If you have been suffering a sagging mattress, then back pain, sore muscles and bad sleeps are no longer a surprise. Aging and your body are not the problem here, but the mattress that is supposed to support you is the issue you need to fix. You need to fix the sagging mattress!
A sagging mattress is the mattress that has an uneven surface and doesn’t support the body equally. A saggy mattress becomes soft due to the disintegration of the mattress cells in case you have conventional mattress or it may become uneven because of the pressed springs if you have a spring mattress.
A lumpy, saggy and depressed mattress can be a lot of trouble because your body will not have the even surface that is necessary to retain your body posture. This may cause unnecessary pressures on your muscles and joints and will not let you sleep calm.
So, you must have interpreted how harmful is to have a sagging mattress and why you should either replace it or fix it to make sure you will be able to avoid sleeplessness and bodily pains.
However, it’s not always possible to just buy a new mattress, especially when you have invested a large amount of money in hope for comfort and relaxation. Fret not! This article will discuss on cause of mattress sagging as well as its effects and share with you 5 simple and inexpensive tips to fix a sagging mattress.
Why Does a Mattress Sag?
Nothing lasts forever. We all should expect the down of each equipment when they have been with us for a long time and mattresses aren’t an exception. The bouncy feel and the support in a mattress come from the box springs of which coil tension decreases with time, along with the materials for comfort sinking deeper into the hard layers underneath. Unfortunately, once the tension is gone, the springs are warped and this cycle is not reversible.
You might notice the signals in a mattress just like ones that appear when a car needs its oil or tires changed. The surface of the mattress will sink where the weight usually impacts, namely head or hips, or you can even feel the lumpy areas with your own hands. If it’s is no longer smooth and even with these ‘rises and falls’, you’re bound to deal with discomfort during sleep and it will become simply unbearable at some point.
The Consequences a Sagging Mattress Might Bring
Minor sagging isn’t a severe problem, but major sagging can initiate some negative effects:
- It will worsen the pain in your joints and muscles.
- Risks of annoying noises as springs deteriorate and squeak.
- Hot when sleeping upon, since it blocks the flow of air through coil layers.
There unfortunately are also more serious problems you should be aware of. Many sleepers who tolerated a sagging mattress for too long end up with insomnia as well as apnea symptoms – temporary loss of breath during sleep – due to the position of your head and neck. A bad mattress is also the main reason for subluxations – the misalignment of the spine. If you don’t want to spend time and money on fixing sagging mattress, therapies and even surgeries will cost so much more. You should always make sure your bed is fine to fall asleep easier, sleep better and get more benefits of sleeping early.
Top 6 Ways to Fix a Sagging Mattress
Let’s establish that there’s no way to get rid of the sag completely, but with these easy tips, you might have some more time with acceptable comfort.
#Buy a mattress topper to renew your mattress
If your mattress is already old (average mattress lifespan is around 10 years), then the best and easiest way to improve your sleep without buying a new mattress is to use a mattress topper.
Mattress topper is an additional layer of cushioning used for improving the comfort of the mattress. The most common types of toppers are memory foam, latex, wool and feather. Thick toppers might fill up the sag gaps and smoothen the uneven surface.
Consider a memory foam topper which is the most popular and affordable type. It will make up for any minor lumpiness or sinking beneath. Feels as luxurious and costs a fraction of a whole purchase, quick and easy to find – it’s undoubtedly the second best option for you.
Read more: The 8 Best Mattress Toppers in 2023
However, if your mattress is not too old and not too sagging, please follow the tips below. Here we will be discussing about the most popular and proven tips to fix your sagging mattress to make sure you can sleep easy even if you have an old mattress.
#Rotate and flip it on a regular basis
You only need to flip the mattress to have the underside up (if it’s flippable) or rotate it 180 degrees and switch the position of the head and the feet areas. Once per half a year will be enough. Even if the sagging progress hasn’t occurred, this will maintain the shape of the mattress and even turn a too-firm mattress somewhat softer.
#Find a new foundation for the sagging mattress
The larger the size of your mattress is, the more of legs required in order to support the weight pressing down on them, thus, foundations are most likely to be blamed for sagging. If the gap between each pair of slats is wider than 3 inches, it can also cause partial sagging.
Foundations also go downhill over time, so excessively aged foundations will possibly lead to sagging. Utilize the mattress warranties and check on the guideline before making your purchase.
#Putting pillows beneath the sagging areas
If you have a mattress having depressed areas in the middle of it, just pick some soft fiber filled pillows, small sized pillow can do the best as they can be placed in the specific place. Just put the pillows beneath the area and you will be able to sleep easy on an even surface.
#Use plywood to support the mattress
This low-cost method is specifically for sleepers with slatted bases. Measure the size of foundation and mattress first and cut a thin sheet of plywood according to the result you have had. Put it on the foundation and adjust it to cover up all slats. If positioned right, it will fix the sagging caused by slats with gaps.
Plywood won’t completely fix the sagging — nothing will, we have agreed on it. On the other hand, plywood reduces the airflow at the bottom of your bed and heats the surface remarkably, sleeper will feel hot and mold or mildew will amass. But it’s a decent temporary solution.
#Fix your sagging spring mattress/box spring mattress
A spring mattress can be made of springs installed in a closed mattress or it can be a box mattress having springs encased in boxes that can be replaced easily. The support of a mattress comes from the springs, so you might want to search for the warped springs and replace them. They are available in various sizes and types, so choose the ones that best fit your mattress.
You can also replace the slats underneath the mattress to support the mattress appropriately. Sometimes wooden slats and frame may cause slight depression in the middle and it may result into the uneven surface of your mattress. You can easily fix it by installing new metal slats that would give a smooth surface.
Read more:
3 Things You Should Do to Maintain Memory Foam Mattress
How to Clean Memory Foam Mattress
In conclusion
After hours at work and school, the last thing you would like to have is a lumpy, depressed surface to rest upon. You deserve the comfort you have earned, and we hope to be helpful enough. Nonetheless, if you want to maintain something in good conditions, you should take care of it since the beginning: keep your mattress clean, rotate it to regain the good form, avoid direct sunlight and frequent washing.
Finally, we hope that follow one of our 6 simple ways to fix a sagging mattress in the article will help you fix your mattress. If you have any question, feel free to leave a comment below.
Thank you so much for your kind mentioning of my Mattress Helper! Wishing you health and happiness.
You’re welcome! Thank you for your wish!
Hi , i wonder could you advise me.We bought a £1500+ mattress box spring bed with mix springs memory foam and inner foam.Within 5 months we started having problems with sensation of me the lightest sleeper sliding off the bed.We looked at our mattress and there is a visible difference in the surface on my side 2.5 centimetres .there is also a perceivable mound effect in the middle of my side of the mattress.Im having to lie on the mound to feel like im not sliding out of bed.Its so uncomfortable .no matter how i sleep i end up clinging to the very edge of the bed when i awake.kiterally the very edge.We asked the shop to look into this …they acknowledged the height difference and mound effect to right of my side i sleep left side.Now they are saying this is normal nothing wrong with the bed! Is this correct in a 6 mnth old mattress ? I feel we are being lied too.Any general guidance on expected wear and tear would be great .
Thankyou
Sharon.
Hi Sharon,
No new matress should have a lump or a height difference. Please call them and explain that if they don’t replace the defective matress you will give them bad reviews and include pictures of the bed in the reviews. You can also call the manufacturer and complain of defects. It may be that the store purchased them knowing the matresses were defective.
Good luck!
Try pieces of carpet remnants laid on the box spring in the location & inverted shape of the sag. The backing will help to keep the repair in place.
The carpet strands add cushioning. You’ll never know it was there except for the sagging has disappeared
Thanks Rick for sharing your idea with us.
Thanks Rick! That sounds like a good idea. I have a problem where I roll to the middle. Pillows sound like it would be lumpier. Carpet remnants sound like a plan to try. The 4 inch memory foam I added helped a little but still sags in the middle..
I gave a firm pillow top queen mattress that I sleep alone on…I have arthritis in my lower back…my mattress dips in the middle now…should I try the pillows under mattress where it dips or buy a thick form topper and a ply board between mattress and topper? Help please!
I think you can try with your pillow for a few days to see if it works, you have nothing to lose here =)) If it can’t help then you can think about other solutions or buying a topper which is probably the better solution in the long run.
I have quality fiber topper for sagging mattress. The topper visiblly just sinks right into the original sag. Mattress has been this way before it was 2yrs old bought for me by my daughter & hubby from Mattress Firm on sale for $799+tax. It just made 3yrs. I’ve talked to Mgr. to replaceno success. I think my kids just don’t believe it or too busy. I’ll reach out to corporate. Im starting to hurt from it. Any help advice will be appreciated. Thx.
My son in law set up my bed on a metal frame. After about a month and a half having many sleepless nights and back aches like crazy I told him it felt like there was no support with the frame and the bed was sagging.
Sure enough there was no support in the middle of the frame. Now the one side of my bed sags giving me the worst night sleep – painful back etc.
How can I fix this
I bought a new ‘Orthopaedic’ mattress on 4th July. It wasn’t expensive but on 12th July it began to sag, not in the middle, on the edge. I can feel a metal frame underneath when I sit down which is causing me pain as I have Fibromyalgia and Osteoarthritis amongst other disabilities. I have been in touch with the company that supplied this substandard mattress and have asked them to replace it but they don’t answer my messages. As I can’t afford another mattress can you tell me how to prevent the mattress from sagging at the edges please?
Hi Christine Halliwell,
I don’t know exactly about your mattress problem (how thick it is, how bad/big/deep is the sagging,…) so I cannot give a specific advice. You SHOULD try to contact the mattress store and ask for a replace. Or you can use a mattress topper if the sagging isn’t deep (this is the best way to improve your mattress comfort if the sagging is not deep).
I spent two grand on a Stern’s and Foster mattress 7 months ago and it is sagging in the middle and causing me backaches every morning. S&F has always been the best you can buy. So frustrated but I know they won’t replace. I want a prorated credit and get something else
a way forward could be via your credit card company if you paid for it by credit card – under section 75. they will open a case against the firm as the mattress is unsatisfactory. Good luck!
The pillows underneath a “non-flip” mattress worked!
So I got a new mattress and my husband wants to put it on top of the old mattress.. the old mattress is saggy will that affect the new mattress. Should I just make him get rid of the old mattress??
Perfect! My wife was complaining about the dip in her side of the mattress for a while. We tried several pillows around the house till we found the right size and location
The idea was one of those palm to the forehead ideas but I’m so glad I found your article.
I am glad that you talked about mattresses sagging. My mattress is starting to do that. It is good to know that minor issues can be fixed with a mattress pad. I will have to give that a try and see if it works.
Wow, I can’t believe it, but the pillow trick worked perfectly with our tempurpedic mattress. We used cheapo $10 body pillows we found at target on a back to school sale. Our mattress feels like new. Thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m happy to hear that.
I am fat. I have fibromyalgia as well. I was given a plush mattress for Xmas two years ago along with a twin platform- style daybed frame. For the last 10 months I have battled this bed and mattress to no avail. I have flipped it several times but it still sinks in the middle. It also doesn’t really fit well on the bed’s platform, so I have have almost fallen out of the bed many times when turning because the mattress actually slants on one side as if I’m trying to sleep on the side of a hill! I am on an extremely tight budget and can’t afford a new mattress right now. I can get a topper though, but I wonder if there are toppers better for heavier people?
If you’re heavy, you just need to choose a thick and high destiny topper. And you should choose a firm or medium-firm topper to support your mattress. Take a look at this article to find a good topper: https://www.gruitday.com/best-memory-foam-mattress-topper-reviews.html
Mattresses today are poorly made, so you can buy an expensive mattress and have it fail in two months. Check online as to how to take apart the top of the mattress (I’ve seen mostly pillow tops at YouTube), throw out the cheap layers of foam (YES, cheap foam), and replace it with a sturdier foam, such as three inches of organic latex or if you prefer, memory foam. You then cover it all back up with a zipper mattress encasement (also found online) and your bed is better than when you bought it.
If you simply buy a cheap topper or use the under the mattress pillow trick, they both will eventually mold to your sagging areas on the mattress. In the case of the pillow trick, it won’t take too long for the pillows to flatten out and you’re back where you started.
If you don’t want to take apart your mattress, you can try to buy at least a 3″ organic latex mattress topper which can “make over” a mattress and be less likely to sink into the sag, or so I’ve read. Any latex less than 3″ will not work but it can make a firm mattress softer.
Just a few tips from my research online – and I’ve done a LOT of research.
Good day,please I have a sagged mattress and I would love to fix it back in good shape,would love to know if its can be fixed?
Hi Olawale,
You can follow our tips in the article.
i have a pillow top mattress that’s two months old. its already sinking in on the sides with a hump in middle every thing is new,frame, is level and box springs are new. i sit heavy items in middle during the day but this is not working is there any i can do?