News flash: Your old bed might be the reason for that sniffle that won't go away—but how can you tell? Find out below!
Did you know that you spend a third of your life asleep? That means that if you live to be 75 years old, 25 years of your life are spent in bed, according to Max Wurr of Stanmore, United Kingdom. With this in mind, it’s no wonder why something that takes up a third of your life is so important. Furthermore, it’s no surprise that this daily routine can also make you sick if done in an unsanitary manner.
The truth is that having an old bed can not only make you sick but can also diminish quality sleep which can lead to other illness as well from lack of quality rest. However, to better understand how this is the case and what to do to counteract it, we must first review why old beds make us sick, how often a person should get a new bed, and what to look for in the next bed you choose for longevity and quality. In doing this, we can recognize what it is exactly about our old bed that is so problematic and never let those circumstances occur ever again.
What is it About old Beds That Makes us Sick?
The short answer to this question is contaminants. Contaminants like bacteria, fungi, and allergens slowly accumulate over time within your bed and, as you toss and turn in your sleep, these contaminants are inhaled and ingested. Unfortunately, these contaminants are extremely dangerous and, when inhaled and ingested, can make an individual very sick.
Although you may be thinking to yourself right now that your bed is far from a bacteria and fungus-infested cesspool, the problem is that many of these contaminants are unable to be seen by the naked eye. Furthermore, having a bed with any and all of these problems doesn’t mean you are dirty either. In fact, according to the National Sleep Foundation, you should change your sheets every week and your mattress at least every eight years. This does not pertain to individuals that have bought used mattresses either as the mattress is likely already a few years old by the time of its purchase.
The main reason for this is that even with air purifiers and weekly vacuuming and cleaning of your mattress, sheets, and pillows, your bed makes direct contact with you typically for eight hours a day. Furthermore, if you have pets, the bed may also may direct contact with them and their hair and sweat likewise. This means that any and all skin cells, hair, sweat, saliva, or other particular unattractive parts of your sleep cycle wind up in your mattress creating these contaminants and slowly but surely making the mattress less and less safe to sleep on.
With this said, having a mattress with these problems is likely something you’re dealing with at this very moment. From animal fur and body sweat all the way to dust mite feces and mold, an old mattress is truly an illness waiting to happen. The question is, with this information, how often can someone truly be expected to change their mattress to never become sick from these various contaminants again? Fortunately, the answer is far simpler than you may think.
How Often Should You get a new Bed?
Although the answer to this question is simple, the method to determine which answer is right for you is not as simple. The reason for this is that the answer is based on a few things that determine how quickly you should change mattresses including care, elements, material, and cleanliness. By figuring out which options fit you, you can find how long or how short the lifespan of your mattress likely is as well as how often you should be buying a new one.
How Much Care You put Into Your Mattress
The amount of care and time you put into cleaning your mattress is the first thing you must consider. Are you the kind of person that cleans your mattress every morning or are you more of an ‘I only clean what I can visibly see looks bad’ kind of person?
According to Today, you should completely clean your mattress the right way as each season ends to keep your mattress from developing the contaminants we discussed above. Although this won’t prevent all problems with older mattresses, it will make the mattress last longer which is ideal for someone looking for a long-term bedding solution. However, if your bed is already old, cleaning it may not be able to remove the current contaminants that have already built up. This is where buying a new mattress may come in handy.
The best way to clean your mattress is to remove all of your bedding and wash it, vacuum your bed, spot clean any stains or visible issues, and then sprinkle the top with baking soda to deodorize it. You will want to leave the baking soda on the mattress for an hour and then vacuum the remaining baking soda residue after the hour is through.
It is also recommended that you wash your sheets, pillow cases, and comforter once a week to remove any signs of initial contamination that may be developing. Not to mention, who doesn’t love a warm blanket and pillow fresh out of the dryer?
What Elements Your Mattress Will be Facing
Every person leads a slightly different life with different elements. For instance, maybe you have three dogs that are your pride and joy but are also massive hairballs. Maybe you have two kids that love coming into your room and sleeping in your bed at night because they get scared. Furthermore, maybe you’re a single college student living in the city and experiencing the campus lifestyle in particular.
No matter what elements make up your particular life, the mattress you sleep on is affected by them differently. For instance, if you have pets or kids that add to the potential of contaminants, you may want to clean your bed more often whereas, if you are a single college student, you may only need to clean your bedding frequently and stick to a deep cleaning of your mattress as the seasons change.
The key is to determine what elements of your lifestyle might be affecting your bed and then find appropriate ways to care for your mattress accordingly so as to get the most out of it.
What Materials Make up Your Mattress?
Just as the materials that make up your life define you, the materials that make up a bed define it. There are many material options for a bed and the materials your bed is made up of also determine how long it will last and how often it should be traded out to stay healthy and contaminant-free.
The main material choices out there are innerspring, memory foam, latex, hybrid, pillow-top, and waterbeds. On average, these materials last anywhere between 5 and 25 years depending on warranty and cleaning habits. However, the longest lasting choices tend to be memory foam, hybrid, and latex solutions. The reason for this is that they provide comfort but also are easier to clean and tend to come with extended warranties. Any of these can come with a pillow-top which, if cleaned correctly, may also extend the lifetime of your mattress.
The mattress type that is typically not as ideal is the waterbed solution as, although it may not be as difficult to clean on the outside, the inside can become dirty and lead to illness likewise. Because of this, these mattresses are recommended to be changed every five years which is far from ideal.
How Clean You are Typically Before Bed
In many ways, this ties into the actual elements of your life. However, whether you go to bed with makeup on, covered in dirt, or fresh out of the shower, the way you fall asleep matters. For instance, if you go to bed with makeup and greasy hair, you may find that you are only adding to the dirt and contaminants of your bed.
Now, you may be thinking that you should just stick to showering right before bed to prevent this. However, although being clean before bed is ideal, if you do not dry off completely, your wet hair or body could lead to the mold and fungus buildup discussed earlier.
Because of this, the best solution to clean and contaminant-free sleep is to take a shower at least an hour before bed, to dry off, and then to sleep in pajamas that are either changed daily or cleaned frequently. By doing this, you can avoid any additional dirt or mold you would acquire other ways and ensure your mattress stays clean and lasts longer than it would otherwise.
Despite all of these elements, you will still likely need to replace your current mattress now knowing this information. Fortunately, the key to avoiding this in the future is as simple as finding the long-term bed option that is right for you and simply sticking to it.
What to Look for in a Long-Term Bed Option
Although we discuss this in our article How to Choose the Right bed for You, the key to a long-term bed option is quality from the start. You will want to determine the firmness level, the material, the brand, the price range, the comfort, the warranty, and the space you need before picking out your next mattress.
By doing this, you will know how often you will need to clean it, the quality associated with it, how easy it will be to replace it, what to do to properly take care of it, and how it will fit into your current life elements accordingly. These are the best ways to figure out what makes the right bed so special and how to keep contaminants away from your happy sleep cycle.
Furthermore, by paying attention to warranties and materials, in particular, you can find the bed option that won’t just last the longest but will be the most cost-effective and easy to replace likewise which will result in a far easier mattress renewal process in the future.
After all, as stated above, we spend one-third of our lives sleeping, so why choose a mattress that will make you sick or won’t last long whatsoever? Instead, by following the rules above, paying attention to the materials and proper cleaning methods, and staying clean and dry before bed, you can ensure that your next mattress is the right one for you and do so in the best and easiest way possible.
If you would like to know more about the mattresses we provide and why they make a good night’s rest and keeping contaminants at bay so easy, feel free to contact us today and see the true difference a Breda Beds mattress can make in your life!
