How often should you change your mattress?

How often should you change your mattress?

Mattress lifespan depends on a number of factors. Established wisdom recommends that your change your mattress every eight years, which is a good standard benchmark. But, Louise Silver, our Product Technologist, takes more nuanced approach, as she explains:

"The concept of changing your mattress every eight years is based on hygiene. High volume mattresses, made from largely man-made materials aren't as good as natural materials for dealing with organic material. Over time, the mattress becomes unhygienic through use. High-end mattresses, that use more natural materials, remain cleaner for longer, potentially extending the mattress's life."  

But cleanliness isn't everything. Like a car, your mattress wears out with use. Over an eight year period, your mattress is subjected to more than 20,000 hours of compression, a repeated strain that causes a gradual loss of spring resilience and filling loft. The very best mattresses can handle millions of hours of use, but whether you only sleep an hour a night or 22 like a sloth, every compression costs a tiny amount of mattress integrity.

Next, consider the source of that compression: you. Over eight years our body can undergo any number of subtle changes, which in turn, will change the demands on the mattress. Yesterday you needed a soft, but thanks to that strict gym regime, today you need a medium.

So, a mattress lifespan should really be measured by three metrics: hygiene, wear and tear, and suitability for your needs.

Three signs that mean it’s time to replace your mattress

1. Sag

Visible sagging, lumpiness or unevenness across the surface of your mattress are physical signs that the internal structure has begun to deteriorate. Mattress springs that creak or make noise when you move suggest that the coils are losing tension, a mechanical fatigue resulting from natural wear that directly compromises the stability of your sleep surface.

However, there's a common misconception is that any surface dip indicates structural failure. Louise clarifies:

"A gentle impression of your body in the initial months of use is entirely natural. This is simply the natural fillings adjusting to support your sleep. However, deep, permanent sagging that exceeds 2.5cm indicates that the internal support architecture has collapsed."

2. The roll-together effect

For co-sleepers, an early indicator of structural failure is the roll-together effect, where both individuals gradually drift towards the centre of the bed. When a mattress loses its ability to isolate movement, you will increasingly feel your sleep partner’s shifts throughout the night. For a tailored sleep experience that eliminates this disruption, zip and link mattresses seamlessly unite individual tension preferences while ensuring complete independence of movement.

3. Pain from sleeping

Discomfort and sleep disruption can have any number of causes, so don't jump to blame your mattress. But, if you awake each morning with aches or pain, it could be a sign that your mattress no longer gives you the support you need. For example, if you've dropped a lot of weight over the course of a year, you may find that your mattress has become a bit too soft, causing you neck or back strain. Your mattress might well be fine, but no longer supports you. That's a sign that it's time to try something new. 

Implementing a strict preservation routine, as detailed in our comprehensive mattress care guide, alongside pairing the mattress with an appropriate bed frame, are essential steps to sustain the responsiveness of the materials over its true lifecycle.