A mattress that passes a decade in age can become a vacuum of opportunity costs, eventually costing you more money than if you’d bought a new one — even if it’s an expensive model, it will still be cheap compared to most types of medical bills. Here are the kinds of health problems you’ll have if you don’t get a new mattress.

Back Pain

Old mattresses tend to lose their form or get the coils misshapen due to natural wear and tear.  You either get poked in the back with the misshapen coils or you don’t get the support that you need when you sleep. Your shoulder and hips end up hurting if not supported well. A new mattress will help with your pressure points and provide your back and neck with the support. Getting a new mattress means less pain on pressure point areas, less trips to the doctor, avoiding physical therapy, and less pain killers to pay for when the hip starts hurting.

Insomnia

Some health problems make it difficult to fall asleep — whether it’s joint pain, allergies, or a weakened immune system keeping you awake, losing sleep will make any of them feel worse. And if you combine that with not getting enough rest, you’ll have difficulty concentrating at work and that in turn will interfere with your productdivity. This can turn into a vicious cycle. And if it eventually costs you your job, that mattress has suddenly gotten really expensive.

Weakened Immune System

An old mattress can wreak havoc on your immune system if you’re unable to get enough sleep at night because of discomfort. Or you might develop allergies to dust mites — also known as bed bugs – from overexposure to them. Added strains on your immune system can make you get sick more often.

Weight Gain

Sleep deprivation is associated with weight gain, which in turn can cause additional health problems. Weight gain might also force you to have to buy larger-sized clothes when you’re already having to spend more on medical bills.

Just Get That New Mattress Already

These are just a few problems with an old mattress. When you invest in a new one, you end up saving money.

Hit a bedding store and try out the different kinds of mattresses available. There are innerspring or coil mattresses, latex, memory foam, and hybrids. Each has its good points and others have their not so savory characteristics. Consider replacing your mattress to a type or brand that has been proven to reduce the amount of dust mites you will come in contact with.

There are firm mattresses, soft mattresses, and those that you’ll decide to be just right. But only you can tell what that feels like.

Readers, when was the last time you bought a new mattress?