How long have you been sleeping on your mattress? An old, worn out mattress can leave you a variety of problems, not all of them obvious. Mattresses tend to get overlooked. As long as they don’t have broken springs and are still doing their job, we tend to just keep using them for years and years.

Here are some unpleasant ways an old mattress can be damaging your health:

You spend on average a third of your life in bed and that means your mattress is collecting lots of unwanted things. Body oils and dead skin that dust mites love to feed on.

A used mattress can harbour up to 10 million dust mites. They are microscopic but still that thought is hugely unpleasant. Most of us won’t suffer from sharing our beds with these tiny critters, but for those with allergies, it could pose a problem. Dust mites can cause runny noses, coughing, wheezing and sinus issues.

If you suffer with asthma, it can be made worse by the presence of dust mites. They can make your breathing worse, make your chest feel tighter and ruin a good night’s sleep. Using allergen-proof bed coverings is recommended, as well as fabric that is more closely woven to prevent dust mites escaping the mattress.

Manufacturers recommend replacing your mattress every 8 years, but 10 is more likely for most people. To protect the life of a new mattress, follow these tips:

Don’t allow kids to jump on the bed

Rotate the mattress every couple of months – flip it over for a double or bigger and for a single, rotate from end-to-end.

Buy a bed frame that has a centre support to avoid sagging. For Beds for sale in Gloucester, visit https://www.gloucestersofasandbeds.co.uk/

Another way in which an old mattress can be negatively affecting your health is by giving you bad back pain. When mattresses wear out, they begin to sag in the middle, so you end up sleeping on a surface that’s not supportive and curved in the middle right where your spine is.

The resultant discomfort and tossing and turning is not a good combination for those suffering with chronic back pain. Many people see their chiropractors, trapped in a vicious circle of exhaustion and back pain. Sleeping with a pillow between your knees or under your knees can provide temporary relief, but the best solution is a new mattress.