How often should I replace my mattress?
Every 5-7 years. Even if your mattress doesn't show much wear and tear, your body, lifestyle and sleep needs have probably changed. If your mattress is 5-7 years older, so are you! Has your weight changed, have you gotten married, developed back problems, or do you have a less active lifestyle? That old mattress may no longer be the best fit for the person you are today.
Consumer Reports polled 17,444 online subscribers who bought a bed in the past few years.
- 72% said their new bed improved their sleep.
-
78% of those who were problem sleepers said that a new bed – any new bed – improved their ability to get a good night’s rest.
-
42% said the new mattress greatly improved their sleep.
Consumer Reports told readers:
If yours (mattress) is uncomfortable, consider replacing it even if it’s only five or so years old.
Oklahoma State University studied a control group of 59 healthy participants (30 women and 29 men) contrasting the participants’ sleep on their own mattresses (at least 5 yrs or older) to their sleep on a new bedding system.
Study showed improvement after 4 weeks on new mattresses versus 4 weeks on old mattresses.
Percent Improvement After Four Weeks on New Bedding
(vs. 4 weeks on old beds - baseline)
|
|
|
High Pain Group |
Low Pain Group |
Average |
| Low Back Pain |
+63.3% |
+47.3% |
+55.3% |
| Spine Stiffness |
+63.3% |
+38.0% |
+50.7% |
| |
Poor Sleepers |
Good Sleepers |
Average |
| Sleep Quality |
+65.8% |
+58.1% |
+62.0% |
| Sleep Comfort |
+77.3% |
+64.2% |
+70.8% |
Want to improve your love life? A new consumer survey conducted by the Better Sleep Council found that one out of every two respondents identified an old mattress as the culprit in an unsatisfactory night’s sleep, and an old mattress was a leading contributor to increased irritability and stress in their romantic relationships.
If your mattress is more than 5 years old, it may not meet today’s safety standards. According to Consumer Affairs, stricter standards on new mattresses limit the spread and intensity of a fire, giving you more time to escape. Keep your family safe and rest easy - replace your mattress.
UK tests reveal mattress deterioration
Tests done by England’s Furniture Industry Research Association (FIRA) show that a mattress may have deteriorated by as much as 70% after 10 years of use, according to a release from the UK’s Sleep Council. In fact, the FIRA tests demonstrated that beds as little as six years could offer significantly less support and comfort than a new one, the Council said.
“When we disassembled the used mattresses, all of them showed a loss of height and, although it was not possible to see any dust mites or allergens as these are not visible to the naked eye, a covering of dust and skin cells and fiber on the back of one insulator was clearly visible,” said Phil Reynolds, senior manager of technical services at FIRA, who conducted the testing.
The mattresses were also tested for Dust mites and their allergens. Just two micrograms per gram (mcg/g) of dust mite allergen can cause hypersensitivity in asthma sufferers and 10 mcg/g can pose a serious health risk. According to the Medical Entomology Centre in Cambridge, about one in five old mattresses contain between two and 10 mcg/g of dust mite allergen and one in 20 has above 10 mcg/g.
The findings, together with the results of a survey of UK consumers, were released in March as a part of the Sleep Council-sponsored National Bed Month campaign. Fore more information, visit www.sleepcouncil.com.