Should You Rotate or Flip Your Mattress?

When it comes to mattress flipping (or rotating), there are two schools of thought.

Some folks believe that mattress flipping is as essential as vacuuming your mattress, while others feel it is as unnecessary as, well…… vacuuming your mattress. (For the record, we recommend vacuuming and cleaning your mattress from time to time! But that’s another story.)

Today, we’ll look at the talking points from both sides, before sharing our advice a little later in the article.

Why you should flip or rotate your mattress

First, let’s explain the difference between flipping and rotating your mattress. Flipping your mattress involves turning your mattress over, so you’re now lying on the side of the mattress that was previously directly on your bedframe.

Meanwhile, rotating your mattress means spinning it 180 degrees. After rotating, you’ll be placing your feet where your head used to be (and vice versa).

Why flip or rotate your mattress?

Because sleeping on your mattress for a long period of time will leave an imprint (or indentation) on your mattress, especially in the areas where the heaviest parts of your body (such as shoulders and buttocks) rest. All mattresses, whether they are spring, memory foam or latex will soften over time, making it more comfortable, just like a new pair of shoes adjusting to the shapes of your feet.

In order to even out the pressure areas on your mattress, mattress flipping is more effective than simply rotating your mattress 180 degrees. When a mattress is flipped regularly, the “used side” gets an opportunity to “rest and recover”. While rotating the mattress means that you’re still sleeping on the same side, just with slightly different pressure points on the mattress.

Why flipping your mattress is a bad idea

In theory, mattress flipping sounds like an excellent idea. So, why do many people disagree with the practice? It’s because of how mattresses are made. Specifically, it’s because most mattresses are simply designed to be used one way only – right side up.

For example, spring mattresses have an extra layer of padding on their “top” side. This way, you won’t feel the springs when sleeping on the mattress. Guess what happens when you flip the mattress and sleep on the other side? That’s right. Ouch.

Memory foam mattresses aren’t comfortable when flipped over either. That’s because these mattresses generally use a multi-layered design with softer foam as the top layer, supported by more durable foam below. These layers are packed together and not interchangeable. By flipping a memory foam mattress and sleeping on the other side, you negate the benefits of the foam’s layered design and end up on a surface that simply isn’t designed to be slept on.

That’s why even though mattress flipping is a better idea than mattress rotating, people are often left with only one choice (other than leaving their mattress alone and never flipping or rotating it).

Unless……

When flipping your mattress is an awesome idea

We’ve teased you long enough. In this article’s title, we hinted that you flip your mattress “only in this specific situation”. What’s this one situation? It’s if you have a mattress that’s designed to be flipped.

Check out Sofzsleep’s collection of latex mattresses, all of which are made with “flippability” in mind.

In addition to allowing you to extend the lifespan, comfort level and supportiveness of your latex mattress, most of our mattresses offer different firmness levels on each side – so you can choose to sleep with plush comfort on nights when relaxation is key, while getting more firmness on evenings where your body is asking for additional support.

The best part? Sofzsleep’s unique “layer by layer” design makes it easy to flip your mattress with minimal effort. Simply unzip the outer mattress, flip (or rotate) any of the different inner layers as you like, then zip it back up for a refreshing night’s sleep. (No more “strong arming” your mattress before bedtime!)

How often should you flip/rotate your mattress?

Now we know it’s recommended to flip (or at least, rotate) your mattress periodically, one question remains – how often should you do it? For specific answers, check the instructions that came with your mattress.

If no directions are available, we recommend rotating newer spring mattresses, as well as memory foam and latex mattresses, once or twice a year. If you own an older spring mattress, rotating it two to five times a year will be optimal.

Keep your mattress in good shape, and your body in high spirits, with a frequently flipped (or rotated) mattress that feels fresh and comfy, all year round!