Sleep Health

Published July 21, 2022

9 min

Health Issues and Risks of Using An Old Mattress

DreamCloud Editorial Team

Table of contents

How Can an Old Mattress Make You Sick How To Tell If Your Bed Is Causing Back Pain What To Look For When Buying a New Mattress Best Mattress For Back Pain By Dreamcloud Frequently Asked Questions

Is your mattress old? Can your old mattress still function like it once used to? These are a few things we never think about. Once the investment is made in a mattress, we usually go with the flow and keep using it for god knows how long! Now, mattresses don’t indicate that it’s time for a change unless there is visible wear and tear or you can hear the mattress's springs give up. And just like eating or drinking something past its expiry date can pose health issues, using an old mattress can do the same. Here, we bring you all the health issues and risks of using an old mattress. Read on.

How Can an Old Mattress Make You Sick

Even with the utmost care, your mattress will get old with time and become a residence to dirt, dander, sweat, and more. So, can an old mattress make you sick? Yes. Let’s look at how your old mattress can make you sick.

Sweat Dead Skin Cells

An adult produces about 26 gallons of sweat in bed in a year. And when a study took swabs from a 7-year-old mattress, it was seen that more than 16 million colony-forming bacteria were present every square inch. So, yeast, mold, and even bacteria can reside in your mattress. And you also shed dead skin cells, which keep accumulating inside the old mattress. To prevent this, it is important to keep your mattress clean and replace it when it is time.

Dust Mites And Bugs

Did you know? According to Ohio State University experts, an old mattress can be home to almost 10 million microscopic bugs. But, that’s not all. These dust mites even excrete waste on your mattress. Having dust mites in the mattress is more than just disgusting because, for someone suffering from frequent allergies, this old mattress can be a health hazard, which can lead to sneezing, runny nose, itchy throat, watery eyes, and more. And this can be even more dangerous for someone suffering from a condition like asthma because it can lead to shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, and breathing problems. Even a new mattress becomes home for dust mites after a few months. But cleaning it regularly will help you maintain a level of cleanliness. You can also do other things, such as allergen-proof bed covers.

Pets And Dander

If you are a parent to a pet baby, there are chances that it sleeps on the bed with you. In fact, you are not alone. A survey shows that 50% of dogs and 62% of cat parents sleep with their pets on the bed. But, your furry babies can carry germs, worms, urine, and more. So, next time your pet hops on the bed, think again. However, if you don’t want to let off your furry one, you can take some measures, such as being regular with vet visits, bathing your pet regularly, changing the sheets often, and using mattress protectors.

Back Pain

When you regularly use your mattress for years, it begins to age. The old mattress then can begin to sag and there can be wear and tear where you end up sleeping in a haphazard position. And since you are used to it, you may not notice it much. But over time, this can increase your back pain and exhaustion because you cannot sleep well.

How To Tell If Your Bed Is Causing Back Pain

Can a mattress cause back pain? Yes. As mentioned above, one of the most common problems of an old mattress is back pain. But, let’s say, your mattress is clean and doesn’t lead to any allergies or illness, and the only thing that’s bothering you is back pain then let’s find out if your old mattress is the culprit.

1. You Struggle To Get Comfortable In Bed

If you keep tossing and turning and no matter what you do, you cannot get into a comfortable position? And after this, if you are waking with back pain, this is how to tell if your bed is causing back pain.

2. You Wake Up With Back Pain

Can a bad mattress cause back and chest pain? Yes, it can be the cause of back pain. If you feel completely fine before you hit the sheets, but wake up with a sore back, your old mattress is the cause.

3. You Feel Like You’re Rolling Off Your Bed

One of the symptoms of sleeping on a bad mattress is you feel like you are about to roll off the old mattress. This occurs because of the poor edge support of the mattress.

4. Mattress Folds Like a Taco

Tacos are a great delicacy, but feeling like a taco doesn’t feel so great. And you tend to feel like a taco when the old mattress sags too much, so much so that it folds around you. The sag disrupts your spinal alignment causing back pain.

5. Mattress Is Saggy

Instead of giving you the much-needed support, all the mattress does is sag. And this is not good for the spine! So, if you are wondering can a bad mattress cause body aches? Yes, old mattresses can lead to body aches.

6. Feels Like You Are Sleeping On a Board

Even a mattress that’s extremely hard and feels like sleeping on a board isn’t the best. It forces your spine to take an uncomfortable and unnatural position elevating the pressure points.

7. You Feel The Lumps At Night

A lumpy mattress feels like they are filled with stones and can be extremely uncomfortable. If that’s the case with your old mattress, you can try rotatingit. A lumpy mattress will only lead to more back pain and uncomfortable nights.

8. Your Mattress Has Crossed The Expiry Date

If one fine day you are waking up to terrible back aches or if your mattress is unable to grant you the comfort that it once used to, take a look at its lifeline. So, how long should you use a mattress? Most mattresses need replacing after 7-10 years.

9. Your Back Pain Fades After Waking

You sleep without any pain, but when you wake up your back ache is there to irritate you. But after some time, it magically disappears. Well, this can be because of your old mattress. So, when should you get a new mattress? It is important to change your mattress every 7-10 years. But, if your mattress brand says otherwise, lookout for the above signs to understand when is the right time to replace your old mattress.

What To Look For When Buying a New Mattress

If you think now it's time to replace your old mattress with a new one, then take a look at the below tips.

Materials

From memory foam to latex, there are several types of mattresses available in the market. So, see which one suits your needs. While a memory foam provides you the necessary plushness, a latex mattress can be eco-friendly.

Support

All mattresses offer a different type of support. But it is important to choose one as per your weight. For instance, a soft or a plush mattress can be suitable for someone who is lighter as it offers the necessary support and a firm mattress can be beneficial for someone who is heavier.

Firmness

When it comes to choosing the right firmness of a mattress while replacing your old mattress, choose one as per your sleep style. For instance, a side-sleeper will benefit from a soft to the medium-firm mattress. This is because it cushions all the pressure points, such as shoulders, hips, and legs. Back and stomach sleepers should go for medium to firm mattresses and medium-firm for combination sleepers.

Pressure Relief

Pressure relief is designed to protect you from any soreness and support your body fully. When a mattress offers the best pressure relief, it properly distributes the weight, which helps curb the amount of pressure put on a single part of the body.

Resilience

With high resilience, a mattress offers high responsiveness and bounciness, which some prefer.

Breathability

If you are someone who feels extremely hot and humid at night. You need a mattress that’s breathable, which means it allows for the air to flow freely. A hybrid or an innerspring mattress is ideal here.

Best Mattress For Back Pain By Dreamcloud

If you think it is time to replace your old mattress, take a look at The DreamCloud - Luxury Hybrid Mattress. The dreamy mix of innerspring with memory foam gives you the best sleep of your life! The mattress is luxury-firm, which gives you the plushness along with the necessary support. The DreamCloud - Luxury Hybrid Mattress has five wondrous layers. The first layer is all set to keep you cool and is made of quilted foam and a cashmere top. Next comes the gel memory foam layer, which conforms to your shape and enables pressure point relief. The third layer ensures that you don’t sink in too deep. Finally, the last two layers keep the support intact and ensure optimal performance of the mattress. Dreamcloud comes with a lifetime warranty and offers 365 trial nights where you can try your mattress for a complete year and return it back for a full refund if you are not satisfied.Disclaimer: This website does not offer medical advice nor professional medical services; rather, it is provided solely for educational, informational, and/or entertainment purposes. Individuals seeking medical advice should consult a licensed physician. The information provided should not be used for diagnosis or treatment of any condition, disease, or injury. When you have a medical condition, you should always talk to licensed doctor or other certified medical professional. You should never delay seeking professional medical advice or treatment based on the contents of this website. Call 911 or immediately go to the nearest emergency room if you think you may have a medical emergency. The contents of this website are provided "as-is", Dreamcloud Sleep and its parent, subsidiaries, affiliates, employees, contributors disclaim any warranty of the information contained herein. Please contact support@dreamcloud.com to report any errors, omissions, misinformation, or abuse.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it better to sleep on a hard or soft mattress? It depends on your personal preference. While some find a soft mattress comfortable, some like it slightly firmer. However, if you are suffering from back pain, a medium-firm mattress can be a good choice as it offers a balance of plushness and firmness. Can mites in an old mattress make you sick? Yes, old mattresses can lead to allergies and also set off your asthma. Therefore, it is essential to always keep your mattress clean. What to do with an old mattress? There are several things you can do with your old mattress. You can;

Recycle it
Donate it (if it is in usable condition)
Sell it
You can repair it and use it again