How Long Should A Mattress Last?
Your mattress is one of the most hard-working items of furniture you’ll own.
Mattresses can seem expensive when considered as an upfront cost, but when you think about them as an investment, they start to make more sense.
Perhaps because we aren’t awake for most of the time we spend on our mattress, we don’t give it much consideration. But to state the obvious, we do spend roughly a third of our time lying down on one.
In fact, one of the defining characteristics of a good mattress is that it goes unnoticed. Being aware of where your body meets your mattress at night, is a sign that you might have picked the wrong one or it’s time to replace it.
Find out how long mattresses should last in this post and you’ll discover if your mattress is too old and decide whether it’s time to look for a new one.
How long does a mattress last?
General advice is that a mattress will last between 7 and 10 years before it starts to decline and becomes uncomfortable.
But knowing if your mattress is too old can be difficult to notice until it’s too late. If getting out of bed is painful and you’re waking up with new aches in your neck, shoulders, and back, it might be a sign that your mattress is no longer supporting you.
A mattresses lifespan is not only determined by the support it gives but whether it has become a haven for dust and allergens. If you find yourself sneezing in bed more than you do in other parts of your home, and your mattress is reaching the 10 year mark, it might be time for an update.
If you’re about to invest in a mattress and you’re sensitive to allergens such as dust, or just want to increase your new mattress’s lifespan, consider getting a custom made lambswool mattress or using a mattress protector which is easy to clean.
Different types of mattress have different expected lifespans, however, with futon and air mattresses typically lasting a much shorter amount of time, while deep filled, pocket sprung mattresses tend to last longer.
Factors in mattress longevity
Aside from the type of mattress you choose, there are a range of other factors that go into determining how long your mattress will last.
How much do you use your mattress?
The more you sleep on a mattress, the more you’ll compress the springs or cushioning. Over time this will decrease the supportiveness of the bed and start to cause issues with comfort and quality of sleep.
A mattress that is slept on every night will understandably age a lot more quickly than one that’s not, so it’s likely that your spare room mattress will last much longer than the one in your bedroom.
Spend time maintaining your mattress
Apart from protecting your mattress from liquids and allergens with a mattress protector, and cleaning your mattress, flipping it every season will allow it to wear evenly. It will also give each side of your mattress time to recover between seasons, meaning you’ll get more use out of it.
You should look to flip your mattress over every 3-6 months, but you can also rotate it 180° (so that the bottom is now the top) more regularly to give it even more longevity and keep wear even.
How much weight will your mattress hold?
If you share your bed with a partner, your cumulative weight is likely to decrease the lifespan of your mattress. The heavier the weight on a mattress, the more it is compressed and, eventually, damaged.
So, if you find it’s time to replace your mattress, keep a few of these factors in mind before and after you make your purchase. Because they will help extend the lifespan of your most hardworking piece of furniture.