How Often Should You Change Your Mattress?

You spend about a third of your life on your mattress, so it plays a huge role in your overall health, well-being, and daily energy levels. The right mattress can improve your sleep quality, boost mental alertness, and even enhance your mood.

That’s why it’s essential to make sure your mattress is still providing the support and comfort you need. When you climb into bed at night, it should feel like pure bliss—not a struggle to get comfortable.

On average, mattresses last between six and eight years before they start to lose their shape and support. However, not all mattresses have the same lifespan. Some materials, like memory foam, are designed to last longer because they contour to your body and bounce back into shape.

So how do you know when it’s time for a replacement? In this post, we’ll walk you through the key signs that your mattress may be past its best and how to find the perfect upgrade.

Mattresses can also absorb large amounts of sweat and dead skin cells over time, which is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria and allergens like dust mites and mould. So replacing your mattress every eight years will mean a comfortable and supportive mattress, better-quality sleep, and overall improved health and hygiene.

Children’s mattresses will need replacing more than adults’ mattresses. As they grow, they will need different mattress support and one to fit their new-sized beds. Ideally, you only need one cot mattress to support your baby’s needs, as these are waterproof, come with washable covers, are hypoallergenic, and are comfortable to sleep on.

As your child grows, you’ll need to upgrade a toddler mattress and bed. Depending on the bed you buy, some cot mattresses are suitable for use with toddler beds.

When your child is ready to transition into a big bed, a kids’ single mattress is the perfect choice. These mattresses are great for their whole childhood and teen years. Unless you choose to have a bunk bed, you’ll need a bunk bed mattress to match or upgrade to a double bed mattress to give them extra room. For some more handy advice, check out our guide on what mattress my child needs.

While it’s recommended that you change your mattress every 8 years, there are signs that your mattress has had enough. If you answer the questions below with a yes, it’s time to replace your mattress.

Is your mattress saggy or lumpy?

If your mattress shows lumps and bumps, has a visible dip in the middle, or you can feel the springs through it, then it’s time to change it. These are signs of wear and tear, likely because the materials used have softened and no longer distribute equal support.

Is your mattress noisy?

If it creaks, squeaks, groans, and pings all night long, it’s obviously not in sound condition. Over time, pressure can cause spring coils to become loose and rub against each other, resulting in a noisy mattress.

Is your mattress coping with changes in your body?

If you’re a couple of stone heavier, or even lighter, than you were a few years ago, it’s possible that your body could have changed to the extent where your existing mattress is no longer comfortable. This also applies to children’s mattresses, which can’t adapt by themselves to the growing demands of kids.

Do you sleep better in a different bed?

This one should be obvious, but if you find yourself sleeping better in hotel beds or staying over at someone’s house, chances are you need a new mattress, as yours just isn’t that comfortable anymore.

Are you waking up with aches and pains?

We’ve all been there. If you’re waking up with back, neck, or leg pains, your old mattress may not be providing the right support. Our guide on the best mattress for back pain offers more tailored advice.

Does your mattress have an odour, or is it discoloured?

Even if you wash your sheets and have a mattress protector, old and worn mattresses can collect a lot of moisture, sweat and dead skin cells over the years. This can lead to discolouration and even unpleasant odours.

Are your allergies getting worse?

A collection of sweat and skin we shed through the night provides a great environment for bacteria and allergens such as dust mites, germs, or mould. If you suffer from allergies, replace your mattress with a hypoallergenic mattress.

Of course, how long mattresses last depends on how you use them, the kind of mattress you have, and whether you use a mattress protector or not. While most mattresses last roughly 8 years, you can extend your mattress’s lifespan.

Proper care is vital to help keep your mattress fresh and clean for longer. While you can’t wash a mattress, having a mattress protector can prevent moisture and bacteria, and a mattress topper can give you that extra support and comfort you need.

You should also rotate your mattress every 3 to 6 months. Rotating helps keep its shape, as your body’s weight is equally distributed and won’t leave any indentations. If you have a double-sided mattress, these not only need to be rotated but also turned and flipped regularly as well. You can learn more about how to care for your mattress with our guide.

Even if your mattress doesn’t display any of the above signs, you should replace it every 8 years, especially if it’s older than that. Both the mattress industry and the Sleep Council say that by this time, it will have lost much of its original comfort and support.

We appreciate that a mattress is hidden under sheets and blankets for most of its life, so it’s not always obvious what condition it’s in. But if it’s starting to give you any of the problems we’ve mentioned, then it’s probably time to say goodbye and buy yourself a new one.

Do you think you need to change your mattress? At Dreams, we offer a wide range of sizes, from single mattresses to super king mattresses, to fit your support and comfort needs. Better sleep could be just a mattress away.

Choosing a new mattress is a big decision, and it can take time to know if you’ve picked the right one. That’s why we offer our 100-night comfort guarantee.

If you’re not completely happy with your new mattress after giving it a fair try, you can exchange it for a different one that better suits your needs. This gives you complete peace of mind when making your purchase. Your sleep matters—so why settle for anything less than perfect?

So, you’ve decided it’s time for an upgrade—but what do you do with your old mattress? Instead of struggling to dispose of it yourself, we offer a hassle-free mattress recycling service, making it easy to get rid of your old mattress responsibly.

With our eco-friendly service, your old mattress is collected and taken to a specialist facility where 100% of its materials—including the metal springs, foam, and fabric—are recycled. That means less waste going to landfills and a more sustainable way to upgrade your sleep setup.