A quality mattress is essential to a good night’s sleep: Studies have shown that the right one can improve pain, stiffness and sleep quality by over 50 percent. But how can you tell when your current mattress is past its prime? “If you sleep better outside your home — at a hotel room or a family member’s house — chances are your mattress isn’t cutting it,” says Good Housekeeping executive textiles director (and mattress expert) Lexie Sachs.
Since mattresses don’t have an expiration date, it’s important to learn to recognize the signs that yours needs replacing. Read on to learn about these common signals—and what to look for when buying a brand-new mattress.
Recognize the signs
Gauge the support of your current mattress with an alignment check: Get on the bed and lie down on your back or side — however you sleep most often. Notice how your spine feels: If you’re perched on top of the mattress without sinking in at all, you may experience too much pressure on your shoulders and hips; if you sink too far in, you may feel your spine curl inward, toward the mattress. The right mattress should sink in just enough to support the curves of your body, but not so much that you lose that comfy, just-right alignment.
“If you notice that your mattress has lumps or indents, that’s a good sign that it has lost its support and needs to be replaced,” Lexie notes. But other clues can be more subtle: “If it’s stained or discolored — say from spills, dust or household allergens — that could affect the longevity.” And of course, if it’s just not comfortable to sleep on anymore, there’s no better signal than that.
Extend the life
According to Lexie, you should get at least 8 to 10 good years out of your mattress, and there are some things you can do to help ensure it doesn’t give out prematurely. “A mattress protector can help extend the life of your bed,” she says. “It keeps out spills, dust, dander and other household allergens. It also helps protect your mattress from regular wear and tear.”
If you’re not loving the feel of your current mattress but aren’t quite ready to splurge on a new one, a mattress topper can be a good stopgap. “Toppers typically add a few inches to the bed to create more comfort and support on the surface,” says Lexie. She uses this one from Avocado, which has earned the Good Housekeeping Seal.
Prioritize support
When you’ve made the call to purchase a new mattress, there are a few things you should keep in mind. As there isn’t any one perfect model for everyone, your first priority should be support: “You want to ensure that your body is in proper alignment, which can vary on any given mattress based on body type and sleep position,” says Lexie. This is a good time for another alignment check, using the same method you used to test your current mattress. Notice the differences: Are you noticing no issues related to your spine collapsing or compressing? Do you feel supported? You’ve found your glass slipper.
Consider the materials
“Innerspring mattresses tend to be more responsive, durable and breathable,” says Lexie. However, they tend not to offer good pressure relief or motion isolation, meaning you’ll feel it when your sleeping partner moves.
Foam mattresses, which come in a variety of materials, most commonly memory foam or latex, tend to offer the best pressure relief. They form to your body and take weight off pressure points, and you won’t necessarily feel your partner move. However, foam tends to trap heat more easily, isn’t as durable, and may form indents faster.
Hybrid mattresses like the Avocado Green combine springs and latex, providing the benefits of multiple materials. “The Avocado Green stands out for a variety of reasons,” says Lexie. “It uses high-end materials that are certified organic, and it gets rave reviews from our panel of consumer testers.” In other words, you don’t have to sacrifice quality to go green.
Buyer beware
Not all trendy mattress brands are created equal. “We’ve found that some brands put a lot of effort into getting on your radar, but less on the mattress itself,” Lexie warns. “If you use social media, head to the brands’ pages to see what types of comments real users are leaving on their posts. Sometimes these are more telling than online reviews.” Or let Good Housekeeping do the heavy lifting for you: We tested Avocado’s Green Mattress and found nothing but green flags. Plus, the company boasts a one-year trial return policy — which means that at least in this case, you can trust that the quality of the mattress lives up to the hype of the brand.
Carson is a Senior Food and Drink editor for branded content on Delish, Cosmo, Good Housekeeping, and many more. She enjoys improving her home one DIY at a time, creating new desserts, and searching for the best lobster roll on the East Coast. You can find her on Instagram @iseecarsondaily.
