In general, a good-quality mattress should last seven to ten years. But you don’t have to replace a mattress just because it has reached that age. According to Mike Magnuson, the chief mattress expert at the independent mattress-research website GoodBed, you should only feel compelled to buy a new mattress when yours is no longer supportive enough to keep your spine in alignment or not providing enough pressure relief to cushion your joints, or you’re feeling a decrease in overall comfort and sleep quality. The tricky part is that with some mattresses, that can happen after a few years, and with others, it could take 30, due to a variety of factors — including some that have nothing to do with the mattress itself. Essentially, the question of when to replace your mattress is an extremely “it depends” situation. So how do you know?
What you see isn’t as important as what you feel
For the most part, unless there’s a big stain you find embarrassing — or other visible wear and tear, like a fraying cover, is simply bugging you — aesthetics shouldn’t have much impact on whether you replace your mattress.
Sagging foam or permanent indentations are a little more concerning and often the first signs that your mattress may need replacing sooner rather than later. But even a divot that doesn’t look great isn’t a huge issue if you feel like it comfortably cradles and supports your body and isn’t causing any back pain or joint soreness. Similarly, if you have asthma or allergies that seem to flare when you go to sleep, it’s possible your mattress has accumulated enough dust, dust mites, and dead-skin cells to trigger irritation, and getting a new mattress (as well as a good mattress protector) could help alleviate your symptoms.
But the TL;DR is that if you’re sleeping well and sleeping comfortably, your mattress probably doesn’t need replacing, no matter its age.
Even a newer mattress may need replacing if your sleep needs change
Weight fluctuations, your preferred sleep position, and age-related joint pain can all affect how well (or not) your current mattress supports a good night’s sleep. If you are struggling to get comfortable when you lie down, if you suspect your mattress is making you overheat, or if you are waking up sore, it is likely time to shop for a new mattress. Back pain can certainly be a sign that your body needs more support.
And yet, before you haul your current mattress to the curb, you should also consider whether your pillows, bedding, and a mattress topper, if you’re using one, might be factors in how well your mattress is working for you. If neck pain is your main complaint, starting with a new pillow could be a quicker, easier, and more affordable fix. If overheating is an issue, cooling sheets, cooling pillows, a cooling mattress topper, or even tech-y bed-cooling systems (which use water or air to control the temperature and help you sleep more comfortably) are worth looking at too.
A little maintenance can go a long way
A few decades ago, mattresses were double-sided, so you could flip them to hide any frayed fabric, sagging pillow tops, or minor stains. But most modern mattresses are single-sided, so the best you can do is rotate them every three to six months — and doing so is a good way to ensure even wear and tear and maximize the life span of your mattress.
You should also always, always use a mattress protector. Not only will a mattress protector prevent accidental spills, sweat, and other bodily fluids and allergy-inducing dust mites from getting into the mattress, it can help avoid stains, which will often void a mattress warranty in the event you need to use it. Some will protect your mattress from bedbugs as well.
Don’t get too hung up on warranties
“A lot of people think that a warranty is the manufacturer telling you how long this mattress is going to last, but that is not at all what you should believe,” warns Magnuson, explaining that most mattress warranties are limited and written in a way that only covers materials defects and not normal wear and tear. Typically, those defects must be linked to an obvious flaw in manufacturing (which will likely become apparent early in ownership) or be clearly measurable, like a visible sag in the bed when no one is in it (usually an inch and a half deep). If, say, you have a 20-year warranty, but after seven years of sleeping on this mattress, it’s sagging an inch and a quarter and giving you back pain, you shouldn’t suffer sleeping on it until you can make a warranty claim. Though warranties do offer some peace of mind, unless you seek out a mattress with a generous repair-and-replacement clause in its fine print, the warranty shouldn’t be a major determining factor in which mattress you buy in the first place or how long you keep it.
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