Turning & Rotating Your Mattress

Turning & Rotating - The Difference.

Turning is the process of flipping the mattress over, so the top side is now underneath, and what was underneath becomes the sleep surface. If you have a mattress that needs turning such as a Seasonal Turn or Dual Sided mattress, the sleep surface quality will be the same on both sides.

Rotating is when you spin the mattress, so the current head end becomes the foot end, and the foot end is then at the top. Again, the quality of the mattress composition is not affected at either end.

Why should you turn your mattress?

There are a number of benefits to regularly turning/rotating your mattress. Most people tend to sleep in the same position night after night which can lead to dips in the mattress and sagging, making the mattress uneven. Areas around the hips and shoulders are prone to premature sagging as these are the heaviest parts of the body. Rotating and turning your mattress can help prevent this – giving you better support for longer, consistent comfort and ensuring even distribution of fillings.

Regularly rotated/turned mattresses are said to outlast mattress that haven’t been rotated and turned by a year or more. However, this will depend on the type of mattress you have so be sure to always read the bed label and instructions.

Whilst rotating/turning your mattress will extend its lifespan, if you’ve had your mattress a considerable amount of time, you should be aware of the signs suggesting it may be time to replace it, which include:

• If your mattress is over 8 years old – we recommend changing your mattress due to hygiene reasons.
• If you notice you are not sleeping as well or if you wake with aches and pains.
• If you notice visible sagging or damage.
• If the mattress makes considerably more noise.

Does my mattress need turning?

Depending on the type of mattress you have will determine whether you need to turn your mattress. A lot of modern mattresses are designed to be one sided due to their construction i.e the core springs are at the bottom of the mattress and all the fillings are at the top. If you turned a one-sided mattress like this, you would end up sleeping on the core unit of springs rather than the soft fillings meaning you will be less comfortable.

To determine what kind of mattress you have you will need to look for a label indicating whether your mattress is Single Sided or Double Sided.

Exceptions can be made for mattresses that aren’t slept on every night. For example, you could rotate the mattress in your spare room every six months, if it’s just slept on occasionally by guests.

Seasonal Turn

Our Seasonal Turn mattresses have a warm/cool side icon on the mattress label. This means your mattress does need turning and rotating.

For the initial 12-week settlement period, we advise turning your mattress during week 1 then rotating your mattress 180 degrees (head end to foot end) during week 2, repeating this process for the following 12 weeks, this will aid in the settlement of the mattress. If you choose not to follow this process or are unable to, it may take longer for your mattress to settle, and you may experience body impressions in the surface of your mattress. Seasonal Turn mattresses should be left with the appropriate seasonal side as the sleeping surface. You can determine the Winter side by the label of the mattress or as indicated on the swing tag attached to the mattress.

Thereafter the 12-week settlement period, rotate the mattress 180 degrees monthly and turn it over twice a year to coincide with the winter/summer seasons. A good reminder to turn your mattress is when the clocks change in the spring and autumn.

If your Seasonal Turn mattress is dual tension and you wish to retain your normal sleeping side, turn the mattress over from head to foot regularly within the first 12 weeks and thereafter every 6 months.

Turn Free

To determine if your mattress if single sided, it will have the turn free icon on the label or alternatively, it will have a sticker on the non-sleeping surface.

To minimise the hollows in the sleeping area from filling settlement, rotate your mattress 180 degrees every week for the first 12 weeks and monthly thereafter.

Our Pillow Top models are also single sided and only require rotating regularly to avoid sagging.

For further in-depth information on turning and rotating your mattress, we recommend consulting your care guide that arrived with your mattress. If you have not received a care guide or misplaced it, you can email info@harrisonspinks.co.uk to request one.

What if one person is heavier than the other?

If you share a bed with someone who is much heavier than you, we advise rotating your mattress more regularly to ensure even distribution of the fillings and prevent sagging and dipping. Rotating your mattress more often will not damage your mattress, it will just ensure you get the most out of your mattress and ensure a longer lifespan.

In conclusion, rotating and turning your mattress is key to ensuring a comfortable night’s sleep and increasing the lifespan of your mattress.

Remember that not all mattresses need turning and to check what type of mattress you have and the specifications for your mattress.