For many of us, replacing our mattress ranks right up there with getting a root canal on the list of “things we don’t want to deal with right now”. However, your mattress serves as the foundation for your entire quality of life.

How? Well, ask yourself this: If what you sleep on isn’t comfortable, how much sleep are you actually getting each night?

Exactly. A chronic lack of sleep will lead to serious health issues down the road, no matter how much money you’re saving. So, how do you know when it’s time to buy a new mattress? Our guide will show you 7 signs to look for.

1. Waking Up Stiff or Sore? Time for a New Mattress

Do you often find yourself waking up with severe back pain? Or awaken feeling like someone’s taken a hammer to your pressure points instead of cradling them? If so, then it might be time to buy a new mattress.

Some types of mattresses handle your pressure points better than others. Spring-based beds often get criticized for the way that they seem to jab into pressure points. However, with a quality choice like a posturepedic mattress, you can get avoid making your pressure points ache and burning a hole in your wallet.

2. Can’t Seem to Fall Asleep or Stay Asleep? Replace It!

Falling asleep should be the easiest part of your day. However, for many of us, it’s the hardest. This may be due to stress, anxiety, caffeine consumption, or chronic conditions like insomnia.

If you’ve managed to rule all of these out, then your mattress may be to blame for your sleep problems. Again, you’re not likely to sleep much when you have to shift positions constantly to stay comfortable through the night. So, rather than reaching for another energy drink and a painkiller to power you through the day, consider going to the heart of the matter and getting a new mattress.

3. You’re Dumping Money on Specialized Pillows or Toppers

Hey, we all enjoy having nice things. There’s nothing wrong with the occasional fancy or specialized pillow, or a cooling topper if you tend to sleep hot. However, if your total amount of special toppers, special pillows, and special supports exceeds the cost of a new mattress entirely, it might be time to reconsider your approach.

After all, you’re spending money to treat the symptoms of your mattress woes, rather than the root cause. Don’t keep throwing your money down that hole. Just get a new mattress.

4. Sleep Better Elsewhere? That’s a Sign!

Do you find yourself taking a nap in your favorite comfortable recliner or couch more often than you sleep in your bed? Do you find that, despite being in a strange place, you tend to sleep better in hotels or at the house of a friend? If so, that’s a sign that it’s time to swap out your old mattress.

Your bedroom should be where you feel most comfortable. Therefore, it should be where you get to sleep the easiest. If that’s not the case, don’t hesitate to replace an old mattress with one better suited for you.

5. You Can’t Seem to Shake Your Allergies

If you’re squeamish and want to sleep well tonight, it might be best to skip this one.

As little as we like thinking about it, our mattresses become hotbeds of bodily fluids and gunk, despite our best attempts to keep them clean. Dust mites, pet dander, and all sorts of other allergens can build up in the material of your mattress over the years. So, when you lay down to sleep, you might be falling into a fluffy cloud of everything that sets off your asthma and allergies.

If you tend to wake up with a horrid case of the sniffles, then maybe it’s time to buy a new mattress. However, it is important to note that this does not apply to all types of mattresses. Beds made from latex or memory foam are resistant to dust mites. So, if you can afford it, try to pick up one of those to extend the lifespan of your mattress.

6. If It’s Sagging, Soft, or Damaged, It’s Time to Replace

We’re not here to tell you how to live your life, but come on. Sometimes, it’s obvious that you need to replace the mattress you’ve been sleeping on.

It could be that the edges or fabric are worn down to threads. It could be that there are springs poking through the top layer. There could be an obvious “you” shaped indention in the middle of it. Or, in a nightmare scenario, you could have a bed bug infestation. (In that case, not only do you need to replace your mattress, but you need to sanitize your entire home.)

In any of these obvious situations, it’s time to replace your old mattress as soon as possible.

7. Remember to Replace an Old Mattress Every 7-10 Years

Lastly, it’s important to remember that common knowledge states your mattress needs replacing every 7-10 years. Some people look at the warranty on their mattress and think that’s the lifespan. This is not true.

If you go by the warranty, which can be as long as 20 years, you could be sleeping on an outdated mattress for as much as a decade. Don’t do that to yourself or your family. Buy a new mattress every decade at the absolute maximum.

Let’s Review When You Should Buy a New Mattress

So, when should you buy a new mattress for yourself? Let’s review.

If you’ve been experiencing sleep problems or severe back pain, your mattress might be to blame. If your mattress has been getting on in years, or shows obvious signs of wear and tear, it’s time to swap it out. If you seem to be throwing money at the symptoms the mattress causes and not the root issue, it’s time to replace your old mattress.

Follow these tips, and you’re sure to sleep soundly on brand new bedding. If you found this guide helpful and would like to read more like it, check out the Lifestyle section of our blog! We update each day with more articles like this one.