Flipping or changing the position of a mattress is one of the pending tasks that is never done. However, it seems to be very important in the prevention of long-term health problems.
There is no one-size-fits-all recommendation.
Turn or flip the mattress from time to time extends its useful life and allows us to sleep more comfortably. But not all mattresses are designed to roll over, and in some cases, it can do more harm than good.
The mattress will last longer.
In some cases, flipping a mattress can extend its useful life. This allows wear to be distributed more evenly, which prolongs the life of the mattress. Most of us tend to sleep in the same place on the bed every night in the same position. Over time, this can cause some areas of the mattress to wear out before others.
It can also help us sleep better.
A worn and sagging mattress will not support you and it will cause you discomfort at night or when you wake up in the morning. The distribution of wear means you’ll be more supportive for longer, making you less prone to pressure points or pain disrupting your sleep.
Most manufacturers who recommend flipping or rotating a mattress say that you should do it every 3 to 6 months. But there is no strong evidence to support this, so we can take it as a guess rather than a hard rule. Even so, if we notice that the mattress sinkswe may want to turn it around to take pressure off those high pressure areas.
Not everything can be reversed
Flipping a mattress may be a good idea, but only if the mattress is designed to do so. Many mattresses are not the same throughout the set, so they may have a specific headboard and footboard. They should not be rotated or flipped.
Most newer mattresses are also not made to be rolled, as many are made with different levels of top and bottom support. For example, bottom layers tend to be more supportive, while top layers tend to be made of more comfortable materials. They are designed to sleep on one side only, so flipping them over can completely change the comfort and support.
If we’re not sure whether to flip or rotate, we look at the mattress label or manufacturer’s instructions to see which is recommended.
For example, memory foam mattresses are more likely to tip over than innerspring mattresses, since many innersprings have a top layer. But if the spring doesn’t have a top layer of pad, it can probably be flipped over.