Most people don’t put too much thought into their mattress, yet it’s a crucial component to better sleep quality. A comfortable bed can improve sleep, which will improve both your mental and physical wellbeing, making it one of the most important pieces of furniture in your home. If you think it’s time to upgrade the way you sleep, here are eight telltale signs you need a new mattress.
It’s At Least Seven Years Old
As with many items you own, it usually comes with an expiration date. The Better Sleep Council recommends getting a new mattress before the seven-year mark, as this is typically when most mattress lose comfort and no longer provide support. Try to keep track of when you purchase any new type of furniture, so you know exactly when it’s time to make a change.
You Sink to The Floor
Another telltale sign you need a new mattress is when your bed starts to feel more like a hammock than a mattress. This change may occur because the supportive materials in your mattress are no longer as resilient as they once were. All mattress material types degrade with use, but foam materials degrade the most over time:
- Polyfoam materials can lose up to 50%
- Latex foam can lose 22.6%
- Memory foam can lose 16.2% for memory foam.
Resiliency loss occurs over a period of 10 years or 100,000 rollator cycles in tests. This is partly because foams are porous and absorb moisture like a sponge. While your mattress should be comfortable and worn in, it shouldn’t have any significant sags.
It Smells
We spend a ton of time in our beds, which is why they are prone to odor, especially if you don’t regularly clean the sheets. The smell can also come from mold, mildew, and fungi buildup. People sweat far more in their beds than they release, and the moisture causes mattress degradation. So, make sure you inspect your mattress and get a new one immediately if this is the case.
You Have Bad Dust Allergies
It is also easy for an older mattress to trigger allergies when issues like mold, mildew, and fungi grow on it. Your mattress may also be home to dust mites and dead skin cells, both of which can cause allergic reactions or allergy-like symptoms. If you start to notice that you always wake up with a runny nose, headaches, a cough, or an itchy throat, you should consider replacing your mattress.
You Suffer from Pain
Something else you might suffer from when you have a bad mattress is any type of back, shoulder, or neck pain. A few different factors can contribute to the pain you’re experiencing, but mattress degradation, a poor sleeping position, your partner, and just not having the correct bed for your body type could be to blame. Your bed should be comfortable, and if you toss and turn all night, a new mattress might solve this issue.
It Makes Noise
As you potentially toss and turn at night, you might also notice constant squeaks coming from the springs of your mattress. The noises are a typical sign that your mattress has worn out, but take a look at the frame before you make the call to replace it.
Body Changes
This next one mostly applies to younger children who outgrow their beds. Typically, children will sleep in a twin bed, but it might be time to upgrade them to a full if they recently had a growth spurt. Upgrading to a bigger mattress will ensure that their feet don’t hang off the side of the bed.
There’s Not Enough Room for Two
Another life change that may mean you should get a new bed is you recently moved in with someone and now share the same bed. This might require you to upgrade your sleeping arrangements to a king or queen size mattress. You might also be sharing your bed with your pet as well. If you don’t want to worry about anyone falling off the bed, get a bigger size for two and consider a separate bed for your pet so that you can both sleep in comfort.
Other Potential Reasons:
- Snoring (can be fixed with an adjustable base)
- Poor circulation (can also be fixed with an adjustable base)
- Acid Reflux (again, adjustable base)
- Waking up when a partner or pet gets in/out of bed (motion transfer)
Everyone needs a good night’s sleep to perform at their best. Great American Home Store has plenty of high-quality mattresses you can browse at one of our stores in the Memphis area.