How Often Should You Replace Your Mattress? Sleep Experts Explain

Despite how carefully you've chosen yours, no mattress will last a lifetime. Each one has its own expiration date—the trick is knowing when exactly that is.

"Replacing your mattress is necessary because it has a direct impact on your sleeping quality, posture, and overall health," says bedding expert Barbara Stern. "Mattresses eventually lose their capability to support well, and this can cause poor spinal alignment and morning stiffness or back pain." Additionally, older mattresses often harbor dust mites, dead skin cells, and allergens, which can have a negative effect on respiratory health and sleep hygiene. 

Read on to find out when you need to replace your mattress for the betterment of your health and sleep.

Understanding Different Mattress Types

Depending on your personal preference, you may end up with one of several different types of mattresses, each crafted with specific materials and pros and cons. Due to these varying constructions, they have similarly varying lifespans, which further depend on factors like usage, body weight, sleeping position, and environment.

Innerspring

Once upon a time, innerspring was known to be the only type of mattress. However, mattress technology and sleep science have come a long way, leaving innerspring as one of many options in the modern era. “Over time, the metal coils can lose their springiness and support, leading to sagging,” notes bedding expert Amreen Godhrawala. 

Memory Foam

Memory foam mattresses are constructed from high-density, durable memory foam that excels at relieving pressure and delivering contouring support. They can withstand plenty of wear and tear, but over time, they lose their ability to bounce back. “This leads to permanent body impressions,” says Godwhala.

Hybrid

“Hybrids combine the coils of an innerspring with layers of foam,” explains Godwhala. Just like innerspring and memory foam mattresses, the lifespan of a hybrid mattress is directly related to the quality of its materials and construction. “A well-made hybrid can be very durable,” Godwhala says. “The layers work together to share the load.”

Your Mattress's General Lifespan

The type and quality of your mattress are key in determining how often you’ll need to replace it. “The general rule of thumb is every 7 to 10 years," says Godhrawala, "but your body is the real expert and it will give you plenty of warning signs." While a budget-friendly innerspring mattress might need replacing after 5 to 7 years, a high-quality mattress made from durable materials will likely last for 8 or more years.

"Hybrid beds, composed of foam and coils, are likely to balance comfort and longevity and last about 8 to 10 years based on the build quality," notes Stern. "Natural latex beds are the longest lasting, sometimes spanning 12 years or more with proper maintenance."

All in all, there is no hard and fast lifespan for a mattress. When your mattress is starting to near its end, you’ll notice some clear indicators. Once that happens, the sooner you replace your mattress, the better.

How to Tell When It's Time for a New Mattress

“While there isn’t a hard rule of thumb to know when your mattress is ready to be replaced, there are some good indicators,” shares sleep expert Derek Hales. In particular, be on the lookout for the following occurrences or changes to your mattress.

• “If you consistently wake up with a stiff back, sore neck, or aching hips that seem to fade as you stretch and move around, then your mattress is no longer supporting you the way it should,” says Godhrawala.
• A visible dip or body impression in the mattress where you sleep indicates that the support structure has broken down.
• “A stinky smell, discoloration, or worse, an increase in allergy attacks could be a sign you need to get a new mattress,” says Stern.
• “If your mattress creaks, groans, or squeaks every time you move, the springs and internal components are showing their age,” Godhrawala says.
• You spend a lot of time tossing and turning at night.
• If you run your hands over the surface and it feels uneven or lumpy, the internal materials are likely to have shifted and compressed unevenly.
• If you notice you sleep more comfortably in someone else’s bed, such as a hotel bed, that’s also a sign, notes Stern.

Tips and Tricks for Extending Your Mattress's Lifespan

“Even with the best care, mattress materials naturally break down over years of use,” says Godhrawal. However, “giving your mattress a bit of TLC can make a world of difference.”

To get the most out of your investment and to make sure that you are keeping the mattress of your dreams alive and well for as long as possible, follow these pro tips.

• Rotate your mattress by 180 degrees every 3-6 months. According to Megan Anderson, director of merchandising at Mattress Firm, this ensures you’re sleeping on different parts of the mattress. This evens out the wear and tear, thereby prolonging the life of the mattress.
• Add a mattress protector to protect it from dust mites, moisture, and everyday wear, as this will help in maintaining a more hygienic and longer-lasting sleep surface, advises Anderson.
• Change your sheets regularly, says Hayes.
• “Seek mattresses with added edge support for enhanced durability,” Anderson suggests. “This can also help extend the sleep surface of the mattress slightly for added sleep space.”
• Vacuum the mattress surface at regular intervals to prevent dust accumulation and prolong freshness.
• Keep your mattress clean and dry.
• “Put your mattress on a solid, supportive foundation,” says Stern. “A sagging or weak foundation can lead to premature sagging and structural collapse.”
• Don’t skimp on the materials. When mattress shopping, invest in high-quality products so your sleep—and the life of your mattress—is not compromised.