Pillow top mattresses tend to sag or compress over time, shortening their lifespan significantly if used by heavier individuals. This is particularly evident if heavier people occupy them regularly.
There are ways to extend the life of a pillow top mattress, including proper maintenance, rotating and avoiding body impressions. Furthermore, materials used can influence its durability.
Materials
Pillow top mattresses feature an additional layer of padding sewn directly to their surface. This may consist of memory foam, polyurethane foam, latex, wool or fiberfill that adds comfort. Pillow-top sections may contain one to four layers and generally range between two and four inches thick; their underlying support sections may consist of innerspring coils, foam or pocket springs – although innerspring mattress bases tend to have an unsettling bounce that some sleepers find uncomfortable.
Pillow top mattresses do come with firmer bases, however due to the bounciness of coils they wear out faster. Heavier people will also have difficulty using pillow top beds due to excess cushioning leading to sagging; for this reason they generally require firmer mattresses in order to keep their spine aligned throughout the night.
Foam and pocket spring mattresses tend to outlive innerspring mattress base materials; however, even high-quality foam will eventually wear down over time. If you are light sleeper or share a bed with another, an innerspring mattress with solid support and motion isolation might provide better targeted support and motion isolation. Regardless of which material your mattress is constructed of, follow its manufacturer’s care instructions closely in order to extend its lifespan; rotating regularly can help spread upholstery evenly while minimising body impressions.
Construction
Most pillow top mattresses feature an innerspring base, while their nonremovable pillow top adds soft padding that conforms to your body. Furthermore, cushioning helps reduce motion transfer so sleeping partners are less likely to disturb each other.
Pillow tops come in many varieties of materials, from synthetic foam and compact pads to natural fillings such as wool, silk and horsehair. Organic materials provide a softer sleeping surface and may be preferable for people allergic to synthetic ones; however, such options tend to be less durable over time and can even develop permanent body indentations over time.
Heavier individuals may find a pillow-top mattress too soft and may allow their weight to sink too deeply into it, causing improper spinal alignment. For a firmer feel, an all-foam or hybrid mattress would be more appropriate.
Pillow-top mattresses tend to be single-sided, meaning all the wear and tear occurs on one side only. A poorly constructed pillow-top mattress could lose loft or compress around its edge prematurely, leading to premature sagging and significantly decreasing sleep surface area and impacting support; additionally, its layer may trap heat that may become an issue for those who tend to overheat while sleeping.
Sleeping Positions
Pillow top mattresses provide back and side sleepers with plush cushioning that cradles them while aligning their spine and relieving pressure points, providing additional support that may make these an excellent choice compared to firmer options. But those living with chronic pain conditions that necessitate deep cradling may need different mattress choices; pillow-top may not always be appropriate.
Pillow-top mattresses typically have shorter lifespans than other mattress types, with one-sided pillow tops experiencing particularly rapid wear and tear on one side of the mattress. Furthermore, Euro-tops may provide greater edge support that may prevent compression at their edges compared to pillow tops.
Material used in pillow-top mattresses also affect their longevity, with conventional polyfoam lasting significantly less time than memory foam or latex mattresses and not providing as much support for heavier people; furthermore, sharing beds may decrease its lifespan significantly.
Pillow-top mattress longevity depends heavily on its bed base or frame of choice. An incompatible bed base could alter how it performs and invalidate its warranty; additionally, this could result in early sagging of its pillow-top section reducing initial comfort levels.
Maintenance
A pillow top mattress’s lifespan depends heavily on its materials used in its comfort layer and support layers, such as memory foam or latex; high-density memory foam and latex typically outlive conventional polyfoam or low-quality innerspring which degrades more rapidly. Firmness level also plays a key role: too plush may not offer enough support for heavier sleepers while too hard can feel like sleeping on a rock!
Pillow-top mattresses require special care in order to extend their lifespan. Due to being constructed with extra padding sewn onto an innerspring mattress, their fibers may quickly compress under body indentations, leading to permanent body indentation marks in no time at all. Luckily, there are ways you can alleviate this problem and extend its life expectancy.
Similarly, if your pillow-top mattress is sagging, it may be time for a new box spring or frame. A new one can redistribute cushy fillings more evenly across its surface area and help combat sagging. Furthermore, to prolong mattress lifespan and ensure longevity you may need to regularly beat or beat-out it by rolling over and under its edges, squeezing it several places, and moving the head of mattress towards its foot.
Your pillow-top mattress should also be rotated periodically to prevent uneven wear that could result in dips and sags over time. Flipping your mattress every now and again may also be beneficial, even if yours only features one side with pillow top features.
