You must follow the best maintenance practices to keep your mattress in good condition. You should vacuum it, keep it clean, and flip it! Yes, you heard that right. You should flip your mattress to maintain it.
Flipping the mattress can help in many ways! You can increase the lifespan of your mattress. Plus, it can distribute the weight evenly, and thus, your mattress won’t indent from different sides. Keep in mind that flipping your mattress is not the same as rotating it.
But, the question here is how often you should flip your mattress? Let’s find out.
What Does Flipping A Mattress Mean?
For starters, who knows what flipping a mattress means! Well, you are just simply turning over the side of your mattress. In other words, you are flipping it over. You do so as you want your mattress to last longer. It’s quite easy and simple to flip a mattress.
It is important to know the difference between flipping and rotating, as some people would prefer to rotate the mattress. Well, when you are rotating the mattress you are now sleeping on the side where your feet used to be! In simple terms, you are rotating it from one side to another.
Whether you can flip your mattress or not would also depend on the model of your mattress. Therefore, it is always important to check whether it is possible to flip your mattress. You can see the manufacture's details of the mattress model to learn more about it.
Why You Should Flip A Mattress?
As mentioned previously, it’s to increase the life cycle of the mattress. Think about it - if you are sleeping on one side of the mattress for too long, it would start to indent from that side. You don’t want that, which is why you flip the mattress so that it remains even on all sides. People rotate it for the same reason too!
The purpose of flipping a mattress is to distribute the weight evenly on the bed. Whether you are using the mattress alone or sharing it with your spouse, you must be trying to increase longevity. Replacing a mattress is quite costly so bear that in mind.
When you are flipping the mattress, you are saving it from wear and tear. If you are lying on the bed most of the day, there can be an impact on the mattress. Thus, flipping it can help.
You want the best mattress for your health. After all, a good night’s sleep is a must. If you are not sleeping on a good mattress you would not feel comfortable. Nowadays, there are modern mattresses that are designed with the impact on health in mind. Before you get a mattress for yourself, always find out the relevant details so you know if it can be flipped when needed.
How Often You Should Flip Your Mattress?
First, you should know whether your mattress can be flipped. If it’s double-sided then chances are that you can easily flip it. You can flip your mattress twice a year! However, it also depends on what type of model you have as it may require more flipping. If it’s less reliable you can try once every three months.
On average, you can flip your mattress between two to three times each year. Always double-check so that you can contribute to increasing the lifespan of your mattress. Moreover, you should try to keep it clean to lengthen its lifespan.
Is It A Must to Flip Your Mattress?
It depends on what model of mattress you own. Nowadays, thanks to the power of technology, you can see modern designs that don’t need flipping or rotating. You should see what the manufacturer recommends and based on that you can act.
Modern mattresses are designed keeping in view the comfort level of the sleeper, so if you flip the mattress, the design won’t be that functional. It’s important that you only flip the mattresses that are supposed to be flipped so that you can enjoy a good night’s sleep. Otherwise, the chances are that you might end up being more uncomfortable.
The flippable mattress is usually double-sided. Many people are not aware of the fact that flipping a mattress can increase its life, though obviously, this does depend on the model and type of mattress you have.
Different Types of Mattresses
Let’s take a look at some of the different types of mattresses you can find:
Innerspring Mattresses
These types of mattresses are quite popular and have been around since 1857. There are different layers of the coil inside and that is why you might also recognize them by the name of coil mattresses.
Pros
- These types of mattresses are affordable.
- They are designed to be supportive.
- There are different firmness range.
Cons
- It has a shorter lifespan because of the coils.
- The coils can be noisy.
- You can feel movement throughout the bed as it has coils connected inside.
Memory Foam Mattresses
This type of mattress was first designed by NASA, and polyurethane foam was used in the making. You can get different density foam combinations.
Pros
- It’s not noisy like the innerspring mattress.
- It was designed to be comfortable, especially for the side sleepers.
- It has a durable design.
Cons
- You can get a sinking feeling.
- It can be expensive.
- Some memory foam can trap the heat of the body.
Latex Foam Mattresses
This type of mattress is similar to memory foam, but it’s budget-friendly and firmer. It has been around for a long time, but now is getting popular.
Pros
- There would be less sinking feeling as compared to memory foam.
- It is possible to produce it through natural materials.
- It is durable and can last up to 20 years.
Cons
- It could be expensive as compared to many foam types.
- It can be quite heavy to move.
- You need to release the odor of synthetic latex material, as it can be quite strong.
Hybrid Mattresses
The hybrid mattresses as the name suggests are a combination of different categories of foam mattresses. If you prefer both spring and foam mattresses then you can opt for hybrid mattresses.
Pros
- Because it is customizable you can find a viable option for yourself.
- It is designed to provide support and comfort.
- It would be quieter as compared to many spring mattresses.
Cons
- It can be quite expensive.
- It could be heavy.
- It does not absorb motion.
You can see many different types of mattresses on the market. The above four are quite common. It’s important to see if the mattresses are marked as double-sided because if so then you would be able to flip it. If it is one-sided then don’t flip the mattress!
How Do You Flip A Mattress?
Now that you know that it is okay to flip your mattress, you might be wondering if there is a right way to do it! Try the following:
- When you are trying to flip the mattress make sure there is enough space around you. Remove the surrounding furniture or objects so that you don’t break anything that’s in the way.
- You should remove everything that is lying on your bed. Remove all the pillows as well as any blankets or comforters. Also, remove the bedsheet. Make sure you keep everything in sight so that you can easily find it later.
- To flip the mattress, you have to rotate it to 90 degrees. Consider your mattress is like a rectangle. Now the longer side of this rectangle would run parallel to your headboard for sleep number or other bed you have. So keep that in mind when you are flipping!
- Now, you are going to raise the mattress so that it is on the edge. The longer side parallel to the headboard would now be standing on edge.
- Now you have to lower the mattress so that the other side is now on the top.
- You would align the mattress with the base. The mattress is now flipped. You can expect the head side of the mattress to be at the feet and vice versa!
When you are flipping the mattress, make sure you vacuum it thoroughly. It would be a good idea to clean underneath the bed too, while you have the chance.
You should ask your partner or friend to help you flip the mattress if you find that it’s a little difficult for you to do it by yourself.
Ways to Promote a Good Night’s Sleep
To enjoy better sleep at night, you have to take the right steps. There are different ways that you can try for a better good night’s sleep:
- Avoid using your mobile phone at night. There is always lots of interesting information available on social media. Being consumed with all this information would keep you from sleeping!
- Set a routine so that you would know when it’s time to sleep.
- Avoid drinking too much caffeine later in the evening as it can affect the quality of sleep for some people.
- If you nap for long hours during the day, shorten your nap time.
- You can try taking a warm shower before bed.
- Invest in a comfortable mattress!
Frequently Asked Questions
There could be several questions on your mind as you might wonder whether flipping is a good idea! Let’s discuss a few.
Is it a good idea to flip your mattress?
Yes, it is! Especially if the manufacturer recommends it. You would be doing your mattress a favor as flipping the mattress can help in increasing the lifespan. You can increase the life of the mattress so that you can postpone the cost of replacing it for some time!
How often should you flip the mattress?
On average, a mattress is flipped at least two times a year. The number of times you can rotate your mattress would depend on the mattress type. For example, if you have a latex mattress then you can rotate it every six months. If you own a memory foam mattress then you can rotate it once every three months.
Should you rotate or flip your mattress?
Depending on what type of mattress you have, if you flip it with rotation then it would be better. For example, if you are just rotating the mattress then the head side is now at the feet, and the feet side is now at the head side. However, when you flip the mattress and rotate it too, it can help, as you would now be using the mattress from a new side in two ways (rotating and flipping both).
Can you flip all mattresses?
No, especially nowadays there is a huge variety of mattresses out there. Some are designed not to be flipped so you gave to be very careful when you plan on flipping the mattresses. Make sure you check the details thoroughly.
Wrapping It Up
Flipping your mattress twice a year is good practice. Nevertheless, it would depend on what type and model of mattress you have. Apart from flipping some people also prefer to rotate the mattress. The purpose of flipping a mattress is to increase its lifespan, and it’s important to keep in mind that you can’t flip all types of mattresses.
