Mattress industry lies (shower, sinks, light, bed)
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I keep hearing these commercials about replacing your mattress after 8 years. As it turns out this so-called "rule" comes from the Better Sleep Council, a non-profit organization that is... wait for it....supported by the mattress industry!
The other myth is that your mattress can double in weight from dust mites. That would have to be a very light mattress! Also there's nothing wrong with dust mites as long as you're not allergic. Microscopic dust mites are unavoidable. They feed off of dead skin.
Also if your flat mattress becomes concave you can extend the life of your mattress by simply putting boxes under your mattress wherever you need to in order to flatten out your mattress.
The bottom line is if your mattress isn't screwing up your back and you aren't developing an allergy then you can keep using your mattress. Might as well keep it for as long as you can. Putting off major expenses increases wealth.
when the mattress stops being supportive is when you should get a new one. 8 to 10 years seems to be about the time they wear out. I would not want to sleep on a mattress much older than ten years. I do mind the thought of dust mites. I feel the same way about fabric chairs, couches.
When you regularly wake up tired or achy, when you get a better sleep on your sofa than in your bed, when your mattress looks or feels saggy or lumpy - you might need to take a close look at your mattress.
There’s no set formula for determining when you need to replace a mattress. Mattress companies prefer that you buy a new one every 6-8 years - it's good for THEIR business. But before you do so, you can try to improve your sleep quality by taking few simple steps.
A saggy mattress that sinks in various spots is an indicator that your mattress is old or in need of repair.
If you have box springs - check them. Many times, if the box springs are worn out, replacing them will fix the sag in the top mattress. Buying replacement box springs is less expensive than buying a whole mattress set.
If you don't want to replace your box springs, you can top them with a piece of plywood cut to size. Place the plywood between the box spring and the mattress. You can place a memory foam or even a pillow instead.
If you don't have box springs (platform bed) - check the slats in the frame under the mattress. Replace them if they are warped. Or add one or two more for extra support, especially where the sag is.
That will take care of the bottom of your mattress.
You can also improve the top - buy a mattress topper. Depending on your budget, options include: a memory foam mattress topper, air mattresses, or down mattress toppers, which can be up to 3" thick.
Stop being a neat-freak and leave your bed unmade, with the sheets exposed to the air. This will allow the sheets to dry out, and substantially reduce the numbers of dust mites.
Having just (2 months ago) bought a new mattress to replace a 6 year old, money well spent. We were both waking up Hurting, not getting full nights sleep due to physical pain (shoulders and hips, we're side sleepers), and generally not resting. Nevermind the "sag" in the middle (and on a platform bed, it was sagging with a solid surface beneath the mattress)...
Not like this was a cheap mattress either, we spent $1200~1500 on it, followed all the recommendations of going to a local manufacture, getting "fitted" for the mattress, blah, blah, blah... so far, the replacement mail order foam jobbie is the best thing I've ever slept on and for less money too. If it holds up as well as my foam pillow (2" tall as I'm a tall man with broad shoulders, it's about 14 years old now) it'll be money well spent and I'll have Zero hesitations about sleeping on it longer.
Point is, universal suggestions don't work. "Always" and "never" seem to be exclusive clubs.
Ours is 9 years old and ready for replacement. My wife and I each have huge saggy divots on each side. This was a Serta mattress that cost about 2k for a king. As much as I hate spending 2k on a decent mattress, my back hurts all the time because the mattress doesn't support my spine right anymore.
Oh, and that crap about 5 lbs. of dead skin on your mattress after 8 years....lol...yea right.
Point is, universal suggestions don't work. "Always" and "never" seem to be exclusive clubs.
+1 Good point! I agree completely.
I have a 14 year old king sized Sealy mattress (with another name on it but made by Sealy). It is just for me, a single old lady, and I don't sleep on any one part of it all night every night. It is so comfortable and just exactly what I want. It had some peaks and valleys but replacing the (bent) iron bedframe took care of that and now it is nice and level and not saggy or lumpy. I shower before going to bed, and wash the bedding, so it feels, smells, and looks clean enough for my purposes. The Better Sleep Council can say what they want, but I'm not replacing my mattress yet, sorry! At my age I can tell when a mattress needs replacing, having gone through that numerous times, and this one just isn't there yet.
My wife and I sleep on the mattress I bought about 26 or 27 years ago. There seems to have been no noticeable degradation. We have a sheet of 3/4" plywood between the mattress and the box springs. When I went to buy the mattress I went to Sears & Roebuck and bought the hardest one they had (which was also the most expensive).
I think the idea that mattresses wear out in a decade or less is pure hype intended only to sell more mattresses. Although, if we were both 300 lbs. maybe it would make a difference. Or, if you buy a cheap soft crummy mattress.
Agree with "when you wake up hurting" as the time for a new mattress. I replaced a ~3 year old mattress which was not worn out but just didn't work well. Switched it for a memory foam and right from the start, had the best night sleep I'd had in years. That one is now 5 years old and still comfortable, but not quite as much as when I first got it. I'm sure it has another couple of good years at least, but I expect that I'll be mattress shopping in another 2 or 3 years. Getting good sleep is far too precious - and when you look at it over the time frame, it's less than dollar a night for the time you own a good mattress. I'd call that a pretty good deal!!
Agree with "when you wake up hurting" as the time for a new mattress. I replaced a ~3 year old mattress which was not worn out but just didn't work well. Switched it for a memory foam and right from the start, had the best night sleep I'd had in years. That one is now 5 years old and still comfortable, but not quite as much as when I first got it. I'm sure it has another couple of good years at least, but I expect that I'll be mattress shopping in another 2 or 3 years. Getting good sleep is far too precious - and when you look at it over the time frame, it's less than dollar a night for the time you own a good mattress. I'd call that a pretty good deal!!
I bought a Tempurpedic a year or so ago, and I absolutely love that thing. Visually, it looks a bit strange, since it's extremely flat compared to the pillow-top mattress I had previously, but I've never slept better. Pricey but worth it. I'm a convert.
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At my age I can tell when a mattress needs replacing, having gone through that numerous times, and this one just isn't there yet.
