It doesn’t matter if you’re a night owl or a morning lark, the average human being still needs around 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night. The quality of that sleep has a huge impact on both your physical and mental well-being. If you’re not getting enough you might find yourself feeling irritable, unwell and just plain exhausted.
There are numerous benefits associated with getting a good night’s sleep. Sleep helps you to remain alert during the day, it helps you to stay focused and concentrate. Sleep also gives your body time to rest and restore, helps you to maintain a healthy weight, keeps your heart healthy and bolsters your immune system. So, what do we need to ensure we get a decent night’s rest? A restful environment, comfy pillows, peace and quiet, and of course, a quality mattress.
Typical Mattress Lifespan
Studies indicate the average life of a mattress is approximately 7 to 10 years. However, mattress lifespan can vary based upon the mattress brand, your sleep position, your body size and weight and, of course, the type of mattress you go for:
- Foam Mattress Lifespan
Memory foam mattresses are a popular option, offering comfort and cosiness to the sleeper. Foam mattresses lifespan is considered to be approximately eight to ten years, depending on how well the mattress is cared for.
Amerisleep AS1 Memory Foam Mattress Highlights
Brand: Amerisleep
Mattress Firmness: Firm/7.5
Mattress Construction Type: Memory Foam
Mattress Thickness: 10"
Compatible for Bed Frame Size: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Split King, California King
Mattress Sleep Trial Time: 100 nights
Warranty: Unlimited 10 years and Prorated 10 years
Delivery: Free shipping and returns
Perfect For: Back and stomach sleeper
Customer Rating: 4.8/5.0
Ergoflex 5G Memory Foam Mattress Highlights
Brand: Ergoflex
Mattress Firmness: Medium Firm/6, Firm/7
Mattress Construction Type: Latex and Memory Foam
Mattress Thickness: 9"
Compatible for Bed Frame Size: Single, Long Single, Double, Queen, King, King Single
Mattress Sleep Trial Time: 30 nights
Warranty: 10 years
Delivery: Free shipping and returns
Perfect For: Side, Stomach sleeper
Customer Rating: 4.7/5.0
- Latex Mattress Lifespan
Latex mattresses are renowned for their durability, and a 100% natural latex mattress could, in theory, last for up to a staggering 25 years. Whilst synthetic latex isn’t quite as impressively durable, it’s not too bad. The average synthetic latex mattress lifespan is reported to be between 10 and 15 years (providing you look after it well).
Latex For Less Natural Latex Mattress Highlights
Brand: Latex for less
Mattress Firmness: Medium/5, Firm/7.5
Mattress Construction Type: Latex
Mattress Thickness: 7″, 9″
Compatible for Bed Frame Size: Twin, Twin XL,Full, Queen, Split Queen,King,Split King,California King, Split California King
Mattress Sleep Trial Time: 120 nights
Warranty: 20 years
Delivery: Free shipping and returns
Perfect For: Side,Back,Stomach sleeper
Customer Rating: 4.8/5.0
Recore by Novosbed Latex Mattress Highlights
Brand: Novosbed
Mattress Firmness: Medium Firm/6.5
Mattress Construction Type: Latex and Foam
Mattress Thickness: 10 1/2″
Compatible for Bed Frame Size: Twin,Twin XL, Full,Queen, King, Cal King
Mattress Sleep Trial Time: 120 nights
Warranty: 15 years
Delivery: Free shipping and returns
Perfect For: Side, Back, Stomach sleeper
Customer Rating: 4.8/5.0
PlushBeds Botanical Bliss Collection Latex Mattress Highlights
Brand: PlushBeds
Mattress Firmness: Medium firm/6.5, Soft/3
Mattress Construction Type: Latex
Mattress Thickness: 7",9"
Compatible for Bed Frame Size: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Full XL, Queen, Split Queen, King, Split King,California King, Split California King
Mattress Sleep Trial Time: 100 nights
Warranty: 25 years
Delivery: Free shipping and returns
Perfect For: Side, Back, Stomach sleeper
Customer Rating: 4.9/5.0
Should I Replace My Mattress?
Despite the reported durability of a latex mattress, it’s still advisable to consider giving your mattress a good once over once it reaches the ripe old age of eight years. We would suggest doing the same for your memory foam mattress. Here are a few signs that could indicate it’s time to replace your mattress:
- Aches and Pains
Do you have backache or a sore neck when you clamber out of bed in the morning? It could be that you overdid it at the gym, but if you’re regularly noticing annoying aches and pains when you wake up, your mattress could be causing your discomfort.
- A Saggy Bottom
If you’re mattress has lost its firmness and has become softer, you might also notice that it’s started to sag in certain areas. Typically, a past-its-best mattress will sag beneath the pressure points (below certain areas of your body), which will leave you unsupported and possibly feeling sore in the mornings.
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Do You Need Firm or Soft Mattress?
- Sneezing and Wheezing
Do you often have a stuffy nose and red, watery eyes? If so, you could be experiencing allergy-related symptoms brought on by dust and general grime. We’re not suggesting that your house is anything other than clean, but over time dust particles do build up, and could be causing your sneezing and wheezing.
- Tossing and Turning
Do you keep waking yourself up whilst trying to get comfortable? If your mattress isn’t offering full support you could find yourself tossing and turning all night long. Experiencing lots of restless nights is a common indicator of a worn-out mattress.
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How to Choose the Best Foundation for Your Mattress
- Lumps and Bumps
Does your mattress feel lumpy? This sometimes happens if your mattress hasn’t been manufactured very well. If the padding inside moves and sticks together lumps and bumps can form, not very comfortable!
- Creaks and Squeaks
The state of the actual bed below your mattress could also have an impact on your mattress. If you hear a lot of squeaking and creaking it could be that your bed isn’t supporting the mattress well enough. This, in turn will be detrimental to your mattress, causing it to sag and become uncomfortable.
Can an Old Mattress Damage my Physical and Mental Health?
If you’re tossing and turning a lot in the night you probably aren’t getting enough quality sleep, and that could be down to your mattress. A mattress that’s past it’s best could easily cause you discomfort both mentally and physically, such as:
- Sore muscles and joints e.g. lower back pain, neck pain etc
- Lack of concentration
- Stress and anxiety
- Exacerbating existing health issues such as asthma and skin allergies
- Problems with spine alignment
- Poor memory
- Reduced productivity and performance
- Weakened metabolism, leading to potential weight gain
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Recycling Your Old Mattress: Importance and Need to Know
Can I Extend the Lifespan of a Mattress?
If you take good care of your mattress you can add a few more years to its lifespan.
Protect your mattress from allergens and unfortunate accidents and it might last just that little bit longer. Extend the lifespan of your mattress by:
- Keeping it clean
- Adding a mattress cover as an extra layer of defence
- Changing your bedding at least once a week
- Rotating your mattress regularly (around every three months should do the trick)
Time for a New Mattress?
Are you worried about the state of your mattress? If you’ve had your mattress longer than the typical mattress lifespan (let’s say eight years), you really should be checking out it’s condition. In fact, no matter how old your mattress is it’s worth giving it the once over regularly (remember the average life of a mattress can vary).
If you feel the time is right to replace your mattress you need to consider your options before you head out on a mattress shopping excursion! Give some thought to what mattress would suit you best, we suggest you consider:
- Mattress Type – Memory foam, latex etc.
- Budget – How much can you afford to spend?
- Firmness – Firm, soft, or somewhere in between?
- Sleeping position – Do you normally sleep on your side, back, or front?
- Body size – if you’re on the larger size you might need a mattress that offers more support.
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The Mattress Buyer’s Guide: Online vs In-Store Purchases
Goodnight, Sleep Tight!
We hope you found this guide useful. We really want to reiterate just how much a mattress lifespan can impact on your slumber. Replace your mattress when you think you need to, don’t suffer night after night of poor-quality sleep. A good night’s sleep can drastically improve your life, it’s time to wake up with a spring in your step. Here’s to feeling rested, refreshed and ready to face the world!
