The Better Sleep Council states that mattresses should be replaced every 5 to 7 years, and that the springs in most mattresses will lose their function in that span of time. What is interesting, though, is that other tests on mattresses which are conducted by independent companies have found that many mattresses hold up 8, 9 even 10 years after purchase. So what is the rule of thumb with mattress replacement?

The main factor in determining when to replace a mattress is sleep quality. Since we spend (or should spend) one-third of our lives sleeping, it is imperative to have a mattress which imparts comfortable sleep. So if you have a mattress which is 5 or more years old, you might want to assess whether the quality of your sleep has diminished recently, if you awaken with back pain, or if you are tossing and turning to get comfortable in bed.

My personal story is that I have been sleeping on the same mattress for almost 9 years now, and though it has a 3 inch pillowtop and used to feel like a cloud, I am noticing that I cannot find a comfortable spot on my mattress. As a result, I have decided to ring in the new year with a new mattress, provided I can scrape up the money to buy one. The other tricky thing will be to find one which I love, and which I can afford. Some mattresses go for several thousand dollars, which is far beyond what I can even hope to afford.

Keep in mind that many mattress stores have no interest financing so that you can make your purchase without paying anything for months on end. It may be time to schedule a visit with your spouse or significant other to a mattress store to find a mattress which will improve the quality of your slumber.