How Often Should You Change Your Mattress?

Written by Nectarsleep Editorial Team

Last updated on Sep 08, 2023

Better Sleep Blog
How Often Should You Change Your Mattress?

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How Often Should You Change Your Mattress - We spend almost one-third of our lifetime sleeping, and our mattress is one of the most utilized pieces of furniture at home to accomplish this. If you do the math, on average, an individual is spending anywhere between seven to eight hours a day sleeping. When you multiply that in a year that would equate to 3,000 hours, and an astounding 30,000 hours in 10 years — lying on the same old mattress for decades!

Now, it all boils to one question – How often should you change your mattress?

Before we delve deeper into this question, let us first tackle how long should a mattress last? Here are some important considerations to help you out.

The Average Lifespan of Mattresses

A quality mattress can last you a good eight to 10 years. After that, the mattress support will deteriorate and you will find your bed losing firmness and comfort. Often, it’s hard to recall how many years have you had your mattress. This is why it is wise to add an expiry sticker underneath your mattress as an apt reminder.

Mattress Worn out and Uneven

If the mattress is currently on its fourth year and has started to become all worn out and uneven, should I change it? Whenever you buy a low quality and cheap mattress, it should not be a surprise if you find it problematic to sleep on it after a couple of years. If the mattress is becoming all worn out and uneven, it is a good time to change to a better one. You might not want to wait around to switch your small mattress to a bigger one.

 Telltale Signs To Change Mattress

Telltale Signs To Change Mattress

Do you often feel exhausted after you have woken up? If your answer to this is a resounding yes, then it could be an indicator that your mattress has lost its effectiveness and it is now time to replace it with a brand new one. The moment you feel any discomfort, it is high time to get a brand new mattress. Look for more visible signs such as groans and creaks from your mattress, wear and tear, and your overall discomfort while trying to sleep. These are often telltale signs that it is time for you to change.

If you are here reading this post, you are probably contemplating switching to a brand new mattress. This could be due to a couple of reasons. If you find yourself restless in the night and you wake up really sore and tired due to lack of mattress support, then it might be time to change your mattress. With that said, how often should you replace your mattress? Changing your mattress will depend on various things: the condition of your mattress, type of mattress, and your quality of sleep on your current bed.

To answer your most pressing question, we can simply say that the lifespan of each mattress is different. However, most mattresses have to be changed every five to 10 years. This is typically how often you should change your mattress to achieve better sleep quality. There are other various considerations to think about when it is time to change your mattress.

If You Feel Like You Have To Change The Mattress, You Most Probably Do

If You Feel Like You Have To Change The Mattress, You Most Probably Do

This is quite self-explanatory and obvious. But, if you are no longer comfortable on your bed and you feel that you have to update it, you should trust your gut feeling and get a brand new mattress. Do you wake up tired in the morning due to lack of mattress support at night? It may be time for a new mattress.

More often than not, we trick ourselves into thinking that those problems will go away, but the truth is sleeplessness due to mattress discomfort indicates mattress deterioration. If you feel you have to change the mattress, then you know when to change that mattress. Now is the right time. 

Check For Wear and Tear On Your Mattress

Check For Wear and Tear On Your Mattress

When your mattress exhibits physical signs of abuse and wear and tear, it is time to change it. The signs of deterioration will all depend on the kind of mattress that you have. If you are using an inner coil mattress, there can be some lumps around the springs which have lost its tension. If you have a hybrid mattress, check for frays along the stitches to find where it may have come undone.

When your mattress has reached this level of degradation, it means you’ve been sleeping on a worn out mattress for some time. By now, you probably know when to change your mattress, so do your research and make that change as soon as possible.

 Exactly How Many Years is A Mattress Good For?

Exactly How Many Years is A Mattress Good For?

The answer to this will depend on the kind of mattress that you have. Mostly, innerspring mattresses are ideal for a lifespan of six to seven years, even if the manufacturer tells you it can last up to 10 years. That is very basic since the coils can lose tension after a certain period of time. The moment it is uncoiled, there is nothing more you can do to prolong the mattress life. There are some accessories that may help you, but in truth, the ideal solution is to change your mattress.

With that said, some materials and mattress types can last the test of time. Hybrid mattresses and memory foam mattresses are a great way to obtain a good value for the price. Memory foam mattresses are extremely resilient and dense without using the coil system. This means that this kind of bed may last up to 10 years. That is not saying that things can’t go wrong, for in the real world it will. However, some mattress brands offer a lifetime guarantee for the lifespan of the mattress. For instance, Nectar mattresses come with The Nectar Forever Warranty which is a great indicator of how long a quality foam mattress can truly last.

 How Often To Turn The Mattress

How Often To Turn The Mattress?

Once again, the answer to this question will have to depend on the mattress. The innerspring mattress will benefit from turning it from time to time. It is highly recommended to turn your mattress every two to three months to ensure that the inner coils are kept taut and very even. This is sure to prolong the lifespan of your mattress. Unfortunately, there are coil spring mattresses which are recommended for use with a specific side up. Also, if your mattress is already sagging, turning it will not be an optimal solution for comfort.

As for memory foam mattresses, turning them is not recommended. There is some layering on the mattress that has to be in place to afford optimum sleep levels. Much of the supportive foam goes to the bottom side of the mattress while the temperature regulating and more comfortable side should be on top. There is no need to flip this kind of mattress as each part works differently. For the rest of the mattress types, do it at least for the first six months, and every three months after that initial flip.

 Is It Required To Replace the Box Spring When Changing Mattress?

Is It Required To Replace the Box Spring When Changing Mattress?

No - it is not required to replace your box spring when you replace your mattress unless there is visible and apparent deterioration found on it.

If you can see the uneven surface and broken slats, those are your best gauge for knowing whether a brand new replacement box spring is needed. The good thing is that most box springs can handle multiple mattresses in their lifetime. When you have to switch from an innerspring mattress to a hybrid mattress or memory foam mattress, more often than not, you will need to keep your box spring intact.

Consumers are totally overwhelmed by the wide array of mattress brands these days. But it is no wonder that many of us are having problems narrowing our choices to which brand to buy. Everyone needs a mattress to sleep on, and it is best to select one from the quality brands even though it can have a higher price point. The worst thing is to purchase a mattress that you haven’t researched and regretted buying it later on.

If you have chosen the right kind of mattress, chances are you will enjoy a much more comfortable sleep on your brand new mattress. In this day and age, it will be easy to find the right kind of mattress with tons of positive reviews and feedback with just a few clicks of the mouse. It surely makes the job of finding the right mattress a straightforward undertaking for anyone. You can check on those mattress ratings and utilize the information for your mattress research and comparison.

There you have it, the answer to your most pressing questions on how often to change a mattress depends on three essential things: the kind of mattress you have, your sleep quality, and the condition of the mattress. If you follow your instincts and listen to what your body is telling you, it will be very easy for you.

I wish my Nectar was here 10 years ago

I never, ever, thought of mattresses. I just bought whichever felt good at the store and was in the price range and probably bought a new one twice now since leaving my parent’s home in 1997 and my Dad used to remind me that a mattress should be changed every 8 years. My boyfriend mentioned Nectar and I like that they will send a new cover if I need it, plus they have a really long Warranty and I think a few pretty famous people have recommended Nectar. Wow. It really is incredibly comfortable and just feels like a whole different experience. My boyfriend loves the new mattress and doesn’t even snore anymore. I like feeling cradled by the bed when we relax or even more, have fun. It’s great.

This was amazing from start to finish.

This mattress is so comfortable! I really can’t get over it. We bought it when we moved to our new house. It was perfect timing as it came in the exact day that we moved in. My wife was stressed at the idea of shopping for a mattress in person so being able to do everything online made it super easy. Delivery was quick and setup was incredibly easy. We bought a King. It’s a really comfy bed - not too firm, not too soft. I appreciate that it comes with a nice cover. Lastly, company communication has been great.