How important is a good night’s sleep? A recent study has demonstrated that a good night’s sleep is an important protection against hardening of the arteries, a critical component of heart disease. Heart disease is the top cause of death in the U.S.
Having trouble sleeping? You may need a new mattress. Read on to discover 5 surefire signs you need a new mattress now.
1. Use Your Senses
The most obvious place to start assessing a mattress is to use your primary senses. Look at it, listen to it, and smell it. The signs are there.
Look to see if the mattress is sagging in places. An uneven surface is a sign that the internal structure of the mattress has worn or is damaged. This means it won’t give you the support you need and might even be uncomfortable or damaging.
Turning over in your bed should not start a cacophony of squeaks and groans from the mattress. Listen to it. If you hear the springs creaking they may be displaced and you are therefore sleeping on a poor foundation.
Strange smells are also revealing. You may wash your sheets and other bedding regularly but if there is still an unpleasant smell the culprit could be the mattress. Bacteria, fungi, and mold can all invade your mattress making it unpleasant and even harmful.
Use these three senses to make a common-sense judgment about the state of your mattress.
2. Racked with Pain
When you wake up in the morning are you racked with pain? Do you seem to feel worse after a night’s sleep than before it? Don’t think that this is the inevitable consequence of getting older.
Your body is telling you that you need better support from your mattress. An old mattress doesn’t support the crucial areas of your hips, back, and neck resulting in joint pain and aching muscles.
3. No Rest
If you find yourself waking frequently in the night this may be being caused by your old mattress. There are other causes of sleeplessness including stress but you should expect your bed to be a place of comfort and relief.
Tossing and turning may be caused by lack of comfort but it may also be caused by your partner. If you each have different needs from a mattress these cannot both be equally met by the same mattress unless you have a double-sided mattress. If you sleep with a partner, you need to learn more about double-sided mattresses.
4. Allergic Reactions
Allergens build up in a mattress over time. Dust mites, mildew, and mold love mattresses. The moisture and dead skin are catnip to them. If you are prone to allergies or asthma you may find your mattress a source of allergic reactions.
The tell-tale signs are feeling stuffed in the morning, sneezing when the mattress is disturbed. This may happen when you change the sheets. Also, irritated eyes and skin after a night’s sleep may be due to an allergic reaction.
Consider a hypoallergenic mattress when you replace your old mattress.
5. Sleep Better Away from Home
If you find that you get a great night’s sleep when you are staying away from home, there may be something wrong with your mattress. If a hotel bed feels great to you then why not replace your own bed with a quality new mattress and get a great night’s sleep at home.
Signs You Need a New Mattress
A mattress, even a quality mattress only has a useful life of between 7 to 10 years. If it’s older than that you need to replace it and get a great night’s rest. Don’t wait for signs you need a new mattress to tell you to replace it.
Learn more about the effects of sleep deprivation.
