A mattress has no official expiry date, but it does have a "best before". The signs in your own bed tell you more than the date you bought it. Pay attention to how it feels before deciding it's time to replace it.
Mattress lifespan in brief
There's no official expiry date: the National Bed Federation (NBF) says most mattresses begin to lose shape and support after around 7 to 8 years and recommends considering replacement then. How long yours lasts depends on its quality, use, care and the weight it carries. Act on sagging, lumps or springs you can feel, and take waking stiff or sleeping better elsewhere as reasons to check whether yours needs replacing.
Most mattresses start to lose support after about 7 to 8 years
There's no official expiry date, but the NBF describes a "best before": the point before your sleep starts to suffer. In Do you know when you should replace your bed, it says many people expect a mattress to last 10 to 15 years. Most mattresses begin to lose shape and support after around 7 to 8 years, which is when the NBF recommends considering replacement.1
A mattress can lose support inside before it looks worn. A tidy appearance isn't enough to judge its condition, so use the date as a prompt to check your mattress, not an order to buy a new one.
How you use a mattress changes how long it lasts
The NBF's guide to how often to change your mattress says lifespan varies by manufacturer, type, how you use it and how heavy you are.2 Inferior mattresses don't last as long, but even a well-made one eventually needs replacing. A new partner can mean the mattress carries more weight than it used to, so reassess it when who sleeps on it changes. Keep an eye on children's mattresses as they grow, too: the weight they carry changes with them. For value, judge the cost over the years you'll keep it using the cost-per-night calculator.
These signs suggest your mattress needs replacing
The NBF's signs to check:
Deep dips, springs you can feel through the fabric and waking stiff are among the signs to check.
- You can't remember when you bought it.
- It sags, feels lumpy or has deep dips in the shape of your body.
- You can feel the springs through the fabric, or they squeak.
- You wake sore and stiff, but it eases once you're up and moving.
- You sleep better in a hotel or someone else's bed.
- Your allergies are worse even after vacuuming and airing it.
- You notice your partner moving more, or you both roll towards the middle.
The mattress replacement checker walks you through the same questions; if yours feels too soft or too firm rather than worn, our guide to a mattress that feels too soft or too firm may help you fix it.
Regular care helps your mattress last
Following the maker's care instructions is the best place to start. The NBF's care guide recommends that, without those instructions, you rotate a one-sided mattress weekly for the first three months and monthly after that.3 Alternate rotating and flipping a two-sided mattress on the same schedule, and air your mattress regularly.
Without the maker's instructions, rotate a one-sided mattress weekly for three months, then monthly.
The NBF says to always use a mattress protector. I'm not a fan myself, because they can make a mattress less breathable, so weigh that up and decide for yourself. Body-shaped impressions, known as settlement, are normal, so don't assume every impression means you need a replacement. Regular rotating keeps that settlement to a minimum.
Questions people ask about how long mattresses last
No, there's no set rule that you must replace it every seven years. The NBF says most mattresses begin losing shape and support after around seven to eight years. Check yours at that point, and base your decision on signs such as sagging or feeling the springs through the fabric.
Better-made mattresses tend to last longer, but none lasts forever. The NBF says inferior products don't last as long, so quality does count. How you use and care for yours affects its lifespan too. Even a well-made mattress eventually needs replacing, however much you paid for it.
Judge a child's mattress by its condition as they grow, rather than a fixed replacement age. The weight it carries increases as your child gets bigger, so check whether it still supports them comfortably. The same warning signs apply as on an adult's mattress, including lumps and dips or springs they can feel.
