You should replace your mattress every 5-7 years. Even if it doesn’t show much wear and tear, your body, sleep and lifestyle needs have probably changed. If your mattress is 5-7 years older, so are you! Has your weight changed, have you gotten married, developed back problems, or do you have a less active lifestyle? That old mattress may no longer be the best fit for the person you are today.

A conventional innerspring mattress is the most common choice and often the least expensive. Memory foam, which was developed to protect astronauts against g-forces, is heat-sensitive and conforms to your body runs a little more. Not all memory foam feels the same, and it can take time to get used to and can run much more.

Don’t rely on names. One company’s ultraplush might be another’s supersoft. Orthopedists once recommended sleeping on an extremely firm mattress, but there’s little evidence to support that view. The best surface is purely subjective, says a spokesman for the Stanford University Center for Human Sleep Research.

A study published in 2003 in the British medical journal Lancet suggested that people who suffer from lower back pain would benefit from a medium-firm mattress. That made sense to several experts we interviewed. If a mattress is too firm, it won’t support the body evenly and may cause discomfort at the heaviest points (hips and shoulders). If it’s too soft, a sleeper could sink into the surface and have a hard time moving, which could cause tingling, numbness, or aches.

Alan Hedge, Ph.D., professor of ergonomics at Cornell University, noted that the best mattress supports the spine at all points while allowing it to maintain its natural curve. By age 40, Hedge said, skin loses elasticity and becomes more sensitive to pressure points, so a softer, more cushiony surface is more comfortable. “Slightly softer works better because there’s less compression on the skin,” he said.

Don’t be embarrassed to lie down on lots of mattresses in the store. Salespeople expect it. Wear loose clothes and shoes that you can slip off. Spend at least five minutes on each side and on your back (your stomach, too, if that’s a preferred sleeping position). Panelists who took beds home for a month-long trial rarely changed the opinion they formed after the first night. On the whole, their opinions were the same as those of our in-store testers, about 75 percent of whom told us, in a recent subscriber survey, that trying out the mattress beforehand helped them sleep better.

In case you have to file a warranty claim, you’ll need that do-not-remove-under-penalty-of-law label that’s sewn onto the mattress. (If the tag isn’t there, don’t buy the mattress.) While the stern warning is aimed at retailers and manufacturers, not consumers, removing the tag could come back to haunt you if you can’t resolve a warranty problem with the retailer and you need to plead your case to the manufacturer. The tags are important because they contain identifying information, a description of the filling (for example, polyester, goose down, feathers, or cotton) and the percentage of each, whether–and how much of–the materials are new or used, and details about flame retardancy. Other labeling requirements include country of origin (for example, “Made in the U.S.A. of imported materials” or “Shell made in China, filled and finished in the U.S.A.”), and the name of the manufacturer, importer, distributor, or vendor. We checked the policies of three of the largest mattress makers, and all agreed that you must have the tag in order to have your claim processed.

Most warranties cover manufacturing defects in our mattress or foundation. Replacement of one piece does not automatically constitute replacement of the other piece. Our limited warranty is provided to the original purchaser. Trade labels and law labels must be intact to identify the product and validate our warranty. Copy of original bill of sale is needed to determine the original date of purchase. The manufacture reserves the right to substitute materials of equal quality in making the repair or replacement. There is not a guarantee that the product you receive will have the same fabric cover or construction as your current mattress or box spring, especially if the replacement is being made several years after the original purchase. (There is no guarantee the replacement product will “match” the original if you purchased a set).

Make a copy of your proof of purchase (store invoice).

Our warranty does not apply to:

• Normal body impressions – Slight body impressions are to be expected with today’s bedding. Most models have various layers of foam and fiber that are expected to compact. Currently we use the following as a guideline.
  - Up to and including 1 ½” as normal compaction for tight top, plush, and pillow top models.
  - No compaction should occur in the foundation.
• Firmness preference of the product.
• Merchandise sold “as-is”, “distressed”, or “floor model/sample”.
• Handles (mattress handles are not designed to support the full weight of the mattress and not all Simmons® products have handles).
• Product that is shipped outside the 50 United States
• Single-sided mattresses not used with a foundation designed for use with the single-sided mattress.

Warranty does not apply if the mattress or foundation is subjected to obvious abuse or improper care/maintenance such as, but not limited to:

• Stains or soilage
• Burns
• Inadequate support from weak or improper foundation (proper performance of the Simmons® single-sided mattress depends on using a firm, supportive, rigid, non-yielding foundation)
• Improper frame (full extra long, queen, and king sizes must have a sufficient center support)
• Upholstery compaction due to insufficient turning (on two-sided models)
• Bent border wires
• Bed Bugs
• Smoke or food Smells

All mattresses manufactured in the U.S. are hand-assembled, resulting in no two mattresses being completely identical. There are unique characteristics to each mattress, which include but are not limited to: skipped threads, fabric scuffs, contoured seams, etc. These production characteristics in no way affect the manufacturer’s warranty or the physical performance of the mattress.

We strongly recommend the use of a mattress pad or encasement for all new mattresses to protect the surface fabric from damage, spills, and/or stains, as these will invalidate the manufacturer’s warranty.

Give it some time
It often takes up to 4 to 8 weeks for our bodies to adjust to the improved support of a new mattress. Remember, you may have been sleeping on a mattress that was gradually breaking down for years.

Body Impressions Normal Body Impressions are up to and include 1 1/2″. New padding layers begin to form to your body immediately. You can expect body impressions to form as a result. This is normal and does not reflect a defective mattress. Body impressions can be reduced, but not eliminated by following a monthly rotation schedule.

Provide Proper Mattress Support
A new mattress needs a strong foundation beneath it. If you did not purchase a foundation (box spring) please be advised that improper support for your new mattress will eventually cause it to sag and may invalidate your warranty. King and queen mattress sets also require a frame with middle support.

Taller and Thicker Mattreses
Today’s mattresses are built much thicker than in years past. Your new mattress set will likely be higher off the ground than your previous set and your existing sheets may not fit as well. To solve these challenges, you may need deep pocket sheets that are designed for thicker mattresses. Many headboards/footboards are height adjustable and you may wish to adjust them to accommodate the thickness of your new mattress.

New Mattress Scent
New product odors are common. Our mattresses are made and packaged in a sealed plastic bag immediately after production. When the sealed plastic bag is first opened you may notice a scent that comes from the new materials and foams. While some people find the scent unpleasant, it is not harmful and should dissipate within a few days. To help speed up the process you can air out your mattress prior to putting on your sheets.