Sleep is serious business. We spend a staggeringly large portion of our lives in bed (a whole third!), and the importance of having a supportive and appropriate mattress cannot be overstated. It has been linked to better quality sleep, improved physical and mental health, and better cognition. But it can be incredibly hard to know when a mattress upgrade is due. Swap it out too soon and you’re throwing money out the window. Swap it out too late and you may be harming your health and wellbeing.
A bit like a crab in a warming pot of water, the degradation of a mattress over the years happens so slowly that it can be hard to realise at what point your mattress no longer supports you like it used to. Because a mattress is often a costly expense, it’s understandable that many of us want to squeeze as much life out of our old mattress as we can. But at what point do we shift away from being money-smart to harming our sleep quality instead? To help you decide whether it’s time to make the swap, here are some known indicators that it may be time for a new mattress.
First, why is good sleep so important?
In our modern hustle and grind culture (read: “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead”), it’s easy to underappreciate the value of good sleep. But sleep is an essential function that forms the foundation for everything we do when we’re awake. We spend an average of a third of our lives sleeping, and good sleep is tied to improved cognition, physical ability, wellbeing, and how long we live. Sleep restores us, boosts our immune system, and staves off disease. Sleep Is Important!
Ten signs your mattress needs switching out
So just to start it off, here are some tell-tale signs your mattress may be doing you a disservice.
- It sags
- It’s noisy
- It smells
- It sets off your allergies
- You wake up in pain
- It’s uncomfortable
- Your sleep-needs have changed
- It can’t compete
- It’s toxic
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It’s old
See a familiar culprit in the above list? Okay, let’s get into some more detail.
1. It sags
A saggy, dipping, or drooping mattress is an obvious no-no for sleep health, but many people go years past their mattresses’ best years without realising it might be hurting them. A sagging mattress is not only painful, but it can lead to poorer sleep quality and spine and body problems down the line. It can knock your spine alignment out of whack and leave you waking up aching or worse.
Depending on the quality and makeup of your mattress, a mattress can start sagging as early as a year from purchase, with many memory foam mattresses sagging from the 5-year mark (even some of those covered by ten year warranties).
2. It’s noisy
Noise is not only annoying and a potential source of embarrassment, but a noisy mattress can be an indication that your mattress is wearing out. It’s literally your mattress’ dying screams. Think about it - has a brand new mattress ever squealed and squelched when you move? Does the line “listen to this mattress screech” come to mind when you think of a mattress sales pitch? No. Because a new mattress is confidently and quietly supportive.
If you’re not in a place to buy a new mattress but your old one is loud, try rotating or flipping your mattress over, or investigating if the friction between your mattress and the bed base could be compounding the problem.
3. It smells
We sweat on average half a litre per day, and that goes into your mattress. But wait, there’s more! That doesn’t include the saliva, dandruff, dead skin cells, dust, mites, and other spills and accidents that occur in bed. Over the years our mattresses can take a real beating, especially if we don’t protect them with a quality mattress topper and mattress protector. If your mattress gives off a certain odeur, it’s not only embarrassing, but it could be harbouring bad bacteria that could set off allergies and other health issues, too.
4. It sets off your allergies
If you find yourself waking up sniffly, coughing, wheezing, rashy, or red-eyed no matter how diligently you vacuum, dust, or change your sheets, it could be a sign that your mattress is causing your allergies. Mattresses can harbour mites, mould, dust, allergens, and mildew not to mention harmful chemicals - all known allergy triggering agents. If you are sensitive to allergens, a natural latex mattress is a good choice, as its naturally resistant to mites, dust, mould and mildew, and is completely free from the harmful chemicals associated with memory foam mattresses.
5. You wake up in pain
Pain should be a sure-fire sign that our mattress isn’t doing us any good, but like with the crab in boiling water, the back pain that can come from a sagging mattress can set in so slow that we don’t notice the change. Pair that with aging and we might just think this is normal. It doesn’t have to be. If you find yourself waking up aching more often than not, or you’re tossing and turning at night trying to get comfortable, it could be a good indication that your mattress needs to go.
6. It’s uncomfortable
Perhaps you don’t wake up in pain, but you still find yourself tossing and turning trying to get comfortable, causing frustration and lost sleep. Having a mattress that suits your comfort preferences is key to healthy sleep. Perhaps you recently bought a new mattress and it’s too firm or too soft, or you’ve got an old one where you can feel springs digging into your side. Perhaps you got a memory foam mattress that dips and makes you feel hot and stuffy - if that’s the case, you may need a naturally cool latex mattress.
7. It can’t compete
We, humans, are creatures of comparison. Nothing makes us more aware of a bad mattress like a good mattress, or even just a slightly better mattress. Do you find yourself sleeping better at a family member’s house, or in a hotel, or when crashing at a mate’s? Well that’s the sign you needed - the water is boiling, get out! If you’ve recently slept in another bed than your own and found yourself sleeping better and waking up less achy, it’s a good indication that it’s time to upgrade.
8. Your sleep needs have changed
There are a million reasons why your sleep needs can change as you move through life. From changing health needs to recovering from a recent injury, or even entering a new relationship and wanting more space - your changing sleep needs can mark the need for a new mattress. Even something as small as changing our sleep position - from belly to back or from side to back - can mark the need for a new mattress. What’s ideal for side sleepers may not be ideal for back sleepers - which is why getting two firmnesses in one mattress is a great investment.
Perhaps your child is ready to make the move from a crib to a big kid bed, or the move from their childhood single to a teenage double bed! No matter the change you’re experiencing, a new mattress may be required.
9. It’s toxic
Memory foam mattresses are made from petrochemicals - and many of them are also sprayed in flame retardants to deem them safe. These chemicals off-gas into your new bedroom - especially in the first few months after you unbox it. That ‘new mattress’ smell? That’s harmful chemicals seeping into your bedroom. A non toxic mattress made from rubber sap arrives smell-free and does not off-gas at all. Read more about off-gassing.
10. It’s old
Old, in the context of mattresses, is very relative, but no mattress lasts forever. A cheap memory foam mattress will fail you within a year, while a medium or even good memory foam can last 5-10 years. A spring mattress will support you for longer than just memory foams, but over time the springs start digging. Many people sleep years - even decades - longer than they should on their mattresses.
A natural latex mattress is naturally durable, providing supported comfort for up to 50 years with the right care (protector, topper, regular cleaning, and kept out of direct sunlight). We believe you should buy your mattress for good, which is why we offer a 25 year mattress warranty for our handmade mattresses.
6 Signs you don’t need a new mattress
Don’t buy into the fancy marketing - not everyone needs a new mattress, and mattress shopping isn’t fun. It’s a necessity. Mattresses are heading to landfill in larger numbers than ever before (a million in Australia alone each year), and we believe in making quality products that last to reduce this number. If your mattress has a cosmetic stain that embarrasses you when someone sees it uncovered, or a big mattress sale has you convinced your old one needs an upgrade, take a moment and consider the following.
You likely don’t need a new mattress if:
1. You wake up rested
2. You wake up ache-free
3. There’s only cosmetic damage
4. You sleep better at home
5. It’s not noisy
6. Your mattress is still under warranty
If you need a new mattress but cannot afford one
If you’re reading this blog and your mattress ticks several boxes but you’re not in a position to invest in a new mattress, here are some tips to squeeze a little extra life out of the mattress you already own.
- Turn your old mattress over
Consistent wear in the same spots can lead to premature sagging or just sagging in general. Turning your mattress (head to toe) or flipping it can make it more comfortable to sleep on. If this doesn’t help, go to option two.
- Invest in a mattress topper
A mattress topper is the more affordable cousin of a new mattress but can offer a lot of the same benefits. It can prevent springs from digging in, stop sagging, and prevent further degradation of your base mattress. A mattress topper is also a great solution if your mattress is too soft or too firm, or if you want to protect your new mattress! A mattress topper can be likened to going to the cobbler to get a new sole added to your old shoes. It can be done reactively (when your shoes are worn down), or proactively (as soon as you buy your shoes, adding a protective sole to prevent wear). We’re big believers in proactive purchases to extend the life of our belongings - whether they’re shoes or mattresses - and a mattress topper is a proactive purchase you won’t regret!
- Use a Buy Now Pay Later option
If numbers one and two didn’t do the trick, it might be time to bite the bullet and buy a mattress. If you’d rather not fork out with the whole sum up front, there’s several Buy Now Pay Later options available to you, many of which don’t add any fees on top of the price of the mattress (as long as you pay on time). That way you can split the cost into more manageable pieces.
A safe mattress you can trust
If you read this blog and found a way to squeeze some more life out of your mattress, we’re so glad. We don’t want you to buy a new mattress until it’s time. Too many mattresses go to landfill each year, and buying conscientiously is the only way we do right by our planet.
But if you read this blog and realise that the time for a new mattress is now, the Peacelily mattress may be for you. Not only are our mattresses sustainable, free from toxic chemicals and 100% natural, but they are also rigorously tested and carefully handmade, and will see you sleeping well for decades to come. Even better, we're committed to a radical pricing policy which means we never do mark-ups or markdown. Instead you can get your mattress when you need it, at the most affordable price. Today’s the best price! Just make sure you proactively buy a mattress protector to protect it from any spills or wear.
