So the holidays are over. The decorations are packed away. And, suddenly, we’re all thinking about the classic “New Year, new me!” We set goals for the gym, healthy lifestyles, better financial decisions, and that one hobby we have been putting off for years, like learning to bake.
But here’s a resolution you probably missed: New Year, New Mattress! Your mattress is arguably the most important piece of furniture in your home. You spend roughly one-third of your life on it. So, why are you still sleeping on one that you picked up at a garage sale back in 2014?
Treat yourself to better sleep this New Year! If you’re not sure whether or not your mattress needs an upgrade, don’t worry. In this blog, we are going to go over how often you should look to replace your mattress, some of the signs that it's time to make a change, and what could happen if you don’t replace your mattress when it's time.
How often should you buy a new mattress?
Let’s get straight to the point. We know you’re searching for the answer to “how often should you buy a new mattress?” The quick and simple answer is every 7 to 10 years, depending on the quality of the mattress and how well you take care of it. Yes, that’s right. That comfy-looking mattress you bought back in 2014 is now over 10 years old and is probably in desperate need of changing.
But here’s the thing: the 7-to-10-year rule is just a guideline. Think of it like a tyre pressure light on your car; it’s helpful, but you also need to check the tyres yourself. Depending on the type of mattress you have (memory foam, pocket sprung, hybrid), how you use it (just you, you and a partner, maybe a few pets), and how much you weigh, that time can be shorter.
That’s why it’s handy to know what to look out for so that you know when the time has come for you to splash some cash on a new one. So, to help you out, here are seven signs that you might need a new mattress.
1. A dip towards the centre of the mattress
This is the most visible sign of mattress failure. It’s when your mattress develops a permanent indent, sag, or valley, usually right where you and your partner sleep. You might start sleeping closer than you intend to, or feel like you’re trying to climb out of a hole just to roll over. That persistent dip means the core materials, whether it's the springs or inner foam, have broken down and lost their resilience in their old age.
When you sleep in a valley, your spine ends up paying the price for it. In some cases, your spine can slowly lose its natural "S" curve and be forced into an unnatural, slumped position for hours on end. This misalignment is probably one of the causes for nagging lower back pain, sore hips, and stiff shoulders.
2. The symphony of squeaks
If your mattress sings you an annoying song every time you roll over, sit down, or shift your weight, you’ve been given a sign that it’s time for a new one. This applies mainly to older innerspring or coil-based mattresses.
The squeaking is the sound of metal components, the springs, wires, or even the wooden box spring below, grinding against each other. It’s a sure sign of metal fatigue and wear.
Beyond the annoyance of being woken up by your own bed, inconsistent support is the bigger issue. When springs wear out, they provide uneven resistance. One spring might be totally dead, while the next one is still firm, creating pressure points that can interrupt your deep sleep.
3. Constant body aches
Have you ever woken up in the morning feeling worse than when you went to bed? We're talking about specific pain in your neck, shoulders, hips, or lower back that seems to magically disappear after you've been moving around for an hour or two.
A supportive mattress distributes your body weight evenly, relieving pressure from heavy areas like your hips and shoulders while supporting lighter areas like your lower back. An old mattress fails to do this. Instead, it creates intense pressure points where your body meets the bed, which can cause inflammation and restricted blood flow.
Your body then spends the night trying to compensate for the lack of support, making your muscles work rather than rest and defeating one of the main purposes of sleeping in the first place.
4. You sleep better pretty much anywhere else
Let's set the scene. You stay at a hotel, a friend’s house, or even crash on an inflatable bed during a camping trip, and you sleep like a baby. You return home, and your sleep quality immediately plummets back down. How can that be possible?
Well, your brain is a pretty smart organ. When it senses a surface that offers better support or temperature regulation than your own bed, it remembers. This comparison is an internal clue that your home mattress has stopped meeting your body's essential needs.
If you constantly dread your own bed or find yourself migrating to the sofa, your mattress is officially an obstacle to rest, not an aid. Time for an upgrade, my friend.
5. Visible wear and tear
If you can physically see that your mattress is getting on in years, imagine what is going on inside it. Beyond the central dip, look for lumps, uneven surfaces, permanent body impressions, or sides that are collapsing (and could cause you to roll off the edge). If the top fabric is frayed or stretched, that's also a clue.
Lumps and bumps indicate that internal layers of foam, padding, or fibre have permanently shifted, broken apart, or compacted. This uneven surface directly interferes with the smooth, consistent support your body needs when you’re counting sheep.
Edge collapse is a common issue that gets overlooked. Many people sit on the edge of the bed while getting dressed, which breaks down the surrounding foam or coils. If the edge support is gone, the entire usable surface area of the bed shrinks, making it difficult to find a comfortable spot without feeling like you're tumbling out.
6. Dust build-up and allergic reactions
You may not be able to see them, but after years of use, a mattress is home to millions of dust mites, dead skin cells, and microscopic fungal spores. Doesn't sound great, does it? If you wake up frequently with unexplained sneezing, a stuffy nose, itchy eyes, or asthma symptoms, your mattress might be the culprit.
Over a decade, a mattress can reportedly double its weight due to the accumulation of these microscopic materials. While you can use mattress protectors, the deep layers of an old mattress are a perfect breeding ground for allergens that can harm the quality of your sleep and your overall health.
For people with existing allergies, replacing an old mattress with a clean, hypoallergenic new mattress can be one of the best New Year's resolutions for their health.
7. The 7-10 year rule
If you can’t remember when you bought it, it’s probably too old. If your life situation has changed significantly since you bought it (new partner, major weight change, new health condition), the mattress might not be suitable anymore.
Even if your mattress looks okay, the internal materials (springs and foam) are designed with a lifespan in mind. Technology has also changed! Mattress components degrade over time, losing their ability to support and comfort you, even if they aren't visibly sagging.
What happens when you don’t replace it?
We get it, buying a new mattress is a big purchase and can cost a decent chunk of change. But keeping an old, expired mattress is actually doing your health and bank account a disservice. Don’t get us wrong, we love a good vintage item, but not when it comes to sleep. Here are some of the horrors that can become a reality if you don’t replace your mattress.
Hello, back pain
The main issue is support. When a mattress sags, your spine is forced into an unnatural position for 7-9 hours a night, and you can imagine that it is not ideal. This can lead to chronic back pain, poor posture, and can even mess with your breathing while you sleep, which might be the reason why your partner is complaining about all the snoring!
The allergy attack
All those dust particles and microplastics that we mentioned? After 10 years, an old mattress can be home to millions of dust mites, which are a leading cause of indoor allergies and asthma flare-ups. A new mattress provides a fresh, clean, and hypoallergenic environment for better breathing. It probably goes without saying that if you’re not constantly having sneezing fits or asthma attacks, you’re going to get better quality sleep.
The energy drain
If you aren't comfortable, you won’t move smoothly through the necessary stages of sleep, which means poor rest and recovery. You might think you slept for eight hours, but your body only got six hours of quality rest. The result? You wake up tired, cranky, and needing three cups of coffee just to function.
So what do we mean when we talk about “the necessary stage of sleep” or “quality rest”? Let’s go into more detail about the two main stages of sleep that are responsible for you waking up fresh and ready for the new day.
Deep sleep, or Non-REM
This is the heavy-lifting phase where your body does all the crucial repairs. Think of it as the health check and tune-up portion of sleeping.
Your brain waves slow dramatically, your heart rate and breathing are at their lowest, and your muscles are fully relaxed. This is when your body releases hormones, such as growth hormone, which is critical for muscle repair, tissue growth, and boosting your immune system.
If your mattress sags or creates pressure points, your body is constantly sending signals of discomfort to your brain. This tension prevents your muscles from fully relaxing, making it difficult to sink into or sustain deep or non-REM sleep. Without enough deep sleep, you wake up feeling physically run down and stiff, even though you’ve technically been in bed for the 8 hours that you need.
REM sleep (Rapid Eye Movement)
REM sleep is the mental powerhouse stage. It usually happens in longer bursts toward the end of your night's sleep. At this point, your brain becomes highly active, similar to when you're awake, and it is where most of your vivid dreaming happens. REM sleep is essential for memory consolidation (taking everything you learned that day and filing it away) and boosting mood.
Much like with deep sleep, constant tossing and turning, triggered by discomfort, frequently jolts you out of the light sleep that happens just before you hit that REM slumber. Because REM periods get longer as the night progresses, having your sleep cycle constantly interrupted means you lose out on this vital memory-building and emotionally regulating stage.
When an old mattress disrupts your sleep, you miss out on both of these restorative processes. You're not just tired; you're not mentally repaired, which causes a foggy or cloudy feeling.
Three things to look for when buying a new mattress
You’ve decided your old mattress is toast, and now comes the fun part: buying yourself a new one. With so many options out there, buying a new mattress can feel overwhelming, but keeping these three simple points in mind will help you out and make the shopping experience a breeze.
1. Pick your perfect pressure relief
Mattresses aren't one-size-fits-all, and different types offer different feels. Consider what each mattress offers and what you (and anyone sharing the mattress with you) prefer. Here are some of the options and what they are suitable for:
- Memory foam: Excellent for cradling your body and absorbing movement (great if your partner tosses and turns!). It excels at relieving pressure points, making it a good choice if you often wake up with aches.
- Pocket sprung: A traditional feel that offers excellent bounce and support. These use individual springs enclosed in fabric pockets that move independently to contour to your shape.
2. Understand the firmness of the mattress
Don't confuse firmness with hardness. A firm mattress provides support, while a soft mattress provides comfort. You need both! You should think about your preferred sleeping position, as that is a good way to figure out what level of firmness you might need.
- Back and stomach sleepers: Generally need a medium-firm to firm mattress to keep the spine straight and prevent the hips from sinking too low.
- Side sleepers: Typically need a softer surface (medium-soft to medium) to allow the hips and shoulders to sink in slightly, keeping the spine aligned and reducing pressure on joints.
4. Don’t forget the warranty
Always look for a solid warranty! An extended warranty (10 years or more) is a clear sign that the manufacturer trusts the quality and durability of their product. Make sure the warranty covers sagging above a certain depth, as this is the most common reason you need to buy a new mattress.
Upgrade your sleep this New Year with Heatons Furniture
The New Year is all about fresh starts, new habits, and investing in yourself. What better way to achieve those goals than by getting the best sleep possible?
Investing in a new mattress from Heatons Furniture is an investment in your health, your mood, and your future. Remember, buying a new mattress can lead to:
- Better health: Less back pain and fewer allergy symptoms.
- Better mood: You wake up rested and ready to tackle the day.
- Better energy: You'll be more focused at work and have more energy for your other resolutions (like going to the gym!).
Don’t let your old, saggy mattress ruin your new year. Take a look at the incredible range of new beds and mattress options we have at Heatons Furniture. We have everything from luxurious memory foam to supportive pocket-sprung designs, all built with quality to ensure you get the full 7-10 years of blissful, pain-free sleep.
Have a look at our selection of mattresses online or visit us in store to get your new year started right, with a great night's sleep!
