake up with pains in your lower back, shoulder, neck, etc.?

Do you have any medical condition that necessitates buying a new mattress?

The above questions will determine whether to buy a mattress and what type of mattress to opt for. The actual cost of a new mattress will be determined by the effects of the old mattress on your health and ability to get a good night's sleep.

In general, buying a mattress has the following potential benefits

Improved quality of sleep
Reduced body pain and aches
Protection from allergies
Boosted immune system

Best Types of Mattress for Quality Sleep

To choose the best mattress type to ensure maximum comfort while sleeping, there are three essential factors to consider; sleeping position, body weight, and special needs.

Sleeping position: to choose the best type of mattress for a guaranteed quality night's sleep, your sleeping position is essential to consider. Side sleepers are usually advised to get a memory foam, latex, or gel mattress. These mattresses typically come with soft to medium comfort to ensure comfort and cushion vulnerable pressure points.

Front sleepers are most prone to back pain. This is because sleeping in this position might make you sink in and arch your spine, an uncomfortable position that leads to back pain. Memory foam and pocket spring mattresses are the best mattresses for sleepers in this category.

Back sleepers require a firmer mattress than others because of the need for spine alignment. Traditional spring, pocket spring, memory foam, or orthopedic mattresses are recommended for people who sleep in this position to get sound sleep.

Bodyweight: this is another crucial determinant of the best type of mattress for a better night's sleep. People with small body frames require a soft comfort grade mattress for sound sleep. People with average builds can opt for a medium or firm comfort grade depending on their sleeping position. People with heavier bodies, most times, require a firm or substantial comfort grade mattress depending on their sleeping position. A person with a heavy build is advised to opt for a medium comfort grade mattress only if they are a side sleeper.

Special needs: this is another crucial factor in determining the best mattress for a better sleep quality sleep. Special conditions like allergies, back pain, nighttime hot flashes, and arthritis should be considered when choosing a mattress. When suffering from allergies like skin sensitivity or asthma, it is recommended to buy mattresses that cater to such needs. Mattresses made with hypoallergenic materials are the best and safest bet. Mattresses that contain natural fillings like wool should be avoided.

Memory foam or orthopedic mattresses are usually recommended for sound sleep for people suffering from back or back pain. These types of mattresses are specially designed to cater to these people's needs. They provide support to the spine and avoid stiff and aching joints.

Old Mattress Replacement: 7 Tips For Ready Buyers

After finally deciding to change your mattress, here are ten tips to help you make an excellent and cost-effective choice.

Think of your mattress as a long-term investment in your health and comfort. You are not just buying something to sleep on for a few weeks but something that would last you for years to come.
Be careful of overly expensive mattresses as they might not necessarily be of better quality or last longer. They might have some extra features that you might not need.
Be careful of very cheap mattresses; they are unlikely to last more than a few years before needing a replacement.
Pay attention to customer reviews, especially the lower-rated ones, to know the possible issues you might encounter while using the mattress.
The recommended mattress thickness for sound sleep is between 10 to 14 inches for most sleepers. A sleeper with a heavier build should shop for a mattress at least 12 inches thick.
If you have severe pain problems, an innerspring mattress is not a good choice for you.
If you are shopping on a lean budget, pass on the latex mattress for less pricy ones like the memory foam or innerspring mattress.

Why You Need A Mattress Protector

Now that you've gotten a fresh mattress, the next step is maintaining your investment. The big question here is, do you need a protector for your mattress?

Yes, you do.

A mattress protector does more than keep your mattress neat and new-looking. Here are four reasons why you need a foam protector

It protects your mattress from germs and bacteria
It protects you from allergies
It boasts comfort
It covers the warranty of your mattress

And, of course, it lengthens your bed's life span and keeps it neat and new-looking by reducing wear and tear.

When To Replace Your Mattress: The Frequently Asked Questions

How long do mattresses last in general?

Mattresses can last anywhere from 5-to 10 years. The average lifespan of a mattress is between 6-8 years.

What are the signs of old mattresses?

The mattress is lumpy, or the springs are broken. The mattress is sagging, very uncomfortable, stained, or smells. The mattress is too noisy.

Can I flip my mattress over rather than replace it?

You can flip your mattress, but it is not as effective as replacing it. Flipping your mattress will only extend the life of your mattress by a few months.

Who is a certified sleep science coach?

The way you sleep affects the overall quality of your health. If you are not getting enough sleep or you are noticing some obvious sleeping problems, a certified sleep science coach can help you solve the problems. Besides solving specific problems, the work of these coaches within the mattress industry can help you improve your sleep pattern. And it doesn't matter if you are using new memory foam mattresses or the old ones.

Conclusion

The best time to replace your mattress is when you notice any signs of wear and tear. Usually, a good quality mattress lasts between seven and ten years, but this may vary depending on the type of mattress you have and how well you take care of it.

If you have any questions about different mattresses suitable for your needs, contact us at Goldilocks Mattress Warehouse. You can shop online or make an appointment to come in a visit us in London or Sarnia, Ontario.

Our trained sleep professionals will be happy to help guide you through this process so that everything goes smoothly from start to finish!