Why Turn Your Mattress?

Mattress Issues

• A brand-new mattress offers benefits like outstanding support and no sagging spots. The ideal mattress molds to your body enough to be comfortable, while remaining firm under the places where your body needs support most. When you sleep in the same spot every night, your weight compresses the materials of the mattress. Over time, this creates a groove in your mattress that your body will naturally roll into. This groove provides less support and will not be as soft as it was when the mattress was new, leading to a less comfortable night's sleep and the need to buy a new mattress.

Turn a New Mattress

• When you first purchase a new mattress, you need to turn it every two weeks. The first time you turn your mattress, rotate it clockwise so you are sleeping on the opposite side of the mattress than before. The next time you rotate your mattress, flip it over so you are sleeping on the portion that was against the box spring. For the next turn, again rotate it clockwise. Switching the mattress around like this prevents deep grooves from being worn into it as you sleep in the same spot over and over again.

Turn an Older Mattress

• For an older mattress, you do not need to turn it nearly so often but turning it remains important. At minimum, turn your mattress twice a year, once turning it clockwise and the next time flipping it over. Turning it three or four times a year will help increase the longevity of your mattress because it distributes weight and wear. Instead of losing support in one area and needing a new mattress when the coils and fabric compress, you sleep on several different areas of the bed, giving you the most use out of it.

Considerations

• Pillow-top mattresses cannot be flipped like traditional mattresses. If you have a pillow-top model, follow the same schedule for turning your mattress but always rotate it clockwise. Other techniques for increasing the longevity of your mattress is is use a box spring and make sure there is plenty of air circulation under the bed; this reduces the risk of moisture build up and mildew on the mattress. Mattress pads and covers protect your mattress from spills and staining. Avoid storing heavy objects on a mattress during the day, as this can help reduce the amount of support the mattress can give.