Everyone has their sleeping style; some of us sleep on our backs, others on our stomachs, and sideways. While a good night’s sleep is necessary for your well-being, if you wake up with back and neck pains, you feel tired and restless, this could be a sign that your mattress is sagging. So, why then do new/old mattresses sag?
New/old mattresses sag mainly due to weight factors. They also sag due to sleeping on one part of the bed, poor quality, and temperature changes. All mattresses are prone to sag, some more than others. Whether it’s a foam mattress, latex, or an additional top layer, they all become softer with time.
The rest of this article will discuss topics related to this title like why new and old mattresses sag, what you can do about sagging mattresses, what to consider before buying a mattress, and how to tell if a mattress is sagging.
Why Do New Mattresses Sag?
You just bought a new mattress with expectations that it will give you long-term service. However, within a few months, you are already experiencing a sinking feeling. This could result from the following:
Sleeping on One Part of the Bed Without Rotating or Flipping the Mattress
A new mattress will feel firm for the first few nights because the upper layers are still new. With time, depending on the side of the bed that you sleep in, the mattress will start taking your natural form. You will start noticing a dip that looks like your body impression. If you and your partner snuggle in the middle, your mattress will experience sagging in that particular area if you don’t rotate or flip your mattress now and then.
Pets and Kids
Pets like to cuddle and sleep on the bed. If you have a large and heavy pet that likes to sleep on your bed even when you leave for work, you will notice that their body impression will start to form on the mattress. Likewise, if you have kids who enjoy playing on the bed, your new mattress will sag sooner than you expected.
The Weight Factor and Incorrect Firmness
Manufacturers designate mattresses as either soft or firm. If you are not keen, you could buy a soft mattress unknowingly. A soft mattress will feel comfortable, but it will start to sink faster than a firm mattress. Soft mattresses are ideal for people who weigh less, but if you weigh heavily, this mattress will not give you long-term service.
Wear and Tear of the Bed’s Surface
If you have had your bed for a long time, its surface will experience wear and tear. When you purchase a new mattress and place it on that same surface, it might start to sag. While you might consider replacing the mattress, the problem could be your box spring that needs replacement.
Poor Quality Mattress
Purchasing a mattress is a crucial investment; while looking for the ideal one, ensure you choose quality over price. Some expensive mattresses will not be of advanced quality and will end up sagging sooner than affordable ones.
Before buying a mattress, ensure you read reviews and get a free in-home trial. Very cheap mattresses are made of the cheapest foams to meet the low price range. You would have to replace it within a short time when it starts to sink.
You Got Hustled
If you don’t check the manufacturer’s date on the tag, you will easily fall victim to getting a returned mattress. Many warehouses that offer significant discounts operate illegally. When the discounts are too good, make sure you run a background check on the store and its reviews. Workers tend to get commissions from sales, and returned mattresses are very profitable to them.
Incorrect Low-Quality Coils or Insufficient in Number
Spring mattresses are constructed with coils in all its parts. If your mattress has fewer coils and coil rotations per length, it will be weaker and will sag fast.
Thin coils made of narrow gauge metal are of less quality and will make your mattress sink faster because they can only support low weight for a short period. Thick steel coils that are high in number and with many coil rotations would make a bed firm and able to support a lot of weight for a long time.
Why Do Old Mattresses Sag?
When you have used a mattress for over eight or ten years, it is automatic that it will start to sag. This is because its layers are used up, and the bed support surfaces experience wear and tear. Some mattresses are not made to last more than ten years; therefore, if you are wondering why it’s sagging after this period, the reason is that it has already reached its age limit.
Old mattresses can sag when you experience a significant change in weight over time. A surgery, pregnancy, and diet changes could result in weight gain that, in turn, compresses your mattress more than before, hence the sagging.
Temperature changes could result in sagging. When temperatures are very high during summer, if you have memory foam, it will absorb more heat particles causing it to sag. Ensure you turn on your air conditioning or fans to cool your room and prevent sagging.
What Can You Do About Sagging Mattresses?
You can replace your sagging mattress when the time is right. However, if it just started sagging, or you are working with a tight budget, there are other solutions to improve it. These include:
Get Yourself a Mattress Topper
Using a mattress topper is an easy and affordable way of reducing the sinking feeling brought about by a sagging mattress. If you are not in a position to buy a new mattress, a topper, which goes on the surface, will do the trick.
Although mattress toppers are generally thinner than your mattress, a topper made of memory foam like the LINENSPA 2 Inch Gel Infused Memory Foam Topper will help you sleep comfortably at night by covering any sinking or lumpiness.
Add Extra Plywood Support
If you use a box spring as the support surface for your mattress, it is likely to start sagging, especially if the mattress is heavy. A new mattress will sag if you place it on the same old, worn, and torn box spring. Place plywood of the same size as your bed in between the mattress and box spring. Small plywood will cause uncomfortable sinking on the sides, while extremely large plywood can cause it to trip or get snagged on it.
Place Pillows Under Sagging Layers
A quick and temporary way to reduce the sagging feeling of a mattress is to place pillows under the depressed areas. Buy cheap pillows, lift your mattress, and place them under the indented sides.
Lay on the mattress and feel if they are in the right place. If they are not, adjust them. Cover the mattress tightly with your bed sheet so it can feel seamless. Pillows will only make you comfortable for a few nights before you replace them. However, gel pillows can last a bit longer.
Flip and Rotate Your Mattress Regularly
Most people prefer a particular side of the bed. This side then begins to sag as it wears out, leaving an uneven surface, especially in large-sized beds. Rotating your mattress from time to time will ensure that you sleep on your favorite spot while the mattress remains even on all sides. If your mattress can be flipped, do so every once in a while to ensure your weight is evenly distributed on both sides.
Place Your Mattress on a Solid Support Surface
Your mattress could be sagging because the box spring is already worn out. If you just bought a new mattress and it’s sagging, check your box spring because you might have to replace it. You can get a new box spring because plywood is not a long-term solution. You can also use a flat platform or place your mattress on the floor. However, beware of factors like dust when you decide to move to the floor.
Replace the Worn-Out Layers or Use a Mattress Helper
Mattresses like memory foam use different layers from top to bottom. When your mattress starts to sag, you can check to see which layer is worn and replace it with a new one. A mattress helper can help to reduce sagging if it just started. Place it under the sinking areas. The mattress helper can also work well with a topper to give you more comfort.
Claim Your Warranty Coverage
If your mattress starts to sag, it could result from a manufacturing error. Check your warranty for the terms provided. Your manufacturer could replace or repair it. This is especially important if the mattress is new, there are no problems with your foundation, and you are not in a financial position to carry out temporary fixtures or replace the mattress.
Below is a YouTube video on how to fix a sagging mattress for back pain relief:
Can You Fix a Sagging Mattress?
We use our mattresses every so often, and this will lead to its wearing out. Although there are methods to reduce sagging temporarily, a time comes when you know it has reached its limit.
When your mattress starts to sag, there is no way to fix it permanently. This is because it loses tension that cannot be regained; it’s like running out of toothpaste. Tension holds the mattress together, and once it’s lost, you can only replace the mattress once you’ve tried to fix it temporarily.
Can Memory Foam Sag?
Memory foam mattresses have become incredibly popular. However, buyers still worry about sagging. Just like other mattresses, memory foam will sag when used for a long time, only that it sags less compared to other types like spring mattresses because of its flexible, high-grade material. Quality memory foam will give years of extra comfort unless it is compressed beyond the tolerable level.
Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on November 30, 2020.
Cheaper memory foam will tend to sag within a short time. If you don’t rotate your mattress, it will sag on the side where you sleep because of the pressure you exert every time you lay on it. Memory foam mattresses also sag when exposed to a lot of heat; if you sleep hot in a heated room, it will sag faster than it was supposed to.
Memory foam can also sag when the bed frame is thin and slatted. They are generally heavier than other mattresses; this, paired with your weight, can cause the bed frame to snap or dislocate from their slots. If you have a box spring, your memory foam will start to sag in the middle. Consider giving it strong support, such as a platform frame.
You can prevent sagging by taking care of your memory foam. Avoid activities like standing on it. Rotate it every few months but do not flip it to distribute your weight evenly on all sides. If your memory foam has a removable topper, replace it when it sags to prevent the damage from reaching the mattress. Reduce the heat levels of your air conditioning a few hours before bedtime to prevent it from sagging.
How to Tell Your Mattress Is Sagging
Mattresses are prone to wearing out when they are used for some time. When you start to experience an uncomfortable sink, sleeping problems, and curves forming when you wake up, these are signs that your mattress is sagging. Some other signs are:
Painful, Stiff, or Sore Neck and Back
A sagging mattress will have you waking up feeling stiff and sore in your back and neck. Although you may have other underlying medical conditions that can cause pain, a sagging mattress will make them worse. If you work out for fifteen minutes in the morning and the soreness goes away, your mattress is the problem.
Ideally, mattresses are constructed to provide support by aligning your spine according to your sleeping position. A sagging mattress loses its support technology, putting your lower back and neck in an awkward and uncomfortable position as you sleep. This is mostly because your mattress forms a body impression where you sleep most of the time.
You Wake Up Feeling Fatigued
The purpose of sleeping is to get well rested and wake up feeling refreshed after a day’s activities. If you keep waking up feeling tired and drowsy the entire day, yet you don’t have any sleeping disorders, it could result from tossing and turning due to a saggy mattress. Your body becomes restless as it looks for a suitable position even when you are already asleep.
You Prefer Sleeping in Other Places Other Than Your Bed
If you find yourself falling asleep on the couch and not waking up to go to your bed or sleeping in another bedroom, this could be a good sign that your mattress is saggy and uncomfortable. Same way, if you find yourself sleeping better at your friend’s house or on hotel room mattresses when you go for a vacation is a sign that you are not comfortable in your bed.
The Sag Is Noticeable
If you start to experience pain in your muscles, joints, neck, and back, check to see if there are visible signs of sagging on your bed. Body impressions start to form, and you can notice them with ease when you wake up. They result from the foam and polyester fiber compressing over time and losing tension in spring mattresses like the Zinus 10 Inch Support Plus Pocket Spring Hybrid Mattress.
A noticeable sag on your pillow-top is a sign that a new mattress should be among your top priorities.
Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on November 30, 2020.
Difficulty Getting In and Out of Bed
When your mattress sags over a long period of time, you will find it hard to get in bed and get out because of the sinking feeling. This is especially the case if you are using a spring mattress. When you are using memory foam, there might not be a noticeable sag, but the feeling could result from the softening of the core.
What to Consider Before Buying a Mattress
You will spend a lot of time on your bed more than on any other piece of furniture. Therefore, you should ensure you choose it wisely before purchasing to give you a good night’s sleep and better health.
- Consider a comfortable and quality mattress that works for you and not everyone else. Experts tend to brand certain mattresses as the best in the market, but they might not be ideal for you. Despite the price range, a comfortable and quality mattress will offer you long-term service.
- Test the mattress personally. Ask for an in-home trial with a money-back guarantee to ensure you get the best mattress.
- Check customer reviews online or get referrals from friends to give you an idea of the available quality mattresses and service provision from stores.
- Firm and soft are not always the best. Everyone has unique needs; excess firmness can result in discomfort, similar to a soft mattress that ends up sagging with time.
Final Thoughts
Mattresses will sag over time. However, for new mattresses, this could result from factors like low quality, being sold for a returned mattress, worn-out box spring, and exerting a lot of weight, more than it can tolerate. Also, increased temperature and weight changes will cause them to sag.
You can tell that your mattress is sagging when you wake up with sore and painful joints and muscles, you enjoy sleeping anywhere else other than your bed, or there is noticeable sag. Test mattresses before buying, check for reviews, and buy one that suits your needs.
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