Everyone knows that sleep is important. It’s the backbone of your success. If you want to have a productive day tomorrow, then you need to get your 8-hours tonight. In fact, there are many benefits to getting 8-hours of sleep, such as managing your appetite, strengthening your immune system, improving your memory, and much more.
But it might not be that simple. Your mattress has reached a point where it has lost its support for your back. So that brings up the age-old question of “how often should you flip your mattress?”. If you’ve considered flipping it, then be sure to read below for more answers to popular bed-flipping questions. Mattressive recommends that you should carefully familiarize the types of mattress well before buying a mattress and choose the most suitable one for you.
What Are My Options?
Perhaps the better question to immediately ask yourself when your mattress starts to lose comfort is to consider what all of your options are. Of course, flipping your mattress is one option. But you could also rotate the mattress or simply buy a new mattress if it helps you see better results. After all, those sheep aren’t going to count themselves!
Perhaps it’s the type of mattress you’re using that’s leading to your discomfort. For example, instead of using that decade-old spring mattress, make the switch to a queen size memory foam bed. If you’ve just recently purchased the bed, then buying a new one probably isn’t an option right now. In that case, flipping it or rotating it can help you find more support once again. There’s no clear-cut choice. If rotating your mattress doesn’t work, then try to flip it for a night.
Do Certain Mattress Types Do Better with Rotating?
Generally speaking, yes, certain types of mattresses will benefit from you rotating it, rather than flipping it. These types of mattresses include an innerspring mattress, latex foam mattress, or memory foam mattress.
There are also “hybrid mattresses,” which are the brands with more than one type of technology in them. You’ll know if your mattress can’t be rotated by simply looking at it. For example, it won’t be able to be rotated if it’s longer than it is wide or if it’s a level sleep mattress.
How Often Should You Flip Your Mattress?
Typically, you can decide to flip or rotate your mattress as soon as you start noticing consistent discomfort while lying in bed at night. However, if you’re looking for a timeline to stick to, then try aiming for every 3 to 4 months. That will help the mattress not to become too conformed one way or the other. In fact, it can help you prolong the lifespan of your mattress by never causing too much of a “dent” in one particular side.
Many people look at flipping or rotating the mattress as a “life hack.” However, they were made explicitly with both in mind. That’s why mattresses are traditionally as long as they are wide, and usually made of the same material on either side. You might think yourself to be cheating the “mattress system”. But actually, by flipping the mattress every so often, you’re doing just as the manufacturer intended.
How Can I Safely Flip or Rotate the Mattress?
Simply put: don’t ever try to flip or rotate a mattress by yourself. It takes 2 to 3 people to do it safely. Attempting to flip a mattress without someone else’s help might lead to severe injury or the mattress crashing into (and breaking) furniture in its vicinity. For that reason, experts recommend that you use the same amount of people on either side of the mattress.
Start by lifting the mattress so that it’s standing on its side, then having the person on the other side slowly lower it to the bed frame. Be sure to stay on the same side as you were so that you can prevent the mattress from sliding off the bed frame as it’s lowered. Remember, slow and steady will ensure the mattress stays in place.
To rotate the mattress, have at least one person on either side of the bed. Be sure to keep your back straight and knees bent as you give the mattress a quarter turn. Take your time in turning the mattress, don’t try to do it too quickly or else you’ll risk a back injury.
Are There Other Ways to Get More Support?
The reality is that you might very well flip your mattress, rotate your mattress, or both and still experience the same discomfort each night. If that’s the case, then you will have to find other methods you can use to get your much-needed support. For example, trying a different sleeping position or researching proper form can relieve your back pain. You might also consider purchasing a smaller pillow that you can place between your spine and the mattress for less strain.
If you sleep on your side, then the pillow would go between your ribs and your hips on the side you’re laying on. If you sleep on your stomach, then place it right under your abdomen to lessen the strain on your spine.
Find Your Perfect Adjustment!
Now that you’ve seen all the different answers to questions such as “how often should you flip your mattress?”, it’s time to act! Try a few of these different methods to see what ends up working. It could be as simple as getting a more supportive pillow or as extensive as needing to buy a new mattress.
Be sure to browse our website for more articles on sleeping habits, as well as many other helpful topics.