There is nothing more refreshing then a good night’s sleep but slowly you notice you are not waking up ready to conquer the world like you used to. Little by little you find yourself tired, achy and cranky. Barring sleep apnea what could be the cause? Could it be your mattress? The Consumer Report suggests replacing your mattress every 7-10 years but could that possibly be right? There is no scientific formula for when you should change mattresses but here are a few rules of thumb.
The length of time your mattress lasts is definitely dependent on the quality of the mattress you own. If you have bought an entry level mattress then it will probably need to be replaced before the 10 years are up. A higher grade mattress that is built to higher specifications should last longer than 7-10 years, especially if you take care of it. Write the year on your mattress label so you know exactly what year you made your purchase.
To lengthen the life of the mattress it can be covered with a waterproof cover. The cover will help stop the dust mites from getting into the mattress. That along with rotating your mattress every couple of months for the first year and then quarterly after that will help prolong the life of your mattress.
The first sign that your mattress might be ready to retire is that you find you are waking up tired and stiff. A mattress should follow the contours of your body and also give you support while you sleep. If that is not happening you are going to wake up stiff and sore and you are probably going to spend the night tossing and turning never feeling truly comfortable.
Have you noticed that your allergies are acting up and not going away? This could be another indication of needing a new mattress. Dust mites accumulate over the years and even though you can’t see them they can cause an allergic reaction when you are sleeping that will not go away until your mattress does.
Look at your mattress without a sheet or mattress pad on it. Does it have staining? Does the middle of the mattress sit inches lower that either side. Neither of these are good signs of aging. If you can feel springs or when you lie down you naturally roll to the center of the bed it might be time to consider a new purchase!
The older we are the firmer and more supportive a mattress should be and unfortunately our mattresses age and soften with us so we have to remember to upgrade to a newer model after we start noticing the signs.
If when you travel you notice you have these great sleeps in a hotel it might not only be that you are on vacation, it might, in fact, mean you need to go shopping for a new bed!
