When should you change your mattress?

Stella Kamasanyu, a resident of Wakiso District, had a sharp nonspecific low back pain, she narrates that this pain was not due to any definite or underlying disease that could be found by the Chiropractor (a health care professional focused on the diagnosis and treatment neuromuscular disorders) she visited at Mulago National Referral Hospital.
Her biggest problem was that the medical personnel were not discussing the cause of the pain. In pursuit of the cause, she talked to a friend who advised her to change her mattress only for the pain to disappear in less than a week.
Peace Kobusinge, an interior designer, at Patterned Interior in Wakiso District says when back pain comes about suddenly, it can be both awkward and confusing especially if you have not changed anything in you daily schedule.

Sign to watch out for
“If your mattress ceases to support your body in a neutral position, one in which your spine has a nice curvature, your bottoms, heels, shoulders, and head are supported in proper alignment, you are bound to suffer backaches among other discomforts,” she says.
She clarifies that the first clue to knowing that you mattress can no longer support your body is if your back pains whenever you wake up.
The pain may disappear when you stretch but that relief is only short lived.

Also, if you keep waking up, tossing and turning in bed sleep and yet you are not sick, Kobusinge marks it as another sign and source of discomfort.
However, this does not mean that if you are not susceptible to back pain, you should not replace your mattress.
Dr Stephen Ssentongo of Nakuule General Clinic, Nansana, says “Ideally, a person should change their mattress after every eight years. Since these mattresses stay hidden under sheets and blankets so you may not be aware of the condition they are in,” Ms Kobusigye advises.
When you buying a mattress, Ms Kobusinge advices everyone has different sleep preferences, which sometimes makes it hard to find the perfect mattress.

“However, try to look for one that is not too firm or too soft. If the mattress is too firm, it will push on your pressure points and cause misalignment.
Equally, if the bed is too soft, it will allow your body to sink into the bed causing bad posture while you a sleep, which can then lead to pain.”
Kobusingye says at times people decline to replace their mattresses due to financial constraints, people who lack money to buy a new mattress are advised to at least turn their current mattress over so the bottom is now on top.
You may as reposition the mattress in a way that one end that has been supporting your feet; can now support your chest, neck and head.

“It will be easy to feel comfortable again once you just reposition if at the begging you considered investing in a good mattress. Think about it, you should be spending over seven hours on your mattress each night, which makes it an important piece of furniture. You want to invest in something that will give you better sleep and less pain, instead of going economical and buying a mattress that is not right for your body,” she says.

Other than that, she says, to know that your mattress will bring you ailments look for visible signs of wear and tear on your mattress.
If your mattress looks tired, floppy, lumpy, dented or worn, it is time to leave it.
Ms Kobusinge says, if you treat your new one properly, it could easily last over 10 years.
Do not let your children if you have any use it as bouncy castles, playing on it all the time. If you have a double-sided mattress, rotate it by turning it over so the bottom is now on top.
Perform these steps every two weeks for the first three months you have that new mattress, then once every two months thereafter.

Sign that you should change a mattress
If you feel sleeping on the couch or another bed seems more comfortable than sleeping on your own bed, it is a clear sign that says, you should change your mattress.
Saggy mattress is no fun. To avoid sagging, consider flipping the mattress every six months.
If you have queen and king size mattresses, consider investing in the correct box springs. It will save your mattress from sinking.
The mattress that feel supportive and comfort when you are 25-years will not feel the same when you turn 35 and over. The obvious reason is, the changes that happen with our body you a more comfortable positions.
The quality as well plays a vital role in determining the lifespan of mattress, if it is good then it may last longer.

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