Falling into a wonderfully soft, comfortable bed at the end of a busy day is one of those little pleasures in life that we all enjoy. But if you finally flop into your nest and then spend the next three hours trying to get comfortable, wriggle around trying to avoid that spring that sticks into your back, or generally toss and turn all night long, it may be all down to the fact that your poor old mattress has finally reached its sell-by date.
A good night’s sleep doesn’t just mean we wake up feeling refreshed and ready for a new day. It’s essential to our health and well-being, both physically and mentally. Repeated bad nights leave us feeling exhausted, unable to think clearly or function effectively and, in extreme cases (such as if you drive for a living, or operate machinery) could be life-threatening. Sleep deprivation has also been linked to a host of diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and strokes.
How much sleep does the average person need?
The whole ‘8 hours’ number isn’t accurate for everyone. There are those who can function perfectly fine on far less (such as Margaret Thatcher, who famously got by on just four hours a night), and there are those who need more. The length of time you stay snuggled under the covers is secondary to the quality of sleep you get, which is far more important.
Throughout the night, you’ll cycle through four stages: awake, light sleep, REM sleep (when you’re most likely to dream), and deep sleep. If you’re not sure about your sleep patterns then a good idea is to invest in a fitness tracker that can give you a good idea of your average sleep cycles, and help you identify times when you’re more likely to have disturbed sleep.
Fundamental to all this is your mattress. Pick the right one, whether that’s a memory foam mattress, pocket sprung, or firm orthopaedic mattresses, and you’re practically guaranteed a good night’s sleep. But once that mattress, no matter what type you’ve chosen, starts to age, you may notice that your quality of sleep deteriorates.
How long should I keep a mattress?
Manufacturers and retailers recommend that you should change your mattress every eight years. After that, you may find that it doesn’t offer the same level of comfort or support that you experienced when the mattress was new. You can prolong the life of your mattress by either turning or flipping it (if it’s a double sided mattress), or investing in a mattress topper to give you an extra layer of comfort.
The tell-tale signs of an aged mattress are that it doesn’t feel as comfortable, there are lumps and bumps rather than a smooth, even surface, or that memory foam seems to have experienced a spot of amnesia and isn’t springing back quite as quickly as it did before. You may start to notice some sagging in sprung or pocketed mattresses. All of these signs mean it’s time for a new mattress.
You don’t need to change your bed, though (unless you want to!) – as long as your replacement mattress is the right size for your bed you can simply change the mattress and keep the base.
What kind of mattresses are available?
At Bed Guru, we’ve got a wide range of mattresses for you to choose from, including latex mattresses that give exceptional levels of comfort and support, and memory foam mattresses that use space-age technology and traditional craftsmanship to give you a premium night’s sleep on a soft surface that gives you support all along your body. Mattresses are not cheap, but you can’t put a price on a good night’s sleep, or your health and well-being, so it’s a worthwhile investment. If you want an extra level of comfort then you can always add a mattress topper. If you’re on a budget and can’t quite afford a top of the range memory foam mattress-in-a-box, then a budget mattress combined with a topper could give you a great night’s sleep at an affordable price.