Your mattress plays a vital role in your good night sleep; hence it is really important to keep it fully functional. Generally speaking mattresses last for about 7 to 10 years. Due to wear and tear, they tend to lose firmness or support, which in turn may affect your good night sleep. If you are feeling any kind of body ache, tiredness or waking symptoms (after waking up from cervical stiffness, headache and scapular/arm pain) after waking up, your mattress may need to be replaced. Please, take a closer look at the signs below to identify whether your mattress needs upgrade or take the quiz to know if your mattress is due for upgrade.
Signs It's Time for a New Mattress
Please, note that suggested options are based on our research and are our own opinions. Use this guide as an informational guide and it should not be used to replace any medical advice.
Signs you need a new mattress
1. Sagging
Sagging is one of the most obvious signs. If you notice a sag, it is the time your mattress is due for an upgrade. Mattresses tend to sag over time due to wear and tear. For inner sprint mattress, springs can break or loose elasticity and are compressed. In case of foam mattress or other mattress material, compression is natural over time. If you notice a sag of about an inch or two, you should be concerned, as it can mean a lack of support to your body. For those with body weight more than 250 pounds, sag can be a serious matter. Check out our pick for body weight over 500 pounds.
2. Body ache or waking symptoms
If you are waking up with body aches or waking symptoms, this could be your mattress. If you feel your hip or shoulders are hurting when you wake up, it is possible that your mattress is not relieving pressure from those areas. If you have lower back pain, you should consider replacing your mattress immediately as this means that your mattress is no longer supporting your body as it used to be.
3. Noise and smell
Squeaking sounds and screeching metal sounds might be a sign that coils within, are starting to age and may not be supportive as before. At this point, you should carefully observe any sag in the mattress and if you notice any sag, you should know that it is the time. This mostly applies to coil mattresses.
Another point to consider – Is your mattress smelly? It is likely that over the years, mildew, mold or fungi may build up in the mattress. If your home is more humid or you live on a waterfront, likely your home humidity is higher than normal. This can result in build of mold, fungi or mildew sooner than normal wear and tear. In any case, you should not ignore smell symptoms.
4. Changes in your life
Even if your mattress is in a perfect condition, you still may have to consider a new one, as it may not fit your newer needs and conditions. For example, you may have gain and lost weight, or you may be pregnant. In such changed situations, you may want to reconsider the firmness need or pressure relief feature of your mattress. The point is, if you don’t feel comfortable with your mattress, do not ignore it. Act on it as disturbed sleep may result into various conditions.
5. Bed bugs
If you notice red or brown blood stains on your sheets, likely your bed is infested with bed bugs. You may want to keep an eye on blood, eggs shells, un-hatched eggs on mattress seams or headboard areas. If you feel you have bites on legs, arms, neck or face during the night, likely your bed is infested with bed bugs. You may want to consider bed bug treatments or consider replacing your mattress.
6. Age of your mattress
Usually speaking a mattress lasts about 7 to 10 years based on usage, body weight and other factors affecting wear and tear of the mattress. Consumer Reports magazine recommends replacement every 7 to 10 years. In my opinion, age should not be the only deciding factor to replace the mattress, especially if you are sleeping well without any discomfort. However, as your mattress ages, obvious sag, material compression and other factors may impact your sleep quality slowly. Hence, it is a good idea to make sure your sleep quality hasn’t suffer. For example, if you start to wake up in the middle of the night for no obvious reasons, it may be your mattress. So, it is advisable to closely monitor your sleep quality, if your mattress has aged more than 10 years.