Here's some mattress marketing gold from a survey that Furniture Today conducted with its research partner, Apartment Therapy. Newer mattresses have higher sleep satisfaction scores than older mattresses.
In fact, the newest mattresses have the highest scores, and the oldest mattresses have the lowest scores.
This data is important because many consumers hold onto their old mattresses for far too long, and these findings make a clear case that mattress replacement will lead to a better night of sleep.
The figures in the table above show a steady loss of excellent sleep as the mattress ages. And note how quickly the scores begin to drop: A mattress that is only 1 to 2 years old delivers excellent sleep to only 47% of consumers, as opposed to the 57% of consumers who report excellent sleep with a mattress less than 1 year old. That's not much difference in mattress age, but it's a big difference in sleep satisfaction levels - 10 percentage points.
Applying the findings
One of the biggest challenges the mattress industry faces is to convince consumers that they should replace a worn out sleep set. Data like this makes a compelling case for mattress replacement.
When does a mattress wear out? There is no simple answer. It depends on what the mattress is made of and how it is used by the consumer. It's useful to realize that comfort level and mattress life are not the same thing. A bed loses its optimal comfort long before the bed looks worn out. A bed that is five years old may still look new, but the comfort it provides through springs, foams and fibers may be significantly less than in a new bed. That's why a bed that is five years old may no longer provide an excellent night of sleep.
The Better Sleep Council, the bedding industry's education arm, recommends that consumers consider replacing their sleep sets after five to seven years.
