Getting good sleep helps you feel fit, energized, and overall happier. To achieve this, it requires effort on your part, and resources to ensure your body gets the necessary rest under the best conditions. Apart from healthy sleeping habits that you can start implementing anytime for free, you should also invest in a quality bed setup, where your chosen mattress plays a key role. The reality is that good things cost good money. Most mattresses don’t come cheap, so it’s completely normal if you’re concerned about a mattress’s quality and longevity when choosing one!
So, the question of the hour: how many years does a mattress last? Unfortunately, many modern mattresses don’t last decades. Regardless of how carefully you treat it, the average life of a mattress typically doesn’t exceed 7-10 years. But, at the same time, it’s in your hands to ensure your mattress’s life is not shortened by improper utilization or negligence! We’ll go through the main contributors to a mattress’s lifespan, when you should replace them, and how you can extend those years in this article!
What Can Affect a Mattress Lifespan?
Common factors that can affect your mattress’s life include:
- Original quality: Buy nice or buy twice. It’s not realistic to expect long durability from a mattress that’s on the cheaper side – this doesn’t specifically refer to money, as many can find second-hand seldom used mattresses that are fantastic quality. Budget materials and workmanship don’t typically last long-term, so keep this in mind.
- Material: It can make a huge difference if your mattress is made of low or high-density foam. Usually, the denser foam is, the longer the mattress can last.
- Mattress type: A mattress’s lifespan can also depend on its type — whether it’s memory foam, latex, polyurethane foam, hybrid, or traditional innerspring mattress, it can vary between five and ten years. With this said, a layered, dense memory foam mattress may live longer than, for example, a hybrid one.
- Mattress care: Regular cleaning, protective covers, and adhering to the manufacturer’s recommendations can significantly prolong your mattress’s service time.
- Sleep position and body weight: Users with a heavier weight and those who like to sleep on their side may notice their mattress begin to sag in areas with the highest pressure, such as your hips and shoulders.
- Neglectfulness: Examples of this can include allowing your small children to play and bounce on your mattress, or having pets on it without sufficient mattress protection. The chances are you’ll soon find stains and other damage on your mattress.
While some issues can be easily solved by extra cleaning or purchasing a protective cover, there are certain issues that signify your mattress has aged, and needs to be replaced.
When Should You Replace Your Mattress?
Since there is no strict rule on how often you should replace your mattress, you can simply rely on your own experience and comfort (or lack thereof!), and start thinking about a new mattress when:
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Your mattress shows wear and tear signs.
Nothing lasts forever, and this includes your mattress. Lumps, bumps, sagging, and permanent indentations hint that your mattress is coming to the end of its life, and the time to replace it is around the corner.
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You don’t feel comfortable when sleeping.
If you’re tossing and turning during the night trying to find a good sleeping position, perhaps it’s because your mattress has lost its initial pushback ability and doesn’t provide your body with necessary support. Back and neck pain and stiffness can also go hand in hand with your mattress’s decline, significantly deteriorating your sleep and comfort quality.
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You have agitated allergies or asthma.
Mattresses can often be hotbeds of different allergens such as dust mites, mold, and mildew. If you’ve suddenly started sneezing, have an unexplained runny nose, or your asthma has worsened, this situation may be caused by allergens contained in your mattress.
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You notice strange red spots and bites on your skin.
This problem may be hidden in your current old mattress. Sometimes, an infestation of bed bugs can happen despite all the hygiene measures you take to keep your entire house clean. You may have brought the insects from a trip abroad, have them as a “bonus” from a hotel you stayed in or any other number of causes. In most cases, pillows also contain allergens and invisible bugs, so they should be changed simultaneously with your mattress.
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You can’t remove stains and smells.
Spilled drinks and food over the years can leave stains that are hard to clean, and yellow urine marks last forever no matter how intensively you wash them. Sometimes unsightly spots are indicators that your mattress’s material has started to decay, and the only way forward is to buy a new mattress.
How to Expand a Mattress’s Lifespan?
Following these simple rules can help you prolong your mattress’s life, ensuring you get value for money and a continued great night’s sleep.
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Use protective covers and sheets.
This is one of the most effective ways to keep your mattress clean. The protective cover, especially waterproof, can partially absorb spilled liquids and prevent spots. Both a cover and quality sheets will create an additional barrier and ensure proper hygiene conditions. Needless to say, your protective cover and bed sheets should be regularly washed.
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Flip your mattress.
Flipping your mattress once every six months will allow both sides to be evenly used. This way, you can avoid uncomfortable indentations on one side while the other remains untouched.
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Stop eating in bed.
Although many follow the rule of separating where they eat from where they sleep, others prefer to have a cup of coffee or eat their takeaway while in bed. While it may be an enticing and comfortable experience for you, it can be a poor experience for your mattress if it absorbs any stains or smells!
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Restrict having pets in your bed.
We know this is a tough one, but even the most durable mattresses can be damaged and stained from having pets in them.
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Clean your mattress with a vacuum.
Dust accumulation in mattress cells can evoke a dust mite outbreak, which can cause allergies and destroy your mattress structure. Also, vacuum cleaning and regularly sanitizing your bed with specific sprays will help get rid of bed bugs if you face this issue.
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Prevent children from jumping on your bed.
While this can be fun for them, it will eventually be problematic when you notice your mattress lose its original shape, and the dents don’t disappear.
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Check your bed frame.
A quality bed frame is just as important as a house’s basement. Inspect your frame regularly to find weak or broken slats, or worn bedsprings damaging your mattress surface.
Mattresses for Regular vs. Adjustable Bed Frames
You should also keep in mind that mattresses for standard and adjustable beds can differ. If you’re searching for the best mattresses for adjustable beds, you should pay attention to how many foam layers that mattress has, how resilient the foam is, and whether a warranty and sleep trial are provided.
Since a good quality mattress can be expensive, a sleep trial is important as you have enough time to try it and return it if the product doesn’t meet your expectations for some reason!
We will soon be launching our own line of durable and affordable mattresses here at Progressive Bed that comes in soft and medium softness levels, with five memory foam layers ensuring your mattress’s durability and adaptive support. The layers include:
- Green Tea Memory Foam
- Blue Gel Memory Foam
- Convoluted Foam
- Normal Support Foam
- Blue Gel Memory Foam
Sizes include Twin XL, Queen, Split King, and King, and have 10.63" thickness. Conveniently, they’re also made of washable fabric that facilitates cleaning. We’ll also be happy to offer our customers a 100-night trial to become confident our ergonomic mattresses are what they need!
In Summary
To summarize, mattresses can be fairly expensive, but it absolutely pays off to choose a quality mattress that invests in your health and well-being. A mattress’s longevity can depend on many factors, including the material it’s made of. Memory foam mattresses are quite durable as they have a much higher density when compared with other materials, such as polyurethane foam. The number and thickness of foam layers your mattress has contributes hugely, with a high-quality memory foam mattresses serving up to ten years, while keeping their original characteristics.
It’s also essential to follow simple care rules to ensure your mattress has a long life, granting you many more restful nights.
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