How Often Should You Rotate Your Mattress? A Sleep Expert Weighs In
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When you get into spring cleaning mode, it can often lead you to tidying up spaces you might not frequently tend to. All of a sudden, you start thinking about the last time you unclogged your bathtub drain, or the best way to clean your garbage disposal. In fact, you might even want to go as far as upgrading your vacuum, just to make sure you’re really getting the house spotless this year. Whatever the case may be when it comes to your cleaning schedule, there’s one task that we often forget about: rotating our mattresses. How often you should rotate your mattress depends on a multitude of factors, including the type of mattress you have, and how new or old it is.
Below, we’ve outlined exactly how to determine how frequently you should be flipping and rotating your bed. We even spoke to Julia Rosien, a sleep expert at Restonic, to get the scoop on everything regarding mattress care. And we gotta say, Rosien really opened our eyes to how much we might be hindering our mattress’ longevity without even realizing it. That’s why she shared some of her best sleep industry tips to make sure you’re caring for your bed the right way, so your mattress can stay in its best shape for longer.
Does It Matter How Often You’re Flipping Your Mattress?
In short, absolutely. If you’re not flipping or rotating your mattress frequently enough, the mattress could start sagging or sinking prematurely, potentially leading to body aches and pains and a less-than-ideal slumber. This could even result in having to replace your mattress early, which can be costly. Rosien says, “All mattresses require flipping or rotating to promote even wear, extending the comfort life of your investment.” She adds, “We spend (if we’re lucky) as many as 8 hours each night in bed—often in the same area of the mattress.” So if you’re not taking care of your mattress like you should be, you’re risking a restful, pleasant sleep.
So How Often Should I Be Rotating or Flipping My Mattress?
As a general rule of thumb, how often you rotate (and whether or not you flip) your mattress depends on its build. “If you have a one-sided mattress, it should be rotated (top to bottom) 4 times a year—or at the changing of each season. A double-sided mattress can be flipped and rotated in the same way,” Rosien says. So as long as your bed can be flipped upside down, it should be flipped and rotated with each season. But it’s important to look up what kind of mattress you have (if you don’t know already) because if it can’t be flipped, you should only rotate it.
What If You Have a Brand-New Mattress?
A new mattress requires more frequent care because it hasn’t been broken in yet. Think of it like a new couch—it takes time for the cushions to relax. So you might fluff the pillows and the cushions more frequently to make it more comfortable. The same is true of a mattress. Rosien says, “A new mattress requires a bit more attention initially and should be flipped or rotated every time you change your sheets for the first few months.” This frequent flipping and rotating will make sure the mattress has even weight distribution and molds to your body better. That way, your mattress will stay comfortable, and you’ll keep having sweet dreams for years to come.
