When your shirt gets a tear, you know it’s time to get a new one. When you’re grill becomes rusty, you easily decide to buy a replacement. But when do you know it’s time to buy a new mattress? For most of us, as long as we’re able to fall asleep in our beds, buying a new mattress never crosses our mind. Even if the sleep we get is of poor quality. Some of us even endure the sagging or the slightly poking coil (just add a bit of extra padding) because we don’t really think of mattresses as things to be replaced. At least not until it’s seriously disintegrating and the owners are barely getting any sleep. In fact, one mattress company in the UK, Dreams, made a survey on how long people tend to keep their mattresses in 2015. As it turns out, an estimated tens of thousands of people in the UK alone are sleeping on mattresses that are 40 years old or more. Americans are no better according to the Better Sleep Council.
So, if you’re one of those people who hasn’t considered replacing your mattress, here are 5 reasons that may change your mind:
1. Your mattress is old
Obviously, you HAVE TO replace your mattress if it’s already 40 years old. It has done its job. It has fulfilled its purpose in life. And it’s time to lay it to bed, er, rest. Now, if you’re mattress isn’t that old, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t replace it yet. Mattresses that are older than 7 years need to go (most of the time). Like any product that gets daily use, expect a bed’s ability to provide comfort and support to slowly go away. Signs of wear and tear may already be visible under the covers.
2. You’re getting older
As you get older, your body becomes more sensitive. That medium-firm mattress that felt just right before may now feel as hard as a rock. Well, not really. But it’s no longer as comfortable as it used to be. Your body will require additional support and comfort which will then ensure that you get quality sleep at night. If you still have that innerspring/coil mattress, maybe it’s time to switch to a mattress made of memory foam. You need more sink than bounce as you age.
3. You’re in pain
If you’re waking up with aches and pains, then may we suggest that you consider a new mattress? Because you’ll just continue getting those aches and pains unless you get a mattress that provides you with the comfort and support you need. Not only that, you’ll need to buy a new mattress that will match your lifestyle and sleep style.
4. You’re getting allergies
Did you know that, on average, an 8-year-old mattress contains around 10 pounds of dead skin? Can we say “ick?” And that’s not even the bad part. Those dead skin cells attract dust mites. And a typical mattress is believed to house around 10 million mites. Shudder. And then there are bed bugs, bacteria, and mould. If you’re waking up with allergies or mosquito-like bites on your skin, then you need to get to the mattress store, stat. Side note, research and make sure you are getting as much info as possible and not being ignored like this guy has been.
5. You want to be healthier
Good sleep is hard to find. But when you do, you’ll be all the more happier for it. Research, sleep experts, and scientists have been trying to tell us this for ages – sleep and health go hand in hand. If you sleep well, you’ll feel well. If you sleep poorly, you’ll feel poorly. If you want to have a healthier life, then you need to get true, quality sleep. And you can only do that with a bed that matches your needs to a T. Does your bed right now do that? If not, then you may want to trade it in for one that does.
