Should You Flip or Rotate Your Mattress?

From SleepFoundation.Org   For decades, the common advice in the mattress industry was to rotate and flip your mattress regularly to help extend its lifespan and improve comfort. However, changes to the design of modern mattresses mean that this advice is no longer necessarily true. In the 21st century, should you flip or rotate your mattress?

The answer depends on the design of your specific mattress. Generally speaking, most mattresses should be rotated regularly, but should not be flipped. We’ll break down the basic guidelines for flipping or rotating mattresses, and explain how regular rotation or flipping can help extend the lifespan of your mattress.

Should You Flip Your Mattress?

Most mattresses should not be flipped. Unless the manufacturer specifically recommends otherwise, you should not flip your mattress.

The majority of modern mattresses are designed to be one-sided, meaning that their design is not conducive to flipping. The basic construction of most modern mattresses is as follows:

• At the bottom of the mattress, a thick, relatively firm support layer typically made of desne foam and/or metal springs makes up the “support core”
• On the upper level of the mattress, one or more layers of foam or other materials, covering various densities and firmness levels, make up the “comfort system”
• Topping the mattress is its cover, along with any sewn-in foams or other materials

This design works well to support the sleeper. The relatively cushy comfort system on top provides good contouring and comfort, while the denser underlying support core helps keep the body supported and the spine properly aligned throughout the night.

However, if you flip this design around, it simply doesn’t work as well. The support core generally feels too firm to rest on directly, and the comfort core does not provide enough support to keep the mattress in its proper shape.

If you flip a mattress that’s not designed to be flipped, you’ll end up with a less comfortable and less supportive bed. It will also cause the mattress to wear out quicker, and will likely lead to aches and pains for the sleepers.

With that said, there is an exception: Some mattresses are designed to be flippable.

Flippable beds feature designs that are double-sided. In some cases, they offer two distinct firmness levels. For example, a flippable all-foam mattress may feature one side with a 4 out of 10 firmness rating, with the other side offering a 6 out of 10 firmness rating. Other flippable mattresses have a single uniform firmness level, and are flippable to help extend their longevity