This Is How Often You Should Flip Or Rotate Your Mattress, According To Experts

You should flip or rotate your mattress every six months, here’s why.

Flipping mattresses is one of those chores that is very far down on the to-do list right next to rotating the tires and emptying the garage. Unfortunately, if you want to keep your innerspring mattress in good shape—and not sleep in a person-shaped dent—you may need to flip or rotate it occasionally. That’s because sleeping in the same spot each night can wear down coils and make the dents permanent. Flipping or rotating a mattress can help prevent that and make your mattress last longer. 

To find out how often a responsible mattress owner needs to flip or rotate their mattress, we reached out to two experts: Carly Lycke, Mattress Firm’s Manager of Product Development and Sourcing, and Jack Dell’Accio, founder of Essentia Organic Mattress and a certified sleep coach with Hippocrates Health Institute.  

Meet The Expert

• Carly Lycke is the Manager of Product Development and Sourcing at Mattress Firm.

• Jack Dell’Accio is the founder of Essentia Organic Mattress and a certified sleep coach with Hippocrates Health Institute.

Should You Flip Your Mattress?

Before you start rolling up your sleeves and pulling off the sheets, think back to when you purchased your mattress. The age of the mattress and what it’s made from can offer hints as to whether you really need to strain your arm and back muscles with this chore. If you inherited a mattress from your Memaw, be prepared to flip it, as older mattresses tend to require it to remain comfortable. However, if you have purchased a new mattress in the last ten years or so, you may be in luck. “Most modern mattresses are designed to be one-sided and shouldn't be flipped,” says Dell’Accio. 

Many mattresses are no longer made with the traditionally temperamental coils that were the main reason for all that mattress flipping. These days mattresses come with pillow tops, memory foam, latex, inner coils, or hybrids that are a combination of elements and are designed with comfort in mind and should not be flipped. Flipping a pillowtop mattress over isn’t going to be very comfortable to sleep on! “A true non-flip mattress should not have coils or low-density foams and quilts as they wear too quickly,” says Dell’Accio. “A proper non-flip [mattress] ideally is a latex mattress due to its high density and resiliency. They truly are built to last without the need to flip.” If your mattress is one-sided, you’re not totally off the hook, though, as most mattresses can be rotated. If you’re not sure if your mattress should be flipped, ask the manufacturer.

How Often Should You Flip Your Mattress?

"If you are using a conventional quilted coil mattress or hybrid coil mattress, it's generally recommended to flip your mattress every 3 to 6 months to help even out wear and extend its lifespan," says Dell’Accio.  That said, Lycke points out that some manufacturers have different instructions for taking care of their products, recommending flipping double-sided mattresses just once or twice per year or every 6 to 12 months. It's a good idea to check with the manufacturer of your mattress for specific suggestions.

Benefits Of Mattress Flipping

Rotating a mattress can help slow the wear and tear that comes with sleeping in the same position on your mattress every night. “Being able to flip your mattress can help with extending the comfort and support levels of the mattress and prevent sagging from sleeping in the same spot over and over,” says Lycke. So roll up your sleeves and rotate your mattress and maybe clean it while you’re there (and then rotate your tires next).

What’s The Difference Between Flipping And Rotating Your Mattress?

As discussed, only some mattresses can be flipped and the same is true for rotating. “Most mattresses can be rotated, but not all, i.e. those mattresses that have specific zoned support targeting different parts of the body; shoulders, hips, etc,” says Lycke. She suggests that before customers rotate their mattress they should check with the retailer where they purchased the mattress or check with the manufacturer. 

Benefits Of Rotating Your Mattress

“Rotating a mattress can help maintain comfort life, support and prevent sagging in spots where customers always sleep,” says Lycke. “Sagging in mattresses can begin to cause back pain and cause an overall lack of support and will just become uncomfortable to sleep.”

How To Rotate A Mattress

Rotating your mattress means picking up the mattress and turning it 180 degrees, so the area where your head was resting will now be under your feet and vice versa. Like with flipping a mattress, experts suggest rotating a mattress every 6 to 12 months. Since that’s the same schedule as what the experts recommend for flipping a mattress, you may as well do both at the same time. 

How To Flip A Mattress

Flipping a mattress means picking up the mattress and turning it over so the side that was face-up is now face-down. If you flip your mattress regularly, eventually you’ll wind up sleeping on both sides. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it better to flip or rotate a mattress?

Folks with double-sided mattresses should both rotate and flip them. Those with one-sided mattresses should only rotate.

Can all mattresses be flipped?

No, anything with a built-in topper or pillowtop should not be flipped.

How long do mattresses last?

This depends on the type of mattress you purchase, the materials it’s made from, the manufacturing design, and the foundation it rests on. Essentia has a helpful guide to the lifespan of innerspring, foam, latex, and hybrid mattresses, which have an average of around 7 to 10 years. Similarly, Mattress Firm suggests planning to replace your mattress every 8 years.

What happens if you don’t flip or rotate a mattress?

Everyday wear and tear will eventually catch up to every mattress, but rotating and flipping or just rotating can help delay the need to purchase a new one sooner than expected. If you don’t rotate or flip, mattresses can develop sagging from sleeping in the same spot over and over. That can lead to aches, pains, and restless nights along with the need to replace your mattress more frequently.

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