Turning around, spinning, and moving throughout the night can be signs that your body is searching for a comfortable sleeping position without success. If you can't find cozy corners to support you, you'll probably have to change your mattress. A bad mattress can cause discomfort, make it harder to fall asleep, and cause you to wake up several times during the night. In turn, poor sleep quality has an impact on physical and mental health.
Studies have linked lack of sleep to memory and concentration problems, weakened immune system function, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. A mattress that doesn't provide adequate support or doesn't relieve pressure can also cause aches and pains the next day. This can be especially important for people living with chronic pain. An aging mattress often bends or sags in the center, where we put more weight on it.
When this happens, we may wake up with lower back pain, stiffness, or muscle pain. Mattresses with helical support cores tend to sleep cooler, while foam mattresses trap more heat due to their solid construction. Not all mattresses are made the same way, and mattresses from different materials will have very different properties. Investing in a quality mattress is one of the easiest ways to promote restful sleep and improve your overall health.
You can protect yourself against mold and mildew by using a mattress base that allows space for air to flow underneath the mattress, and reduce allergen buildup with a machine-washable mattress protector. If you have any warning signs or if your mattress is over 6 to 8 years old, we recommend that you consider changing it to ensure proper spinal alignment and restful sleep. If you can't afford or don't want to invest in a new mattress right now, you can opt for a mattress topper. Dust, mites, pollen, and mold accumulate on the mattress over the years, and this is more pronounced on older mattresses.
If the mattress is too firm or too soft, you may be able to improve the feel by using a mattress topper. If you didn't have problems with temperature regulation when you first bought the mattress, it's a sure sign that the mattress is breaking down. Mattress manufacturers will tell you this once every eight years, but Consumer Reports says a quality bed should last ten years. Traditional interior spring mattresses can also be turned upside down, although most modern mattresses are designed to be used with the right side facing up.
Low-quality internal spring mattresses usually start to fall off after a few years, and foam mattresses can soften and develop permanent indentations in the body. Mattresses with internal springs are more likely to harbor mites, while latex and foam mattresses have fewer open living spaces. The price of a mattress will depend on the brand, the materials it is made of and the size of the mattress. A mattress that doesn't fit your body type and sleep style can be just as harmful as a poor-quality mattress.
Even if you have a mattress designed specifically for allergy sufferers, you run the risk of reacting if the mattress is too old.
