The Relationship Between Your Mattress And Your Health
You probably don’t often think about it, but your mattress is quite possibly the most used object in your life. It stands to reason that such an important item, used for such an important purpose, would have a large impact on your well-being, and yet few of us consider the link between our mattress and our health. In failing to do so, we are failing to take care of our mattresses as well as we could, and in the process, we are doing ourselves a disservice.
Your Mattress And Fatigue
Perhaps the most obvious way your mattress impacts your health is by making it hard for you to get a good night’s sleep. On a short-term basis, lack of sleep leads to fatigue the following day, which, in turn, can have a host of negative consequences for your health. When you’re tired, you think differently and you find it harder to engage in healthy habits. You may eat more junk food, skip a workout, or neglect your social life.
However, the effects of lack of sleep are even worse in the long run. Possible consequences include increased risk of stroke, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and weight loss. Going to bed late isn’t just going to make you feel tired tomorrow: It could make you sick in a few years’ time.
Your Mattress And Pain
If you are waking up in the morning feeling sore, your mattress could be to blame. This is a question of support. Poor support can lead to neck, back, and hip pain. Your mattress should be firm enough to provide full spine support but soft enough that it doesn’t cause pressure to build up.
Your Mattress And Illness
It’s not just lack of sleep you need to worry about. A poorly maintained mattress comes with many other health hazards. For example, the accumulated skin, hair, sweat, and oils that build up in our mattresses attract millions of dust mites. This is gross, but not necessarily dangerous – unless you have a dust mite allergy, in which case you may experience symptoms like a runny nose and asthma.
Similar symptoms can arise due to moldy mattresses. Mold on mattresses is common and often ignored, but the health risks range from wheezing to a lung infection. One way to control mold in your bedroom is with a dehumidifier. This device can remove moisture from the air which can reduce mold growth.
So, Do You Need A New Mattress?
The answer is: It depends. Largely, it depends on how long you have had your current mattress. The usual figure used is 7 years, but a well-maintained mattress can be kept for up to 10 years. Anything older than that should probably be replaced. You should also replace your mattress if you are experiencing any of the symptoms described above, or if it is in any way too uncomfortable for a good night’s rest.
If you do decide that it is time to go for a new model, make sure you do plenty of research before making your decision. Mattresses can be expensive, and you are looking at about a decade of use, so your decision needs to be informed.
Bad sleep can affect your physical and mental health. Your mattress is not necessarily the root of all your health issues, but it is undoubtedly an important factor in how restful and restorative your sleep is. Getting to understand your mattress and the ways in which it could be affecting your well-being is the first step.
Guest Author
Gabriel Patel enjoys writing about health and wellness. He co-founded Health Well Wise with a group of friends who share the desire to help people live happy, healthy lives.