How to Take Care of Your Mattress

Rotating Your Mattress

It’s normal for a mattress to start sagging or develop permanent indentations in the places where sleepers usually lie. To evenly break in the sleep surface and avoid having one part of the bed grow softer than the rest, most manufacturers recommend regularly rotating the mattress from head to foot.

Foam, latex, and newer innerspring mattresses should be rotated every 6 to 12 months, while an older innerspring mattress should be rotated every 2 to 6 months. Some mattresses should not be rotated. For example, rotating a mattress with a zoned design may cause the mattress to be less comfortable and supportive.

Most older innerspring mattresses featured minimal comfort layers, meaning both sides of the bed had a similar feel. This symmetrical design allowed for sleepers to flip the mattress in addition to rotating it. However, modern mattresses tend to be designed with a softer comfort section on top and a firmer support core on the bottom. These mattresses are meant to always be used right-side up, and they should not be flipped.

Exceptions to this rule do exist, with some manufacturers offering flippable mattresses. Be sure to check your manufacturer’s recommendations for rotation and flipping.