[AD] How to Know When It Is Time to Replace Your Mattress

The importance of good night sleep is crucial to your health and well-being. To get your recommended 7-9 hours every day, you need a sturdy bed and a comfy mattress. However, if someone asked you today, how old is your mattress? Most people would have to start counting backward before answering.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, you should replace your mattress every 8 years. This is just an average, the actual number varies depending on your mattress density, weight, thickness, care, and a million other things.

Here are 8 signs you should look out for to know when it’s time to replace your mattress:

1. Soreness and Back Pain

The whole point of going to sleep is so that you can rest and recover from the day’s activities. If you wake the next morning with more pain then there is a problem. Pains occur when the mattress can no longer support your body evenly. Delicate such as the spine, your neck, or the hips are the worst hit.

The pains can get so bad that it wakes you up in the middle of the night. A simple backache can escalate into chronic back pain. The American Chiropractic Association estimates that 31 million Americans are suffering from back pains. Don’t let it get this far. Listen to your body and get yourself a new mattress.

2. Deplorable Hygiene Levels

Mattresses are breeding grounds for all kinds of microorganisms. The common residents in mattresses are mold, mildew, and dust mites. You may notice that your allergies are worse early in the morning and just before retiring for the night. There are dust mite resistant bed covers; you can buy to manage the problem.

Other unwelcome guests you need to worry about are sweat, dead skin, and even bed bugs. Stains from spilled liquids only make things worse. At the first sight of trouble, throw out the old one and go get yourself a brand new mattress.

3. Your Mattress is Too Old

When it comes to your mattress, it turns out that age is not just a number. You might try to justify that your old mattress still has a few more months/years left. If it has been around for more than 8 years then it’s time to part ways. Even the highest quality mattress won’t be what they used to be after a decade.

In that time wear and tear will have reduced the ability to support your body. Good mattresses don’t come cheap, so it’s important to know when you will need a replacement and plan accordingly. The standard 8 years is just a suggestion, you can replace sooner if you notice the other signs.

4. Your Sofa is More Comfortable

Waking up on a Monday morning is not supposed to be that easy. Or if you don’t look forward to squeezing in a few extra minutes/hours on a weekend then something is wrong. The culprit could be your mattress. A worn mattress deforms and becomes uncomfortable over time. If you find yourself migrating to the couch or sleeping in the guest room then that mattress has to go. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve had it. After all, if you can’t rely on your bed then what do you have?

5. Your Mattress  Makes Too Much Noise

The squeaks and creaks every time you turn, hop on, or get out of bed should alarm you. This is a common problem with spring mattresses. Over time, the springs lose their resilience, some break, and others become defective. It is possible to repair a spring mattress but not without taking them apart. You could also oil the springs.

Unfortunately, newer or cheaper models are difficult to repair. The creaks could also be due to imbalance. However, if you’ve recently replaced the mattress and are confident it’s in a good shape, the box spring could be the culprit. Damage box spring is just as bad. Either way, the noise is not a good sign, you should listen to it.

6. Visible Sagging

A good mattress should be even when you are not using it. Any noticeable depressions on the surface of your mattress are a bad sign. Sagging occurs when springs break in certain parts of the mattress. Even memory foam mattresses are supposed to decompress after a while.

You should not wait for a huge crater to form. Any sagging more than 1.5 inches in depth will cause muscular and joint pains. It could also be due to the softening of the core in a foam mattress. For this to happen, the mattress must have reached its end of useful life. Any attempt to lengthen its life will come at a cost. Your body will pay the price.

7. Significant Change in Weight or Pregnancy

Not all sleeping related problems can be pinned on the mattress or bed for that matter, Sometimes, the mattress is okay but you have changed. You might have put on a few. The weight of a person determines how soon you’ll have to replace the mattress. This is especially true during pregnancy.

There is a lot of discomfort from the second trimester. In such a situation it makes sense to invest in a better mattress. The other possible causes of discomfort could be old age, injury, or a lifestyle change. Newer mattress models are introduced every few years. That’s why you should make sure you factor in your new needs before getting your new mattress.

8. Change in Firmness

Memory foam mattresses are popular these days. They are supposed to be more comfortable than spring mattresses. They achieve this fate by becoming soft enough to mold around a person’s body. The polyurethane foams are what make this possible. It is an impressive technology with one downside- the memory foam may be very sensitive to temperature changes.

When it gets hot the mattress will get very soft even before you sleep on it. This is not so bad. However, during winter the foam gets harder and firmer. This change can lead to serious back problems.

Choosing the Right Mattress!

When you need a new mattress, the next step is buying one. Buying a mattress is today is not as simple as it used to be. First, you will have to debate whether to invest in a spring mattress get an adjustable one, or try the memory foam you have heard about. Factor in your budget and suddenly choosing the right mattress evolves into a nightmare. Well worry not, here is a summary.If you are a side sleeper you need a soft mattress. Your options are either foam or innerspring mattresses. If you sleep on your stomach you need something firm, here you can go for a dense innerspring mattress or an air-filled mattress. Fun fact about air mattresses is that the air pressure is remote controlled. Back sleepers fall somewhere in the middle. If you have allergies we recommend the foam and latex models. This is because they are resistant to dust mites. The only question left is where to buy your mattress, whatever your preference, it is probably best to visit a local mattress shop for more information.