Although you may not know it, this is a contested question! As you can probably tell, it’s hard to actually know how long a mattress should last, especially when you consider the range of different answers you can come across from a simple Google search.
That’s exactly the reason that we decided to look into this ourselves, hoping that the eventual outcome would show us a more definitive answer. Firstly, it’s worth mentioning that no two mattresses are the same once you’ve used them for a prolonged amount of time. This is because everyone sleeps differently – whether it’s sleeping positions, sleeping with a partner or not and the amount of time spent in bed.
Right, so what do the experts say? We looked at a total of 8 entities consisting of a range of companies and sleep organisations. There was an array of answers: the lowest suggesting that a mattress should last 6 years, whereas the highest and most ambiguous was 8-10 years.
We worked out the average of the estimates and overall it came to 7.81 years. The most common answer was eight years, with four of the establishments suggesting this is how long a mattress should last. We came to the conclusion that the six-year estimate was incredibly low, especially if you’re sleeping on a good quality mattress.
With this being said, a “good quality mattress” doesn’t necessarily mean expensive. Our cheapest Which? Best Buy mattress, and similarly for the Good Housekeeping Institute approved mattress, this proves that you don’t need to spend an eye-watering amount to have a trusty mattress and one that will actually last beyond 6 years!
Overall, saying a mattress lasts anywhere between 6-10 years is too general and more or less incorrect, but saying a definitive 8 years is too specific. Therefore we believe that you can’t put a number on how long a mattress lasts, there are simply too many factors that can alter a mattress’ longevity.
- You’re becoming increasingly disturbed throughout the night
- There’s visible deterioration such as sagging
- Waking up with more aches and pains
- You’re starting to notice your partner more in bed
- You’ve slept better on a different mattress recently
So if you’re starting to feel that one or a combination of these is starting to affect you, a mattress upgrade may be in order. When considering your next mattress, it’s also worth thinking about the factors that will affect the quality of your sleep. You obviously want to ensure that you have the best night’s sleep possible!
- The kind of mattress (open coil, pocket sprung, memory foam, latex, hybrid, etc.)
- The tension of a mattress and what sleeping position you prefer (softer tensions are best for side sleepers, medium is good for side and back sleepers, medium-firm, firmer and extra firm are best designed for back sleepers)
- How much you weigh (if you’re of a heavier stature then you may be more likely to opt for a firmer mattress)
- Whether you sleep alone or with a partner (depending on how much you and your partner weigh, medium-firm to extra-firm tensions may be better suited)
So if you have had your mattress for several years and are starting to notice the quality of your sleep declining, you know that it’s time to switch it up. Now that we’ve given you all the bases to consider when shopping around for a new mattress, we’re sure that you can be on your way to sumptuous sleep.
