Your mattress is probably the most important piece of furniture you own. You spend about one-third of your life asleep in bed, give or take, and the quality of your sleep is so important to your mental, physical, and emotional health. If your mattress is old and worn out, it’s harder to get a good night’s sleep, and without proper sleep, your body and brain can’t rejuvenate themselves. Mattress disposal may be a nuisance, but a new mattress is necessary every few years to ensure quality sleep.
But it’s not always easy to tell when it’s time to get a new mattress. Mattress wear can sneak up on you because it happens a little at a time, and you usually can’t recall how the mattress felt when you first bought it. Here are the signs that it might be time to invest in a new bed so you can get the support you need.
Your Mattress Looks Visibly Worn
A quality mattress is made to last a long time without showing signs of wear. So if your mattress is looking frayed around the edges, it’s probably time to get a new one. Visible tears or rips in the mattress signal that the materials are wearing out. Sagging, holes, stains, and other signs of wear shouldn’t be present on a mattress that has a lot of life left in it.
It’s Making a Lot of Noise Lately
If you’re using an inner-spring mattress, it’ll get louder as it wears out. That’s because the springs inside the mattress start to lose their flexibility as the mattress ages. The inner workings of the mattress can groan, creak, or pop as they wear out.
Of course, the sounds could also be coming from your bed frame, especially if you are using a wooden or metal slat bed frame. Before you buy a new mattress, make sure the sounds are coming from your mattress itself. There are several things you can do to fix a squeaky bed frame, including tightening up the bolts or adding some fabric between the mattress and the frame.
It Feels Lumpy
If your mattress feels lumpy, it’s time to buy yourself a new mattress. Big or small lumps are a sign that the padding inside the mattress is wearing out.
Other signs that your mattress is wearing out include permanent indentations that match the shape of your body, sagging of the corners or the middle of the mattress, or asymmetrical wear. A mattress that is ready for replacement may be higher or lower, harder or softer, lumpier or smoother on different sides or in different places.
You’re Experiencing Worsening Respiratory Symptoms
Have you noticed that your allergies or asthma are getting worse? The problem could be your aging mattress. Dust mites, or microscopic insects that feed on human skin flakes, love to live in moist, warm environments – and the inside of a mattress is the perfect home for them. Dust mites alone can cause allergy symptoms, and so can pet dander, fur, bacteria, mold, and other yucky things that can build up in your mattress over time. An older mattress will, at a bare minimum, be full of dead dust mites and dust mite feces.
You’re Having Trouble Sleeping at Home
Do you find that you sleep better in a hotel or on a friend’s guest bed than you do in your own bed at home? That’s not normal. Most people sleep better in their own beds, because that’s where you log most of your sleep hours and it’s where you feel safest and most comfortable. If you’re having trouble falling asleep and staying asleep in your own bed, but fall asleep much faster and sleep much better in a strange bed, it’s probably time to buy a new mattress.
The same goes for if you wake up sore when you sleep at home. A worn-out mattress can leave you with stiffness and pain in your neck, hips, back, and shoulders. Joint pain can also be a sign you need a new mattress. If the pain is present in the morning but subsides as you go on with your day, that’s usually a sign that your mattress is to blame.
Your Mattress Is More than Eight Years Old
These days, mattresses are built to last eight to ten years, and then they need to be replaced. Even if your mattress isn’t showing signs of wear at eight years old, you should consider replacing it because it’s probably full of dust mites, skin flakes, bacteria, mold, and maybe even pet dander and fur, if you have pets.
In order to get the rest you need to stay healthy and happy, you need a properly supportive mattress. Pay attention to the signs that your mattress is wearing out, and replace it with another quality mattress when necessary. You’ll enjoy better sleep, better mood regulation, and better health as a result.
