This month, the Sleep Council has been running its brilliant “May be Time for a New Mattress!” campaign, encouraging people to replace their old, worn-out mattresses. Did you know that even if your mattress seems fine, it might not be? How do you tell? Find out below…

Is it seven years or older?

Even if your mattress still looks okay, seven years of pressure on the springs and fillings, plus dirt, sweat, dead skin and the dust mites these can attract, don’t do your mattress any good. If you sleep on your mattress every night, the quality has most definitely plummeted from when you got it. Remember that even if it feels fine, mattress deterioration happens gradually, and you may not have noticed. This doesn’t mean you have to replace your mattress, as some high-quality mattresses are built to last ten years or more, but it does mean you should think about whether your mattress is still providing you with the best night’s sleep.

Sleeping Badly? You May Need A New Mattress

Is it still comfortable and supportive?

This might seem obvious, but if you’ve become used to your mattress you may not have noticed it’s not supporting you properly anymore. If there aren’t any lumps, dips, or other clear physical problems with your mattress, think about how refreshed you feel when you wake up. Do you find yourself tossing and turning a lot during the night? Have you noticed that you have aches and pains but don’t know what the cause is? It could be your mattress! Next time you lie down, have a think about how comfortable you really feel. Are your hips, shoulders, and the curve of your spine properly supported? If not, ditch the old mattress!

Do you and your partner disturb each other during the night?

Partner disturbance is one of the most common forms of sleep disruption, often caused by your partner moving or leaving the bed in the middle of the night. You can put a stop to that with a new mattress! If you’ve had your mattress a while, it may sag in the middle, meaning you’ll roll towards each other. Upgrading to a memory foam or pocket sprung mattress will put a stop to this, but if you’re looking for a budget mattress, a new open coil mattress will limit roll-together and help you get a better night’s sleep!

Sleeping Badly? You May Need A New Mattress

Do you sleep better somewhere else?

If you’ve been on holiday recently or spent the night at a friend’s, how did you sleep there? If you found that bed more comfortable than your own, or woke up feeling much more rested, it’s time for a new mattress, as your current one might be seriously lowering the quality of your sleep! Remember, sleep is vital to both your physical and mental wellbeing, and it’s worth investing as much money as you can afford to make sure you sleep well.