How Long Does a Mattress Last? All You Need to Know

When keeping your mattress in good shape, one of the most important things to remember is that they have lifespans. This is why they’re considered more an investment than a typical purchase, as you’re expected to use one for a large chunk of your life.

But how long do they usually last and how can you tell when they’re at the end of their lives? How long does a mattress last, anyway?

How Long Will Your Mattress Live?

So, how long does a mattress last? This one is a bit subjective, but the typical lifespan of a mattress is anywhere from 8-12 years, depending on the make and quality of the mattress.

A mattress at the end of its life will start to show certain signs that you’ll want to pay attention to.

These signs will you know that it may be time to let it go and start shopping around for a new one. Fortunately, these signs are usually far from subtle.

What Kind of Mattress is Suited to You?

This one is highly subjective considering the wide variety of styles and types of mattresses available to you. You have to consider a wide range of factors before purchasing one and it helps to know and understand what your body likes and dislikes.

For instance, if you’re a heavier-set person, a taller mattress with a softer feel may be ideal for you. This will help support your extra weight, versus a lighter person who may find more comfort in a medium mattress.

Things to Watch For

There are a few things to keep an eye out for as your mattress gains years on its use. It may be a bit harder to notice for you since you sleep on it every night. It may also be that your body adjusts to the changes it goes through, for better or worse.

In fact, it may take sleeping on a different bed for a night or two to help you realize what might be wrong with yours.

There’s no set formula for figuring out when to replace your mattress, so it’s best to rely on your own judgment and pay attention to what your mattress is telling you.

Signs of a Dying Mattress

If you’re experiencing any of the following signs, then it could very well be that your mattress is at the end of its life and it’s time to bid it farewell:

Waking up achy and irritated

Other beds are more comfortable than your own, regardless of mattress type

Your mattress is sagging and has developed indents here and there

Your age may determine how your preferences have changed and what you thought you liked before is now no longer as comfortable

If any of these apply, then we highly recommend considering shopping around for something newer and more comfortable for you.

How long does a mattress last? As long as it takes for you to either care for or neglect it in one form or another. And in the long run, the only one who pays the consequences of a bad mattress is you and your now-poor sleep quality.

The Comfort Layer

This is usually the first few layers of the mattress and the most crucial piece of it to consider when trying them out.

They’ll determine how comfortable you are while laying on it, how they affect your various pressure points and how you’ll ultimately sleep at night.

You’ll want to especially pay a lot of attention to this portion in regards to your weight.

This area is typically the part of the mattress that begins to sag and break down over time. It happens especially if it’s one that’s not necessarily designed for a heavier weight load than other mattresses. Some are made to carry more weight than others and taking this into account is crucial when analyzing your choices.

Types of Mattress

We have been making improvements on bedding as far back as 3400 BC and it’s taken nearly five thousand years to start to truly get it right. As of now, we have more innovations in bedding and comfort levels than ever before.

Mattresses that are so finely tuned that they can adjust themselves differently every day to match whatever their owners need the most from them at the moment.

But even knowing this and the running quality, it’s still vital to pay close attention to the kind of mattress you’re buying.

Mattress types like innersprings, pillow tops, or mattress toppers, these are all important to watch carefully. For example, pillow-top mattresses are very comfortable soft, but they have a tendency to form dips in them over time.

This mostly happens particularly if the sleeper tends to favor the middle of the mattress. However, they’re exceptionally comfortable and snuggly, so it may honestly be worth that extra little risk for the added benefit of extra comfort at night.

Varying Factors

As we stated before, there’s no surefire way to know when your mattress has reached its end with you. There are so many potential ways it could meet its demise in your household:

Stains or odors that cannot be removed.
Bed bugs which are the bane of sleepers the world over.
Lumpy and bumpy surfaces that are highly reminiscent of what the old town road must feel like in a Sedan.
Or maybe you have a penchant to develop allergies or asthma.

Your aging mattress could easily be making it harder for you to breathe as it gathers dust particles. And this can even happen sooner than the 8-12 year lifespan for a typical mattress.

Anyone of these factors could happen sooner than that. For this reason, it’s so important to pay attention, take care of your mattress, and watch for anything that might be popping up to harm it.

How long does a mattress last? It all depends on you and your home life. It can last for many, many years, or if you’re careless about it, it could last for a couple of months. Just be careful, be observant and be pragmatic. As Edna Mode once said, “Luck favors the prepared.”