When Should You Replace Your Mattress?

by David

A mattress is a really important piece of furniture. It’s one of the very few furniture items that can have a direct effect on your quality of life.

If you have a good mattress with the right support and cushioning, you’ll sleep better and feel well-rested when you wake up.

But if your mattress is uncomfortable, you wake up with various aches and pains and might feel groggy the entire day.

Unfortunately, mattresses change over time. Although the good mattress models are built to last for more than ten years, with some of the best mattresses even promising longer life spans, there will come a time when your mattress is just not healthy to sleep on anymore.

But how do you know when your mattress is due for a replacement?

Although shopping for mattresses is a difficult task, it is much easier to tell when a mattress has reached its maximum life span.

Sometimes mattresses get so worn out that you should start looking for a new one soon. In fact, it is ideal to replace your mattress at least every ten years or so because mattresses are prone to dust mites, allergens, and bacteria.

Also, if you start suffering from allergies, check your mattress because it might be the cause of your allergies.

You’ll feel the signs that your mattress needs to be replaced when you start tossing and turning because of noticeable sagging or lumps and other deformities on the surface. If you feel your body sinking in and cannot get the right lumbar support, which can cause back pain you didn’t experience before, it’s probably time for your old mattress to go.

If you feel like you’re sleeping on a sack of peas, that means the stuffing material that makes up the mattress has probably lumped together.


Aside from that, before you throw the entire mattress set away, check your box spring. The box spring is separate from the mattress. Even though your mattress may already be worn out, your box spring might still be okay.

You have the option to keep the box spring or foundation and just replace the mattress.

However, even if your mattress still looks good, you may need to replace it if your body changes such that your needs also change.

Sometimes you need to replace a mattress because you have outgrown it, and sometimes you need to replace it because your body wants more firmness or softness. If you are faced with a new sleeping arrangement, such as when you have acquired a sleep partner, you may need to change the mattress to fit the circumstances.

You don’t have to replace your mattress every 5 years, but since various mattresses have different life spans and durability levels, and they also bear varying weights, this means there is no general rule as to how long to keep a mattress.

Since warranty periods often last for 10 years, you’re safe enough to extend the use of the mattress to that same period.

However, if you start having problems, even though you’ve just had your mattress for 9 years or 2 years, replace it before you risk developing chronic back pain or poor posture.

These tips supplied courtesy of Mattress-Wiz.com – a source of unbiased, expert mattress reviews and ratings to help you find the right mattress for your needs, unique preferences and budget.