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Feel like your mattress needs a fix? That fix could actually mean getting a brand-new mattress. But in some cases, you can get by with a solution much cheaper than that. I’ll get into all the details of when and why it’s better to try to fix the mattress with a topper and when you should perhaps look for a new mattress.
Mattress Topper vs. New Mattress: Which Should You Choose?
Get a mattress topper if:
- Your mattress is too firm
- You’re on a budget
- Your mattress is relatively new
- Your mattress is too hot
Get a new mattress if:
- You have a sagging mattress
- Your mattress is too old
- You have an allergic reaction to your mattress
- Your mattress is too soft
Luckily for you, there are some fairly clear guidelines that can help you decide between a mattress topper and a new mattress.
The last thing you want is to spend a few hundred dollars on a topper only to realize that it hasn’t helped at all, you’re still waking up in pain, and now you have to spend even more money on a whole new mattress.
I have to make two points here: the first one is that a good fluffy topper made of natural materials should increase the airflow and make a barrier between your body and the mattress just enough to prevent you from sleeping hot.
That’s why I recommend getting a topper if your mattress sleeps hot. Many sources I came across online recommend getting a new mattress, but I think that’s not necessary unless you’re an insanely hot sleeper. Also, memory foam toppers won’t help here and neither will gel-infused toppers. Go for feathers, cotton, or wool.
The second point is that I recommend getting a new mattress if yours is too soft, rather than buying a firm topper.
Again, some sources may recommend otherwise, but my logic behind this is that mattresses should be firmer on the bottom and softer on the very top not just for comfort, but because that’s how they give you proper support. In a situation where you have a too-soft mattress and a very firm topper, you could easily be ridding yourself of the pressure relief while still sinking in the mattress together with the topper.
So you basically end up with poor support and increased pressure points. Not to mention the horrible motion isolation with this setup.
On the other hand, if the mattress is not that soft and you only need a minor tweak, a firmer topper could actually do the job.
When to Get a New Mattress Topper
Mattress toppers are two to four-inch thick “layers” filled with foam or wool, among other materials, that you put on top of your mattress to make it comfier.
I highly recommend checking out our guide on mattress toppers in case you feel like you could use more info on this type of sleep product. It explains everything you need to know about toppers.
Bear in mind that the topper lifespan is anywhere from 3 to 8 years, depending on the materials. This can be helpful when you factor in how long you can use the topper before having to replace it. The low-quality cheap ones rarely get to see three years of consistent use.
Mattress toppers definitely come with a number of benefits, whether you decide to buy one or make a DIY mattress topper.
Mattress is too firm
This should be an obvious one.
If your mattress is too firm for you and it’s giving you pain in areas that press into the mattress the most, you simply need a softer top. Any type of topper can help with firmness issues, as long as the topper itself isn’t too firm because you want to make the mattress softer.
If you’re on the heavy side or a side sleeper, get a thicker topper because you need to relieve the excessive pressure you’re getting on the mattress. Dormeo mattress toppers are quite chunky and soft.
Minor issues in the firmness level can be tweaked with a thinner topper. Those can still make your bed softer and even prolong the mattress life of your firm mattress.
Low budget
In case you’re struggling to collect enough money for a whole mattress, you can try to fix it temporarily with a topper. Toppers cost much less than mattresses but bear in mind that a lot of them aren’t really cheap.
I’d definitely recommend resorting to DIY if you really need to improve your sleeping situation and really don’t have any cash. This is because toppers tend to cost $100-200. I mean, the nicer ones. You can also find a mattress topper for up to $50. Maybe those cheap ones are a good choice because when you put a more expensive topper on an old mattress, you’re likely to ruin the topper sooner.
Also, no topper is going to make an old, lumpy, and sagging mattress feel like new, so you might as well keep your expenses as low as possible while you get your finances ready for a new mattress.
Mattress is relatively new
Brand new and relatively new mattresses (up to about four years) are a good base for toppers. They are usually not structurally damaged, so once you place a mattress topper on them, you’ll feel the real effect and change a topper makes.
You can use the topper to make the mattress a bit softer, a bit firmer, or a bit cooler to sleep on.
The extra benefits of a good mattress topper are:
- your mattress is going to last longer, and
- your mattress is going to stay clean for a much longer time.
Mattress is too hot
Mattresses are “hot” when they accumulate your body heat because there’s no air circulation to help dissipate all the warmth. The heat then comes back at your body, amplifying the effect and making you sweat or even wake up from all the elevated temperature.
This usually happens with artificial foam materials, especially memory foam. Traditional memory foam is the worst for hot sleepers. Yes, memory foam toppers can cause overheating, so you don’t get them when you sleep hot.
Aim for a fluffy topper made of feathers, wool, or cotton. It needs to be airy inside in order to cool you down.
When to Get a New Mattress
Let me tell you straight up – mattress shopping is a pain. You first need to give up your old mattress which was perfect for you for years, and then choose a mattress that’s going to replace it. But you also have to opt for either a bed-in-a-box or a traditional mattress.
Too many decisions, too little time or money. Still, if the time has come, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.
Old mattresses, sagging mattresses, and mattresses that smell so bad that they’re giving you an allergic reaction are supposed to go. You can either check out our guide on choosing the right mattress or take the long route and individually research mattress types, mattress sizes, and mattress firmness.
Sagging mattress
Unfortunately, your mattress doesn’t have to be old to start sagging. It might just be made of bad materials.
A low-quality mattress can let you down after a few months or a couple of years. Both of those time frames are extremely short since those are practically new mattresses. So, you definitely want a mattress that won’t sag.
Most of the time, mattresses sag in the middle as a result of years of use and sleeping in the same spot. A mattress topper cannot help here. Since your existing mattress has a huge indentation, the topper would just follow the shape of the mattress.
If you already have a memory foam topper at home, you could put it on top of your current mattress; not as a long-term solution (it will not add a few more years to your mattress), but only as a way to get some good night’s sleep before you buy a new mattress.
Mattress is too old
If your current mattress is over 10 years old and on top of that you have a number of problems with it, you should get a new one. It might be lumpy, saggy, smelly, dirty, giving you back and neck pain… Whatever the case, at some point it stops making sense to try to make it work.
But, since I love DIY-ers, I’ll just say that you could open it up, assess the damage, and if it’s possible, replace the layers on top. This could work out really well, but only if you have one of the mattresses without fiberglass.
As for everyone else, ditch the uncomfortable mattress and get a new one.
You have an allergic reaction to your mattress
Have you ever heard them say that a mattress doubles its weight after 10 years of use because of how much dust, dead skin cells, body oils, and dust mites accumulate inside? If you believed it, you’re probably really bad at math.
Jokes aside, the bad smell of old mattresses really does come from the things I mentioned above. They do accumulate inside the mattress and once there’s too much, you might get an itchy nose, red eyes, sore throat, sneeze often, or even get a skin condition.
You don’t have to have actual allergies like those people who need to constantly make sure that they don’t get in contact with the allergen. You can be perfectly healthy otherwise and not even be sensitive to dust and dirt in general. It’s normal for the body to have a reaction when the amount of various particles in the air becomes too high.
Other than that, you might get an allergic reaction as a result of mattress materials. Off-gassing releases lots of chemicals into the air and it affects sensitive people.
The worst thing that can happen is a fiberglass leak which also causes itching, sneezing, wheezing, etc. There’s a lot you should know about toxic stuff in mattresses.
Mattress is too soft
As I explained at the beginning, a mattress that’s way too soft for you is better replaced. If your hips sink in too deep and you feel like you’re not getting proper support, you won’t fix it with a firm topper. At least not enough to be able to get a good night’s rest.
The firm topper is going to make you feel like you’re lying on a board on top of a huge slab of jelly. And this jelly could still be sinking in under your weight. Worst case scenario, the topper turns out to be too firm and you end up with sore shoulders and hips while not getting proper support.
You can fix your problem with a firmer topper only if the mattress is on the soft side, but not too soft.
FAQs
It depends on what the exact problem is and what kind of help you need. If you had a traffic accident, your issue might have a solution unique to you, so you should experiment with every trick in the book until you find relief. As for other people, if the pain is coming from a firm mattress, you should try with a soft topper which would provide extra pressure relief. If the problem is a mattress so soft that you’re not getting any support, you should probably switch mattresses.
Depending on the materials and quality, mattress toppers may last from about 3 years up to around 8 years. You should replace yours once you notice it’s lost the support or got damaged beyond repair. You should first try cleaning the mattress topper if the main problems are stains and a bad smell.
Conclusion
A mattress topper can address problems of relatively new mattresses, especially if they’re too firm or too hot.
People who are on a budget could seek help from a topper, but it doesn’t tend to be a long-term solution for older mattresses.
You should opt for a new mattress in case yours is too old, sagging, or too soft. Another reason to get a new mattress is if you’re getting allergic reactions to dirt or materials inside the mattress.
Next step: Learn about the best queen-size mattress toppers. If you have a queen mattress, then any topper on this list will be a great choice for you. We give honest feedback on each brand so you can decide for yourself which one is best for your mattress.
With over 5 years experience writing about sleep and mattresses, she's considered one of the go-to experts on the topic.
She likes cycling, nature, art, and languages. She pays special attention to providing you with accurate and useful information when it comes to your sleep quality.
After solving her personal sleep and tiredness problems, she is on to help others by sharing this invaluable information.
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