How Often Are You Supposed to Get a New Mattress?

It can be tough to tell whether or not your mattress needs to be replaced. If you feel like you already have healthy sleeping habits, the first things you might notice are aches and pains upon waking or that you feel stuck in a hole after lying on your mattress. If, when you look at your mattress, you see lumps or indentations after you’ve been out of it for some time, it’s definitely time to replace it. Different types of mattresses age at different rates, and the quality of your mattress will significantly affect its longevity.

When to Replace a Mattress

How often should a mattress be replaced? It depends on the type of mattress and how it’s used. In general, most mattresses can be expected to last seven to 10 years. Discomfort is often the first sign of a mattress past its prime, though there are other tell-tale signs to look out for. Experiencing soreness of your lower back, hips, or knees upon waking are signs that your mattress no longer keeps your spine in a neutral position while you sleep.

Other common symptoms of aging include indentations, lumps, and unevenness where your body typically lies despite having rotated the mattress regularly, collapsing sides, or when you sit on the edge it sinks down into the bottom of the mattress causing you to slip off the edge easily.

Mattress Material Impacts Longevity

The material your mattress is made from has a significant impact on its longevity. In general, Latex mattresses last the longest at 15 to 20 years. Memory foam mattresses last an average of six to 10 years. Innersprings average about five to six years and hybrid models can last between five and 10 years. All of these ranges depend heavily on the quality of the mattress construction, and virtually without exception, higher-end mattresses will last longer than inexpensive ones.

Latex Mattress Replacement

As the most hypoallergenic and environmentally friendly choice, Latex mattresses last longer than many other types of mattresses because they are typically made of high-quality, dense material that is injected into a mold to create one solid piece. While latex is one of the most long-lasting choices in terms of mattress lifespan, its raw materials are biodegradable and will break down much more quickly than their synthetic counterparts will after the end of their serviceable lifespan.

Memory Foam Mattress Replacement

Memory foam mattresses have a large degree of variety when it comes to quality and longevity. These mattresses are manufactured in different densities. Denser mattresses, like those that are four- to five-pound cuts and higher, are more durable and able to hold their shape longer. This density comes at a higher cost that often ends up paying for itself in the long run. Some high-density memory foam mattresses can be expected to last anywhere from 15 to 20 years, whereas their lower-density two-pound counterparts can need to be replaced in as few as two or three years. The average lifespan of a three- to four-pound mattress is six to eight years. Heavier people are recommended to opt for five-pound density or higher, whereas children’s mattresses or guest room mattresses that are used infrequently can get away with being a lower density.

Innerspring Mattress Replacement

Most traditional mattress types have a support layer made up of metal coils that can weaken over time. Signs of an aging innerspring mattress are creaking in the coils, unevenness, and the feeling that you are sinking too deeply into its surface. These mattresses are available in a wide variety of coil designs, from inexpensive continuous coils, and various types of individually pocketed coils. Regardless of coil type and number of coils, all innerspring mattresses have a comfort foam layer, which can become compromised in addition to the coils.

Hybrid Mattress Replacement

Hybrid mattresses can last anywhere from six to eight years, depending on the type of mattress and how you sleep on it. If you are sinking into the innerspring coils, then they are probably starting to weaken, and they should be replaced. If the memory foam layer on top is left with impressions, it has begun degrading.

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Mattress Use and Maintenance

Your body type and the way you sleep on your mattress can significantly affect the way it wears. Heavier people may cause it to wear more quickly because of the greater stress put on the support layers. Is the mattress used by one or two people, and is it rotated regularly? Solo sleepers can move around the mattress more, whereas couples tend to sleep in the same areas night after night. Keeping a cover and fresh sheets on your mattress at all times can go a long way in protecting it from dust mites and body oils that will degrade the materials more quickly.

Buying a New Mattress

Mattresses are among the most often overlooked yet crucial tools for achieving good health and well-being.

Poor sleep can come with a tremendous range of unpleasant mental and physical symptoms, from chronic fatigue, depression and anxiety, high cortisol levels, and skeletal pain throughout the body.

A mattress that sleeps too hot can cause excessive sweating and dehydration. Mattresses today are better than ever before and are made out of body-hugging yet supportive materials that will keep you feeling cool and weightless throughout the night. There is nothing quite like the refreshed feeling of waking after your best sleep ever, and a worn-out mattress won’t get you there.

How to Buy a New Mattress

When looking for a new mattress, first, you must consider the space it will need to fit into. If you have a smaller bedroom, a king-size mattress may not leave enough foot room to move around, yet a mattress that is too small could leave you feeling cramped and fighting for elbow space if you sleep with a partner. Your frame also dictates the size you will need; taller and larger people will be more comfortable on a queen or king mattress, whereas a twin/full size is often big enough for one smaller adult or child to sleep on comfortably. Your budget, preference for materials, and the firmness will largely dictate the options available to you. Remember to ask about the manufacturer’s warranty and read the fine print before deciding.

Sometimes waiting for a promotion can make a big difference in price.

Best Time to Buy a New Mattress

There are numerous times throughout the year when you can score a killer deal on a new mattress. These promotions usually fall around major holidays like Memorial Day, the 4th of July, Labor Day, Black Friday, President’s Day, the end of the year, and during early spring when retailers are changing inventory. You can often save more by combining your mattress with a foundation (usually well worth it, as these wear out and have advanced significantly in recent years).

Where to Buy a New Mattress

Deciding which mattress to buy isn’t easy. The best way to avoid being stuck with something that doesn’t work for you is to go through a reputable and experienced retailer who will listen to your needs, and that offers a wide selection of brands and styles to choose from. In addition to offering one of the largest selections of mattresses in the U.S. and extremely competitive prices, Mattress World Northwest offers a 60-day comfort guarantee to back up each purchase, giving you the ultimate peace of mind about your new mattress. Complications like sleep disorders and allergies can make finding the right sleep system an even more difficult task, and the sleep specialists of Mattress World Northwest are highly trained in finding solutions for these troubles.

Put Your Mind and Your Body at Rest

If you find that you just aren’t getting the quality rest that you used to get or have never woken up feeling comfortable, it’s probably time to pull the trigger on a new mattress set. Mattresses, foundations, and box springs have evolved quite a bit in recent years, and brands like Tempur-Pedic, Stearns & Foster, and the relative newcomer Purple are continuing to push the envelope with new technologies and designs each year. Spending your precious sleeping hours on a charging dock that doesn’t give you 100% is not an optimal way to live.

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