The standard advice from mattress makers is that you should replace your mattress every 7 to 10 years, however, this isn’t always the case. In reality, several factors contribute to a mattress’s lifespan and you need to consider them all before making a decision. Read on to find out what they are and how they affect your mattress.
1) How Long Have You Had Your Mattress?
The 8-year rule of thumb is generally cited by the mattress industry, but it certainly is not the final word on how often you should replace your mattress. Mattresses don’t come with firm expiration dates, and many factors impact the longevity of a mattress, including the materials used, the quality of the initial construction, the number and weight of the sleepers using the mattress, and how well the mattress has been maintained.
2) You Still Feel Tired When You Wake Up
If you’re not having a restful sleep and wake up feeling exhausted and foggy, it may be because your mattress needs to be replaced. Older mattresses often provide less support, which can make for an uncomfortable night & leave you feeling tired the next morning. If there are noticeable valleys or dips in your mattress, it is time for a replacement. If you’re finding it difficult to get comfortable while sleeping, lumps or bumps in the mattress could be preventing you from achieving the perfect sleeping position. This could mean that the foam and other padding have shifted or started to deteriorate; a clear indication that it’s time to invest in a new mattress.
3) If you’re feeling sore, consider switching things up.
Investing in a comfortable mattress can have a huge impact on your sleep quality and your overall well-being. It helps improve posture, relieve aches and pains, and improves spinal alignment. If you’ve been experiencing any stiffness or pain in your body with no known cause, it may be worth considering investing in a good mattress. A good way to check this is to sleep in a different bed for a night. If you sleep better in a hotel or in someone else’s house, it may be time to go mattress shopping.
4) Replace if you’ve experienced a significant change in weight.
People often gain or lose weight during a mattress’s life cycle. This could happen if you have surgery, an accident, pregnancy, diet, or as you age. Even if the mattress is in decent condition, what supported you or was comfortable 5 years ago may no longer do the trick if your weight has fluctuated up or down. If firmness or pressure points are the issues, you can buy a mattress topper as a temporary solution until you are ready to buy a new mattress. However, if the mattress is too soft or lacks support, a topper will do very little to help your sleeping conditions.
5) You are suffering from bad dust allergies
Allergies can be especially bad at the start and end of the day, which could mean your mattress is full of dust mites. To stop this, you should consider investing in a memory foam, latex, or waterbed mattress as they are more effective at keeping dust mites away. Using a dust mite-resistant mattress cover and frequently washing pillows and bedding can also help alleviate dust mites and extend the life of a new mattress.
6) You hammock into the mattress
If you feel like you are sagging into the mattress, even when there is no noticeable sag, it is probably due to the softening of the core in your memory foam or full foam mattress. A better high-resiliency core, like Koosh Natural, will keep its firmness and shape a lot longer than conventional polyurethane foam. When your mattress has reached this level of wear, it can significantly affect how you sleep and how you feel all day long.
7) You have a visible and noticeable sag
If you feel pain in your joints, muscles, or your back, inspect your bed to see if there are signs of sagging or body impressions. Sagging can occur as springs break down and lose resiliency and impressions occur as the polyester fiber, foam, and felt compress over a short period of time. Sagging and impressions as little as 1.5″ in depth are linked to increased pain according to sleep surveys by back experts. If your “pillow-top” mattress is showing a sag at this level or greater, a new mattress should be on the top of your priority list well before you plant your new flowers for the season or open up your pool (if you have one).
8) Replace when the springs become noisy.
If you hear squeaks and creaks coming from your mattress or box spring, it’s a sign that the coils are starting to deteriorate. They may start to sag, break or snap, and you could even end up feeling springs poking through the mattress cover. It’s important to replace your mattress if you experience this – the noise may also come from an aging box spring. If you start to hear or feel your partner’s movements more than before, that, too, is an indication that the coils are aging and your mattress is nearing the end of its useful life.
If you are experiencing any of the listed above, it may be time to consider buying a new one. Buying a new mattress is one of the most important decisions you will ever make. However, it can be very confusing once you start the shopping process. There are an endless selection of mattress models to choose from and then there are the salespeople that will say all the right words that sell and dress up their 3 to make it look like a 9. This can be very overwhelming.
We at Foam Toronto are backed up with over 30 years of experience, in foam and mattress manufacturing. You can rely on us to help you make the right decision for your mattress application.
