How to Know When It’s Time for a New Mattress
Your bed should be the ultimate sanctuary in your home. That means enjoyable bedding, pleasing decor, and a truly comfortable mattress. But how do you know when your beloved mattress is on its way out? In this article, we’ll outline how important a mattress is, signs that your mattress has outlived its welcome and some things to keep in mind when purchasing a new one.
How Important Is My Mattress?
When you think of all the time you spend asleep in your life, a mattress is one of the most used items you’ll ever have. Researchers at Oklahoma State University conducted an experiment to see how impactful a new mattress could be on overall health and well being. The results concluded that “new bedding systems increased sleep quality and reduced back comfort, factors that may be related to abatement of stress-related systems.”
Within the same vein, cheap versus expensive mattresses also play a role in sleep health. Another study found that the cheaper the bed, the more lower back pain was present for subjects, compared to medium and higher priced beds. So ultimately, your mattress plays a huge role in sleep health and satisfaction.
What does all this mean? Basically, it’s worth it to invest in your mattress to avoid having trouble staying asleep. A couple sleeping together should find a mattress that suits you and your partner’s sleeping style which might take work, but will ultimately bring a more positive resting experience to you both.
Signs it’s Time to Get a New Mattress
If you experience any of the following issues or complaints, especially if you notice that you experience one or more of them, it’s definitely time to head out and do some mattress shopping.
- You experience back pain on a daily basis.
- You feel like you spend the night tossing and turning and often lack morning energy.
- Your partner indicates that they would sleep better if the mattress were firmer/softer.
- The mattress you have shows signs of sagging – even if you flip or turn it.
- You or your partner feel that they need to sleep at a different temperature.
- One or both of you feel the mattress is too small to share with a partner.
We understand if you have some hesitancy about purchasing a new mattress. Maybe the cost of a new mattress is too exorbitant, or you’re waiting for the warranty to kick in before you replace your current mattress. Only you can make the choice, but if you’re experiencing disrupted sleep or continuous body aches, it might be worth shelling out some extra dollars to get some peace at night.
If you do decide it’s time to replace your mattress, try to find a balance between support, comfort, and price point. Make sure you and your partner both test out a variety of mattresses before committing to the winner. Remember that a mattress is just one piece of the sleep equation, but it’s an important aspect that can’t be ignored.
“Changes in Back Pain, Sleep Quality, and Perceived Stress After Introduction of New Bedding Systems”. US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2697581/#__sec11title.
“Grouped Comparisons of Sleep Quality for New and Personal Bedding Systems”. US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17597575.