Mattress Lifespan – How Long Do They Last?

How long should your mattress last? What a great question, but has so many answers. It’s so hard to find one straight answer from people.

So what I did was a little digging to see what that golden age should be. I actually found some info I never even thought about.

The real and truly honest answer to how long they should last is answered here…

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But I’m not going to end it there. I do a lot of research on mattresses and I can’t find a solid answer to how long they should last. Some people say 7 to 10, some say 10 to 15. I even have gotten the ones that say 5 years and others have said 20 years.

How crazy is that?!

If you want a mattress that is going to last then look at a memory foam mattress. I’ve seen high-density memory foam mattresses give long lifespans compared to spring mattresses. Even some latex mattresses have long lifespans too!

Tip: If you want to keep your mattress lasting as long as possible then you need to keep stains such as sweet, food, and blood from getting to it. The best way to do that is with a mattress protector like this one here*.

Let’s dig a little deeper and see what the magic number for how long they really last.

First Things First

Before I find the magic lifespan of mattresses let’s first point out the things that might give away that your mattress is too old.

  1. Is your mattress damaged? If you got tears, pieces missing, or just plain broken then it might be time for a new mattress.
  2. Is your mattress saggy or lumpy? If the mattress is starting to sag or have odd lumps on it then it might be time for a new mattress.
  3. Are you getting a full nights sleep? If you wake up feeling tired and worn out then it might be time for a new mattress.
  4. Do you sleep better at hotels? If you get better sleep when not in your own bed then it might be time for a new mattress.
  5. Do you have any pains when you wake up? If you feel any types of pains from waking up then it might be time for a new mattress.

Those 5 simple things can help to determine if your mattress is just outlived its lifespan.

What Is Everyone Saying?

So what is everyone saying about how long a mattress should last?

Sleep Outfitters says 7 to 10 years.

Better Sleep says 7 years.

This is interesting. ConsumerReports says if you over 40 years old you should get a new mattress between 5 and 7 years. They do say some mattress can last up to 10 years if taken care of.

A random Yahoo Answers says about 10 years. I always like to see what real people say about a subject so that is why I included them.

Apartment Therapy mentions the lifespan on a mattress to be about 8 to 15 years.

It seems we still have a wide variation of how long a mattress should last. Sure there is so many factors that we’re not considering, but you would think mattress manufacturers would strive for a set number.

Well…… they do!

Warranties

They build their mattresses to last for the warranty. This is where we will find our best answer.

However long your warranty is for your mattress is about how long it should last. This is the true measure to find out how long your mattress should last.

So what about the mattress that say they have 20 year warranty?

20 years for a mattress! That’s insane. But they do exist. Will the mattress live to be 20, most likely not. Warranties that long are just too good to be true and they will find anything to dispute it. They’re banking on you forgetting after 20 years.

Put A Cap On It

I would put a cap on the warranty, or lifespan, to about 10 years. Looking at what other sites are saying and browsing the local mattress stores and Amazon I can say that 10 years is our golden number.

I like what Consumer Reports says about age. If you’re 40 or more then you should get a new mattress sooner. As in 5 to 7 years.

Makes perfect sense, as you get older your body responds to pressure point much different than when you were young.

I would even say if you’re 60 or older then a new mattress every 4 to 5 years might be ideal. I’m no doctor or expert by any means, but I’m really thinking about doing this with my own mother who falls in that range. She deserves it.

It’s Expensive To Buy A New Mattress Every Few Years

I know price can be a major factor for some people to adhere to this replacement of a new mattress every so many years.

That is why I’ve stopped buying mattresses at stores that sell them. The markup on those things are crazy at a brick and mortar store.

They got a lot of over head and I see regular mattress stores going away in the future.

I buy all my mattresses online. Since you’re not buying from a mattress store with huge overhead you can save a few dollars by buying online.

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