The average lifespan of a mattress is 8 years, after which its quality starts going downhill, and it may even have an adverse effect on your health. If you haven’t replaced your mattress for a while now, we suggest you go through the list of health risks of sleeping on an old mattress.
1. Neck and Back Pain
Even the best mattresses will lose their oomph-factor at some point in time. The mattress becomes saggy, and as a result, it fails to provide your body with the support it once did. It can no more cradle your pressure points.
The lack of support and comfort puts a strain on your body, specifically the neck and back. The quality of your sleep is affected as well. You may try rotating your mattress, but that is only a temporary measure. When you feel body ache right after you wake up, it’s probably the time to get a new mattress.
2. Poor Sleep Quality
An old mattress affects your comfort and hence, has an adverse impact on the quality of your sleep. Lack of sleep can make you extremely moody and irritable. If you don’t get quality sleep at night, your mental wellbeing can get affected as well. If you find yourself on edge every morning, it’s probably your mattress that’s causing it!
3. Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are a real threat. An old mattress is an ideal habitat for bed bugs and mites. Bed bug bites are incredibly itchy. The worst thing about bed bugs is that they’re extremely stubborn and hard to get rid of.
In addition, you’ll be alarmed to know that 10 million dust mites can find a home in your mattress and feed on the dead skin cells that your body sheds while you sleep. If you want to be sure that bed bugs or dust mites do not bite you, the best thing to do is get rid of your old mattress!
4. Bacteria and Mold
An old mattress provides an ideal environment not only for bed bugs and dust mites but also for insects and bacteria. A wide range of pathogenic bacteria and several fungi can find a home in your mattress, and you won’t even know about it. If your room ventilated poorly, mold might develop on your mattress too.
Fungal spores, bacteria, and mold can all lead to many skin and other infections. If your mattress is reasonably old, it’s high time that you consider discarding the old one and invest in a new mattress.
Summary
An old mattress serves you no real good, so it’s best to get rid of it. You can’t just dump it on the road. Hire a professional junk removal company to help you discard your old mattress the right way.