How Often Should You Rotate Your Mattress

Helen Skeates
Helen Skeates
18 min read

Rotating your mattress should be done at least once a year, but no more frequently than every three months. Keep the structural integrity of your mattress intact by making rotation and flipping a regular part of your maintenance routine. This method can be used to increase the firmness of your mattress in some materials, such as memory foam.

Everything you need to know about rotating your mattress is covered in this article. In that case, why delay any longer? Read on to learn some good practices for sleeping on a mattress.

5 Benefits of A Good Mattress

1. Achieve Adequate, Quality Nighttime Sleep

The top benefit of a good mattress over a bad one is that you will always be able to get a good night’s sleep or a restful nap. Depending on the mattress variety, you may either experience blissful pressure relief, or supportive back and neck alignment.

How Often Should You Rotate Your Mattress? - Casper

A quality mattress will enhance your slumber rather than disrupt it. You may need a new mattress if you’re constantly uncomfortable, have trouble falling asleep, or wake up in pain. If you suffer from persistent back pain, click here immediately to read about the top-rated mattresses for your condition.

2. Promote Good Form and Posture

Some people may not even be aware that they sleep in a variety of positions. If you invest in the right mattress, you can keep or even enhance your shape and posture. You need a mattress that supports healthy posture and body alignment if you sleep in the same position night after night.

The fetal position adopted by those who sleep on their sides increases their risk of developing back pain. Since it will be pressed onto the mattress, it may also apply pressure to the arms and shoulders, cutting off circulation. Sleeping on your right side, in particular, puts extra strain on your internal organs.

Sleeping on your side is no longer a problem thanks to memory foam mattresses. The responsiveness of the material helps to keep the spine in its natural position and cushions any pressure areas. However, your spine and joints may suffer if you choose a mattress that isn’t designed for side sleepers. Consider your preferred sleeping posture before making a purchase.

3. Keep Your Mental and Emotional Health in Check

A subpar mattress can seriously disrupt your slumber. Constantly sleeping on an uncomfortable mattress may cause insomnia at first, but in the long run, it may cause you to become sleep deprived. The mental and emotional health of an individual can take a significant hit from chronic sleep deprivation, which is associated with a number of negative outcomes.

Some of the most common negative effects of insufficient sleep on your mental and emotional health are as follows:

  • Inability to concentrate and think clearly.
  • Resulting in excessive daytime sleepiness and yawning.
  • Causes a rise in irritability and moodiness.
  • Worsens the symptoms of mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and ADHD.
  • causes mental performance to suffer.

A good mattress increases your chances of getting a restful night’s sleep, which in turn reduces your risk of the aforementioned health problems. Keep in mind that even with the most comfortable bed, you probably won’t get the best sleep possible.

4. Develop an Inclination to Your Sleeping

A bad mattress is just one of many potential causes of insomnia, unfortunately. Some people are so busy working, going to school, and socializing that they neglect to get enough rest. You may be able to get your sleep back to normal with a new mattress.

Your mattress could be to blame if you’re not feeling rested in the morning. Making your bedroom more comfortable and relaxing can help you sleep longer and better.

Get a good night’s sleep every once in a while. Learn how to make your bedroom a more conducive place to sleep:

  • Keep the bed for resting or private time only.
  • Get rid of any unnecessary background noise or interruptions.
  • Reduce the temperature to around 65 degrees Fahrenheit (or 18.3 degrees Celsius).
  • Put all electronics out of children’s reach.
  • Reducing visual noise
  • Color your bedroom with warmer tones.

5. Get the Most Out of Your Purchase

The current market price of a mattress is not funny. Saving up for any mattress, even a cheap one, can be challenging if you’re already paying for a lot of other necessities at home and for yourself.

A good mattress, then, is an investment that should last a lifetime. Investing in a high-quality mattress is money well spent because it will last for several years with proper care.

Compare the typical durability of different mattress materials:

  • Five to six year old juvenile
  • 6–7 years in foam
  • Five to eight and a half years for latex
  • 5–7.5 years for a hybrid

How Often Should You Rotate Your Mattress Safely?

Keep in mind first that each bed will require slightly different care procedures. To keep from accidentally damaging or deforming your mattress, it is a good idea to check the labels for instructions and recommendations from the manufacturer. Furthermore, these procedures may not be useful for some mattress materials to begin with.

Depending on the design of your bed, you may be able to rotate it every three months or once a year. How often depends on the type of mattress and how often you sleep on it. If the material is easily dented, you can even out the wear and tear by rotating it on a regular basis.

This way, the bed will retain its shape and support, which is important for healthful and restful slumber. If your mattress is dented or sags, your body may sink into the mattress, which can cause spinal misalignment. Learn about the different kinds of mattresses that can be flipped or rotated.

What mattresses can you rotate?

In most cases, rotating the mattress so that the head side becomes the foot side is a safer alternative to simply flipping it. If the manufacturer hasn’t specifically forbidden it, you can even rotate a bed that you can’t flip. Okay, but what kinds of mattresses can be flipped?

If your mattress is double-sided, you can sleep on either side of it without damaging the material. A one-sided mattress has one side intended for sleeping on and another for use as a foundation. So, you can’t use the other side because it won’t be comfortable, and you shouldn’t flip it over because you run the risk of damaging the soft underside.

Seasonal faces are available on some products. One side can be used in the warmer months, while the other can be used in the cooler months. In general, if you’re having issues with your mattress, it’s a good idea to check the label.

Does Flipping A Mattress Help?

Like mattress rotation, flipping it can be beneficial. There are a number of benefits to this method so long as you can use both sides as a foundation or a bed. One advantage is that the bed’s structure won’t quickly soften, so you can still get a good night’s sleep.

The use of both sides also reduces the likelihood of dents and sagging. For reuse, one side is given the opportunity to rest and repair. The lifespan of your mattress can be increased and body pain avoided by flipping and rotating it regularly.

How Often Should You Rotate Your Mattress? - Casper

How Many Times A Year Should Your Flip Your Mattress?

Mattresses should be rotated annually or flipped every three months, depending on the type of mattress, how often it is used, and the manufacturer’s recommendations. Mattresses can last longer if you flip or rotate them at regular intervals. Don’t forget that how often you need to do these things depends on how often you use your bed.

What Happens If You Don’t Rotate Your Mattress?

Dents can form in your mattress if you don’t rotate it regularly. Since your mattress will only get worn in one spot, it will need to be replaced before you can rest easy knowing that your body will be on a level surface. Older innerspring mattresses should be rotated at least once a year, while foam mattresses and modern innerspring beds should be rotated at least twice a year.

However, without rotating some mattresses, especially those with zoned designs, you won’t see any results. Because of the specific areas they are designed to treat, these beds must be kept in a fixed position and never turned through a full 180 degrees. These beds shouldn’t have their lifespan impacted by not turning them.

How Often Should You Change Your Mattress?

Keep in mind that you shouldn’t rely on bed rotation and flipping as a permanent solution to your sleep problems. Replace your mattress every six years to keep it healthy, clean, and in good condition for maximum support and comfort. While the exact number of years a bed can be expected to last varies, all beds eventually need to be replaced.

Use a mattress protector and a mattress cover to get more use out of your bed. They can prevent your bed from getting stained or dirty and protect it from regular use. A mattress topper is another option for temporary use.

How to Keep Your Mattress in Good Shape Longer

Here are ten of our top tips for taking good care of your mattress and avoiding potential problems.

1. Make sure your mattress is properly supported.

It is important to make sure your mattress has the proper support, even if you don’t always need to buy the matching box spring or foundation with a new mattress. As a result, materials last longer and wear is delayed.

For suggestions, you can ask the maker or read the warranty. Only spring mattresses, not memory foam or other specialty mattresses, need the gentle, flexible support that box springs provide.

All bed frames, not just those for queen and king sizes, need to be built to withstand the combined weight of the occupants and the mattress. It’s possible that a heavy mattress on a wide-slatted platform bed would require additional bracing.

Every year or so, you should inspect the slats and springs supporting your mattress to make sure there are no breaks.

2. Use a mattress protector from the beginning.

We have previously discussed how using a mattress protector can help extend the life of your bed.

A high-quality mattress protector will prevent accidents from ruining your bed by acting as a waterproof barrier, and it will also keep dirt, dust, and debris from settling into your mattress.

This prevents allergens like mold and dust mites from accumulating on your bed, keeps skin oils and sweat off the bed, and helps preserve the life of the materials inside your bed. Many modern protectors are as comfortable as a fitted sheet, and they make cleanup a breeze in the event of an accident.

3. Wash bed linens regularly.

Sleeping results in the loss of moisture, oils, hair, and dead skin cells. Crumbs from breakfast in bed and pet fur are just two examples of what can be tracked into the bedroom. All of this, in addition to being gross, can penetrate a mattress’s layers, where it can foster the growth of bacteria and dust mites.

Most housekeeping guides recommend washing bed linens once a week to twice a month. It is still important to maintain clean bed linens, even when using a mattress protector. It’s also important to wash the mattress protector every so often, as directed by the manufacturer.

4. Get pets separate beds to snuggle in.

If we’re talking about things that shouldn’t be on your bed, pets shouldn’t be allowed to sleep in yours.

Even the cleanest pet will track in dirt and grime from outside, drool, and shed hair and cells just like people do. Even good mattresses are nearly rendered useless by the occasional pet accident.

5. Rotate the mattress regularly.

Regularly rotating a mattress of any size or material is recommended. Rotating helps promote more even wear, despite what some manufacturers might have you believe. Not rotating increases the likelihood of depressions and softening.

Turn your mattress from head to foot 180 degrees every 2-4 months. During the first couple of years, when you are “breaking in” the mattress, this is especially crucial.

6. No jumping on the bed!

Your mom was totally right when she told you to stay off the bed. A mattress’s foundation, frame, or foam can all wear out more quickly if you’re rough on it, but spring, water, and air beds are especially vulnerable to damage from rough use.

7. Take care when moving your mattress.

Avoid creases and tears by encasing your mattress in plastic before you move. You can protect your mattress from dust, water, and scratches by purchasing one of the sturdy mattress bags sold at most moving and box stores.

Mattresses should be moved upright on their sides to prevent them from becoming creased or saggy. Manufacturers of mattress covers with handles typically advise against using them for this purpose.

8. Don’t bring home unwanted hitchhikers.

One of the quickest ways to ruin a mattress is by infesting it with bedbugs, which can be difficult to get rid of once they’ve set up shop.

It’s important to check for bed bugs whenever you stay somewhere other than your own bed, and to try to avoid having your luggage on the floor. Those who suspect they have bedbugs can benefit from some advice from Texas A&M University.

If you live in an apartment or part of the country where bedbugs are common, you might want to invest in a mattress encasement. These are superior to mattress protectors because they completely encase the bed and have sturdy zippers that will not allow insects to sneak in.

9. Let the light in occasionally.

Once every two weeks, on a dry, sunny day, remove your mattress cover and let the sun shine in to air out your bed for several hours (but keep the cover on if bedbugs are a possibility).

According to research conducted at Kingston University, this helps prevent moisture problems brought on by both sleepers and humidity.

10. Follow manufacturer cleaning directions.

Regular cleaning of any mattress is necessary to maintain a healthy sleeping environment and prolong the life of the mattress.

Most beds should be vacuumed with a hose attachment to remove surface dust, and many manufacturers include cleaning instructions.

Mild water and soap can be used to spot treat stains, but you should wait until they are dry before making the bed. Harsh chemical cleaners should be avoided on foams because they compromise the durability of the foam.

Do I Need to Rotate or Flip My Mattress | Heveya® Singapore

Vacuuming should be done once every one to three months, and stains should be treated as needed, depending on dust levels, allergies, or personal preference.

The specifics of mattress upkeep may vary by make and model, but the fundamentals are consistent across the board. The bed should be kept clean, guarded from harm, supported, and rotated to ensure even wear.

There are many variables that affect how long a mattress will last, but following these guidelines will increase the likelihood that you will get many years of good use out of your purchase. Know that a 10-year warranty on your mattress is considered industry standard, whether you’re shopping at a traditional brick-and-mortar store or one of the new bed-in-a-box mattress companies.

Conclusion

You can help your bed last longer by incorporating rotation and flipping into your routine maintenance. If you want to keep your mattress in good shape, you should rotate it regularly. Every three months to once a year is the safest interval.

However, you should still double-check the item, as some mattresses have dedicated zones. These beds are fixed in place and cannot be moved or rearranged because of their narrow focus. The same holds true for mattresses that can only be used on one side.

Helen Skeates

Helen Skeates

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