How To Fix A Sagging Mattress?

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Who wants to wake up in utter discomfort? Neck pain, back pain, and shoulder discomfort will disturb your sleep throughout the night. All these could mean one thing: YOUR MATTRESS IS SAGGING!

The best solution is, of course, to replace your existing bed with a new one, particularly a memory foam mattress. But what if you are currently paying your mortgage, bills, or loans? Well, that doesn’t seem to give you an option for a brand-new memory foam mattress, does it?

There are ways for you to fix a saggy mattress and make it feel like one that’s just been purchased recently. Now, it doesn’t need to require you to be an expert to fix this mattress problem. There are simple and affordable ways to fix a sagging mattress in order to have a better night’s sleep.

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But what really makes your mattress sag?

Before we make use of our skills to fix a sagging mattress, we first need to understand the reasons which make mattresses saggy. Most often than not, your mattress is sagging on various spots – top, middle, bottom, and even on the edges. An old mattress sags due to several factors. Below are the most common causes of mattress sagging:

  • Daily or regular use of your latex, pocket spring, or memory foam mattress
  • Materials used are below the suggested standard
  • Improper center support of the mattress
  • Broken box spring beds and platform beds
  • No care is given (which we are all probably guilty of)

While most quality mattresses are meant to last for at least 10 years, frequent use accelerates the compression of the mattress padding, which wears out the coil springs. We often use it not only for sleeping; imagine having 6 to 10 hours of compression. That will surely wear out the bed’s support system.

Most high-quality mattresses come with a heavy price tag. But the trade-off will give you a durable performance for many years. However, most of us would opt to go for the much cheaper ones when mattress shopping. And this could mean that the new mattress may be made of inferior materials that will eventually cause it to get saggy sooner than expected. Mattresses made with low-quality materials wouldn’t last long, especially when used frequently by larger individuals.

Sagging could also result from inadequate center support. Without significant support, the accumulated weight would soften specific areas where the most pressure is being delivered. This causes a feeling of sinking into your bed while lying down. This lack of support would eventually lead to all sorts of neck, shoulder, and back pain that will often wake you up in the middle of the night.

The springs are designed to support the weight. This stiff metal support elevates the mattress above the floor or bed frame. Having a broken spring will result in the mattress sagging and a person lying down will feel like he or she is being pulled down by his own mattress.

How to fix a sagging mattress?

Unfortunately, mattresses are not meant to last forever. No matter how expensive your mattress is, it will eventually come to the point that it will show signs of wear and tear. If your mattress does not sink so much that you can feel the hard and uncomfortable floor or bed frame, then, there is a still chance that you could repair it by yourself. There are several tricks and simple fixes that you could use to fix a worn mattress that’s a few years old.

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  • Rotating or flipping the mattress

One simple way to fix your sagging mattress is to flip the mattress to the other side. By flipping or rotating your mattress, you don’t have to sleep on the sagging parts.  You will feel like you’re sleeping on a newer mattress.

  • Using the pillow

Another effective and efficient solution is to make use of your pillow to support the saggy sections of your mattress. Through this method, you would not have to incur any costs to amend the sunken areas. What you must do is to take advantage of your old pillows. Be sure that the pillows that you are going to use are of the same size and density as those sagging spots.

You need to lift the mattress and put the pillows beneath the sagging areas, and then return the mattress back down over the pillows. You can try to lie down and feel if the pillows are in the right places. If not, you may need to repeat the process until you finally hit the spot, and the saggy areas feel comfortable.

  • Using a mattress topper/mattress pad

If you don’t have the budget for a new mattress, top mattress accessories such as a mattress topper and pad can fix sagging mattress issues and prolong your bed’s life. Mattress toppers are widely available on the market. You can use a mattress topper for added support and comfort. The mattress toppers are placed on top of your current mattress to cover the saggy areas and provide the needed support for your pressure points. There are several kinds of mattress toppers that you could make use of— fiber-filled, down-filled, and memory foam toppers.

A good mattress topper can even out those lumpy and sunken areas in your spring or latex foam mattress. If you prefer the feel of memory foam mattresses, opt for a memory foam topper. A memory foam mattress topper can be pricey for some but the investment will pay off in the long run. Hence, if you’re using a saggy pocket spring or latex mattress, using a mattress topper crafted from memory foam will vastly improve your sleep quality every night. You can also use a mattress pad to protect your mattress from spills and stains.

  • Replacing the board or support

Strong and durable boards could be used to support the mattress. If the board has been used for a long time, see if it is still in good condition. Continued exposure to pressure from the sleeper’s weight may cause the board to bend over time, giving your mattress a saggy appearance. You can replace the board or use plain plywood or products such as Mattress Helpers beneath your saggy bed for extra support. A Mattress Helper is designed to relieve pressure points as well. Do take note that replacing the board or using a Mattress Helper is just a temporary fix and you might have to replace the foundation. 

  • Replacing the box spring 

Some mattresses are made of springs. Not only a number of springs but a lot of them! The box spring supports the mattress to stay even. Having a broken box spring would cause your mattress to have an uneven surface and sunken spots.

Looking for the damaged or compressed springs and replacing them with the new ones would solve the problem. Or, you can choose to replace the entire box spring. Box spring beds come in different sizes, so you have to choose the ones that would match the springs in your mattress for improved mattress support.

  • Use an air bladder for support

Another method that is quite similar to the pillow trick is the use of an air bladder to provide mattress support. The air bladder can be purchased in stores. You would need to place it beneath the mattress where the sag has been identified. Generally, this is designed to be pumped up in order to support the sagging area in order to reduce the effects of sagging. Be wary, however, as air bladders have different sizes so make sure that you get the right size for your mattress and that it fits perfectly.

  • Buy a new foundation for your mattress

A mattress’ foundation is partially responsible for the sagginess of a worn mattress. Each foundation has a different design that matches the size of your mattress. For example, a larger mattress requires a sufficient number of legs (at least six legs) to fully support the weight and prevent the sagging of the mattress. However, although the right foundation is used, it still deteriorates which can cause your latex, spring, or memory foam mattress to deteriorate too. This means that you need to replace your current foundation with a new one.

Preventing the Sagginess

With the tricks presented to remedy your sagging mattress, some are short term, and others could last for a little longer. But the best way to remedy it is to prevent it from sagging from the very beginning. This could save you from going through the hassle of fixing it or spending a lot to purchase a brand new mattress.

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Not only will you prevent the aches from occurring from the morning after your fight with your sagging mattress, but, ultimately, you are preventing any health risk that it may give.

  • Check both the box springs of the mattress and the slats of the supporting frame regularly in order to make sure that everything is still in good condition.
  • At the first sign that your mattress starts to sag, you may constantly flip it over to address the issue. If it would be the box springs that have the problem, it would be best to invest in proper and quality materials. Having a trusted material on your mattress would offer a longer span for your mattress before it would start to sag.
  • Avoid using your mattress as an avenue for rigorous play movements as it will be exposed to strenuous weights that will contribute it to be saggy.
  • You may check on where you usually position yourself during your sleep and adjust it accordingly to prevent more damage to the areas that are receiving the most pressure. You may make use of the pillows to assist your sleeping position and to support the areas that you commonly use.
  • Proper care for your mattress is essential for it to last. Regular checking of your mattress could provide early detection of sagging. With this, you will be able to remedy it before it gets worse. You may use simple tricks on how to fix a sagging mattress.
  • Lastly, make sure that your mattress has a warranty. Most high-quality mattresses are partnered with a generous warranty of at least ten years to ensure you with a new mattress should there be any problems.

Henry Carlson
Henry Carlson

Henry’s first job was in the furniture and mattress industry as a sales associate. From there, he moved up to merchandising specialist for several years and then became an assistant manager. Working in the industry gave him access to a lot of products and also helped him gain in-depth knowledge.

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