There are a lot of things in your typical home that you don’t think about much until something goes wrong. Things like pipes, windows, and mattresses. While you may not spend enough time thinking about your mattress to know when the optimal time to replace it is, we’re here to tell you that there is an optimal time. You should replace your mattress every 7 years. Let that sink in for a moment. A lot of people will keep their mattress for longer than that because they don’t know any better or they just can’t see past their old one. But if you keep reading, you will find out why you need to replace your mattress with something new sooner than later.
Why You Should Replace Your Mattress Every 7 Years
If you’re anything like us, you might be cringing a little bit at the thought of having to get a new mattress after what you may deem a small period, particularly when the cost outlay can sometimes be in the thousands of pounds. You might be thinking “wait, but my mattress is fine” or “my mattress still feels good”. But let us tell you, there are numerous reasons why you should replace your mattress in this life cycle. You see, a mattress is a very porous material. It’s made of many small fibres that allow air to flow through but that alone is not enough to keep body sweat, moisture, skin particles and more at bay. The more time passes, the more likely your mattress becomes a breeding ground for bacteria and dust mites. Dust mites are microscopic insects that love to inhabit mattresses. They feed off dead skin cells and thrive in humid environments. Bacteria, on the other hand, can settle in almost any part of your mattress and cause rashes, allergies, respiratory illnesses, and more. Your mattress, just like many other part of your house, needs to be replaced every 7 years. If you’re past your 7th year and your mattress is dirty, it’s time to get a new one.
We’re not alone in saying this either, there is plenty of key industry insight into mattress replacement timelines all of which largely says the same thing.
How Long Should A Mattress Last?
There are dozens of preconceptions around mattress longevity, ranging from a simple better depth and thickness being equal to better lifespan through to expanded warranties that go beyond this given lifespan. Regardless of your preconception, and even regardless of quality up to an extent, a mattress that has been slept on daily for 7 years will have racked up an impressive 20,000 hours of wear and tear. Look at it from the perspective of car ownership. Imagine you have a car travelling at 30 miles per hour for 20,000 hours, that ends up at 600,000 miles and odds are you would have begun having problems long ago and would have long since replaced it, right?
Is there a way to tell if you need a new mattress?
Something the team at Mattress Next Day blogged about on the subject recently stated that the most prominent indication that you require a mattress upgrade is if you routinely feel older than your age when you wake up. This can be really easy to identify if you often get poor quality sleep or sleep better in a hotel or other place over your bedroom, your mattress may be showing signs of needing replacement.
A mattress should be replaced if it is sagging, misshapen, or has body indentations. However, if it feels misshapen, lumpy, or has obvious body indentations, you should definitely upgrade as the slightest dip or uneven settlement can effect your sleep massively, no longer providing good spinal support, nor contouring to your body correctly. The result of this is that it can lead to stiff joints and painful back pain.
It’s crucial to regularly inspect your children’s mattresses for signs of wear and tear. Having adequate spinal support is critical to the healthy formation of their bones and the worst thing is that they won’t know any better. I remember having the same mattress from the age of 5 through to my late teens. If all you have ever known is poor quality, lumpy restless nights sleep, why would you immediately look to a new mattress?
4 Signs It’s Time To Replace Your Mattress
If you’re worried about how long your mattress will last or whether it has come to the end of its life, you can use these 4 signs to gauge when it’s time to replace it.
Your mattress is dirty – Over the years your mattress is going to pick up dirt, grime, sweat and dust. These in turn cause allergies to worsen and can have health effects beyond a bad nights sleep.
Your mattress is flat or misshapen – This is the one of the most common signs that your mattress is ready to retire. All the plushness and floaty comfort that you had in the mattress in the early years that made it look plump and luxurious has deflated or become misshapen. Dips and divots in particular need to be avoided but a flat mattress that no longer has a useable comfort layer has you feeling the springs and providing discomfort.
You’re waking up with aches and pains – A comfortable mattress should do more than just keep you warm. It should also prevent you from waking up with aches and back pains. If you’ve been waking up every day with aches, it may be time to get a new mattress.
You’re allergic – If you suffer from allergies and find them worsening at night, it’s best to replace your mattress as soon as possible and opt for a hypoallergenic or anti-allergy benefitting mattress. If you’re noticing signs of dust mite infestation, it’s time to get a new mattress and look at whole house coverage to wipe them out before delivery.
