Why Do Mattresses Sink In The Middle?
Hopping onto a brand new mattress bed can feel amazing. It’s exactly the right firmness, comfy and suited to you, and helps you sleep better at night.
For 5 to 15 years, you notice your mattress begin to sag. Sagging issues of a mattress can either be ‘virtual’ or ‘visible.’
Virtual sagging comes because of inadequate support and comfort as well as softening of the foam but is not visible while Visible impressions or sinking is the one that you can tell by just looking at the mattress.
But it isn’t just anywhere. Sagging happens at the centre!
The edge support is excellent. Everywhere else feels firm. What happened to the centre of the mattress?
When we walk around, we carry our weight with us. It is evenly distributed between our legs, but the centre of gravity is apparent.
When you spread your legs, and one-foot slips, your centre of gravity is no longer balanced and makes you fall.
But when you sleep, it’s a little different. Your centre of gravity, where most of your weight lies, is centred around your hips.
A brand new mattress is supportive, firm just the way you like it, and all the layers work to give you the bed sleep you need.
Over time, the layers begin to compress. The material and construction become less expansive. Memory foam and latex foam becomes compressed, coils aren’t as springy, and the base support seems to have outlived its lifespan.
All this has to do with all our body weight being concentrated at the hips. If there are foam walls built into your mattress, it prevents the edges from caving in and allows its sleeper to use the full width of their bed. The problem in the centre is that it doesn’t have the same support.
The centre also lacks the least amount of support from a structural standpoint. If there was something in the middle to prevent the centre from sinking, the firmness of the mattress can change drastically and make it uncomfortable to sleep on.
Some of the causes of mattress sinking include:
- Sagging can be caused by Couples who tend to sleep on ‘their’ sides of the bed. Or, if a couple sleeps in a ‘spooning’ position, there is often one sagging area right in the middle.
- Sagging might be caused is by pets! If you have a large dog that sleeps on your bed, it is possible that he or she could leave a sinking spot in your mattress.
- The uneven surface where you place the mattress. It is recommended that you put your metal on a level surface such as a board on your bed to create a level field.
- Liquid penetration, direct sunlight and high moisture content. Use protective covers for your mattress to avoid this damage. This goes hand in hand with prevention by keeping your mattress away from humidity and direct sunlight.
- Bent steel or old/broken box spring support. This can be solved by replacing or repairing the spring, steel, or wood immediately it is broken. Ensure that you also have the proper box spring for your mattress; otherwise, it will sink.
- Poor mattress centre support. Activities such as jumping on the bed, folding the mattress while moving, not taking proper hygienic care of the mattress, and not rotating the mattress frequently are some of the reasons why your mattress may lack the adequate support.
- Inferior materials. Reduce the amount of unnecessary baggage on your bed. Materials such as unfolded laundry, shoes, meal plates and even bottles, if left for long will cause sagging on the mattress.
- Ageing of foam causing the disintegration of the components inside. Ageing is inevitable. Once the mattress has run its cause, the only option left is for you to replace it with a new and better quality mattress.
- Too much pressure on one side of the mattress causes sagging. To avoid this, ensure that you flip and rotate your mattress as frequently as you clean your beddings. This ensures that the weight is distributed evenly and that pressure is not restricted to one area.
What Happens When The Mattress Sinks In The Middle?
This is what we look at when it comes to a mattress’s lifespan. When the centre of the mattress begins to sag (the term we use to describe the deep sinking that won’t go away), the mattress has reached the end of its useful life.
There isn’t a particular number that tells you when your mattress is outlived its lifespan. Since sleep is very subjective and Sagging issues of a mattress can either be ‘virtual’ or ‘visible.’
As mentioned earlier. Both bring about discomfort.
If your mattress becomes a cause discomfort to you, then it’s time to make the change.
You could experience the following:
Spine and other back-related injuries. Your mattress should support each part of your body equally. Without this even weight distribution, your lower back won’t be sufficiently supported, meaning your spine won’t be in a neutral position. Improper spinal alignment can cause a whole host of problems over time, including chronic pain.
If you’re not getting the proper level of support, it’s likely because your mattress is too soft. Spring mattresses can cause the weight to rest too heavily on your shoulders and hips, resulting in muscle tension in your unsupported lumbar region. To prevent this, choose a mattress that supports the natural curve of your spine.
Constantly waking up at night from aches
Waking up feeling groggy
Dreading bedtime due to the discomfort
You prefer sleeping on the sofa or floor as the bed is not comfortable
Increased snoring and sleep disturbance from snoring especially for those sharing a room or bed with their spouses or siblings.
Developing problems with your bladder
Mattresses sink in the middle because over time our weight, concentrated at our hips, compress the layers and construction. Although there are certain things you can do to avoid the sagging as much as possible, it is an inevitable part of the usefulness and lifespan of your bed.
The right mattress is crucial in achieving good overall health. Many factors affect from how we sleep, but a proper mattress is proven to make a positive difference – and if you have the wrong mattress for you (or your once-suitable mattress is now old, saggy, and tired) – health issues are bound to arise.