One of the most common pieces of advice that sleep experts and mattress brands give is to flip your mattress regularly. This is to preserve the quality of your sleeping solution while ensuring the well-distributed comfort of your mattress.
Your mattress is designed to give you years of comfort. However, given how you've used it nightly for many years, your mattress can only withstand a certain amount of wear and tear. From vacuuming your mattress to flipping or rotating it from head to toe, taking care of your mattress can help you make the most of its lifespan.
Why Should You Flip or Rotate Your Mattress?
Here are the benefits of flipping or rotating your mattress in a nutshell:
- To maintain consistent sleep support
- To even out the pressure exerted on your mattress
- To give indentations time to regain their shape
- To reduce the risk of premature sagging or damage
What Happens If You Don’t Flip Your Mattress?
When buying a new mattress in Singapore, don’t simply lay it on the bed and let it rest there unattended forever. Your mattress is made up of layers of foam and springs that can eventually break or sag with frequent use. These can cause unevenness or sagging that will eventually lead to discomfort or back pain. While sagging is inevitable for mattresses that are already at the end of their lifespan, you can prevent premature sagging by flipping or rotating your mattress.
What’s the Difference Between Flipping and Rotating a Mattress?
When sleeping on a mattress, only one side of its structure receives the most pressure from your body. Whether you are using a memory foam mattress or an innerspring bed, constant pressure can take a toll on the quality of your sleeping surface. Remember that not all mattresses can be flipped. In fact, flipping can even damage some types of mattresses.
Flipping your mattress means turning the back of the mattress up to even out the pressure that it receives. This gives the mattress some time to recover from the indentations caused by the weight of the sleeper. Rotating, on the other hand, means that you revert the position of your mattress 180 degrees from head to toe for the same purpose.
When Should You Flip Your Mattress?
|
Mattress Type |
Flip or Rotate |
|
Single-sided mattress |
Rotate |
|
Double-sided mattress |
Flip and rotate |
It is safe to flip your mattress if it has a double-sided mechanism. Traditional double-sided mattresses are constructed from the core outward. This means that how one side feels is the same for the other side. This identical design won’t interrupt your comfort, no matter where you choose to sleep. Many high-quality double-sided mattresses can be made with fibre fillings, foam, or innerspring cores. These can both be flipped and rotated regularly.
Another type of mattress is a one-sided mattress, which is constructed from the bottom up. Based on their name, one-sided mattresses are designed to accommodate sleeping only on one side. Generally, the bottom layer of a one-sided mattress is firmer than the comfort layer where you sleep. This specialised structure is helpful for different types of sleepers as the top layer provides cosy comfort while the bottom layer provides pushback support. So, ultimately, if your mattress is constructed with specialised layers, where the top is the comfort layer and the bottom is the support layer, it shouldn’t be flipped.
When you flip this type of mattress, the support, or bottom layer, will feel firmer and have less contouring. This can affect the quality of your rest. Most one sided mattresses have clear labels to help you identify which layer is comfortable to sleep on and which is meant to work as a support. If you are unsure whether your mattress is double-sided or not, you can check its label or search for the same mattress model online.
Should You Rotate Your Mattress?
Most mattresses can be rotated, both one-sided and two-sided types. Rotating your mattress can help you even out the pressure in the zones that receive the most weight, particularly the hips. If you have a one-sided mattress, rotating it regularly is a better choice. However, do note that many special mattresses can’t either be flipped or rotated. These are special-zoned mattresses that are constructed to support specific parts of the body during sleep.
How Often Should You Flip or Rotate a Mattress?
How often you should flip or rotate your mattress will depend on its type. Generally, a relatively new mattress should be flipped and rotated at least once every six months. If the mattress is old, you should flip it once every three months.
Guest beds or extra mattresses don’t need to be flipped more often since they don’t receive as much pressure as the mattress in your main bedroom. You can flip or rotate these every six months or at least once a year, depending on the frequency of use.
When sharing your mattress with a partner who is lighter or heavier, make sure to flip or rotate your mattress in such a way that the weight is evenly distributed.
Make sure to check the manufacturer’s instructions to identify the best time to flip or rotate your mattress.
It’s important to set a regular schedule when it comes to flipping or rotating your mattress. The consistency of your schedule will greatly help your mattress retain its shape for a longer period of time. To make it easier to remember, schedule it for the first or last day of the month. If you haven’t flipped or rotated your mattress in a long time, you can start doing it now! While flipping and rotating your mattress takes some time and effort, considering its size, doing this is absolutely worth it.
When Should You Replace Your Mattress?
Is your mattress too saggy and unsupportive? Is it over 10 years old? Is it dirty? Does it smell? Is it affecting your sleep? If yes, consider replacing your mattress. Make sure to regularly rotate your new mattress on top of regular cleaning and maintenance to fully enjoy the best of its lifespan.
Takeaway
Flipping or rotating your mattress does not only prolong its lifespan but also makes it more comfortable. This simple change to your mattress handling can make a big difference in the way you enjoy your night’s rest.