No more wondering if you need to get yourself a new mattress or not- 9 times out of 10 you probably need another one. It’s not set in stone when you should get another mattress. The moment a mattress starts feeling uncomfortable, showing signs of wear, you should start looking for a new one asap.
Wear and tear aren’t the only situations when you need to look for a new mattress. If something changes in your health or sleeping arrangements, you may also have to look for better options.
Page Contents
- 1 What’s the typical lifespan for a mattress?
- 2 You own a memory foam mattress. When do you need a new one?
- 3 What’s the story with the gel memory foam mattresses?
- 4 When do you have to replace an innerspring mattress?
- 5 How durable is a latex mattress?
- 6 Are hybrid mattresses any less durable?
- 7 What are the signs of wear and tear?
- 8 The final note
What’s the typical lifespan for a mattress?
According to the mattress manufacturing industry, a bed mattress needs to be replaced after 8 to 10 years of use. In reality, the decision isn’t that easy to make. Many aspects affect the wear and tear of a mattress. This is why it’s hard to say exactly how long a mattress is going to last. For instance, a high-quality mattress is going to make use for a longer time than a cheaper model. At the same time, a mattress that features box spring or has effective center support is going to last a nice amount of time. the weight of people sleeping on the mattress matters a lot too.
The diversity of mattresses is impressive and different types of mattresses are going to present different lifespan.
It goes without saying that, no matter how much you’ve paid for your mattress, you’re going to have to replace it sooner or later.
You own a memory foam mattress. When do you need a new one?
Memory foam mattresses are made with polyurethane foam that is going to shape itself to adjust to one’s body. It comes back to the uncompressed state as the sleeper raises.
The best part about the memory foam mattresses is that they can conform to anyone’s body, ensuring comfort to people, no matter how they like to sleep.
There are various types of foams and combinations in the case of memory foam mattresses. This is why it’s difficult to say exactly how long a memory foam is going to last. Nevertheless, you should expect one to last longer than a traditional innerspring mattress. A good quality memory foam mattress is going to last from 10 to 15 years. Pay the extra buck and expect your memory foam mattress to last even longer than that.
You don’t need to flip a memory foam mattress. However, you still need to turn it around on the bed any now and then (head to foot). This is going to lower the risk for depressions from your body weight.
What’s the story with the gel memory foam mattresses?
Similar to the memory foam mattresses, the gel foam mattresses are made with gel beads/swirls within the memory foam material. This is why they’re able to distribute heat a lot more efficient. It’s cooler to sleep on a gel memory foam mattress than it is on a memory foam one.
You should think about getting a new mattress after using the gel memory foam one for 10 or 15 years. If it’s a good quality mattress, you may even need to replace it later than that. Don’t forget to rotate it on the frame regularly (head to foot).
When do you have to replace an innerspring mattress?
Innerspring mattresses are made with steel coil springs inside. They also present several topper layers made of different fibers and foams.
The type of topper materials gives the diversity of the innerspring mattresses. There are memory foam, pillow top, temperature-regulating gels, and ventilated foam encasements.
Most of the time, an innerspring mattress is going to last 7 to 10 years, but it can be even longer than that. The quality of the mattress and the spring build count the most when it comes to the innerspring mattress’s durability.
A better quality mattress is made from better and pricier materials, carrying longer consumer warranties. The padding is typically denser, whereas the coils are more resilient- as opposed to the ones used in lower quality mattresses.
It’s common for innerspring mattresses to be two-sided, which is why you should flip them over for distributing the wear and tear in an even way. If you flip the mattress on a regular basis, it’s going to take the use for a longer time.
It’s important to mention that innerspring mattresses are influenced by the weight of people sleeping on them. This is why heavy users are always going to wear out the mattresses a lot sooner than others.
How durable is a latex mattress?
One of the most durable types of mattresses, the latex mattress is going to take at least 15 years of use. Made from natural or synthetic latex foam, the latex mattresses present a very dense foam construction, which explains their lifespan.
Not everyone finds the latex mattress comfortable, so make sure you choose right, to begin with.
Are hybrid mattresses any less durable?
A typical hybrid mattress is made with several layers of memory foam, placed over a series of innerspring coils. The combination is the reason for which many are finding this type of be the most comfortable out there.
Typically, a hybrid mattress is made with memory foam, but there are plenty of models made with gel (they’re cooler to sleep on).
Most manufacturers give warranties of up to 10 years. This doesn’t mean that you cannot find a hybrid mattress that is going to last longer than a decade.
What are the signs of wear and tear?
Even if a mattress’s rating/warranty is important, this doesn’t mean that your personal experience isn’t going to play a part in its durability.
Several signs show you that you need to get a new mattress:
- There are visible signs of wear and tear in your mattress. Lumps and sagging are the most visible ones. Hearing your bed springs when you’re lying down is never a good thing.
- You’re no longer comfortable when you lie down. You wake up all tired and achy.
- You deal with allergies and you haven’t replaced your mattress in a while now. If you haven’t used allergy-reducing covers, dust mites in your mattress pose a real risk for your health. Even though there are ways to solve the dust mite problem, getting a clean, mite-free mattress is the best thing to do for your health.
- Flipping and rotating the mattress doesn’t work anymore. The comfort is lost for good.
- You’re older than 40 and you’ve been sleeping on the same side for more than a decade. As we age, our body gets more sensitive to pressure points. Pressure points cause tossing and turning, leading to disturbed sleep. Bad sleep is one cause of various health conditions.
The final note
Buying a good quality mattress is a wise investment to make. Not only that you’re not going to have to buy a new one any time soon, but you’re also going to sleep and feel better. which is always a good thing for your well-being.
RESOURCES
Learn When to Replace a Mattress
How Often Should You Change Your Mattress? Plus Why It Matters
