5 Hacks For Fixing A Sagging Mattress

June 15, 2021 | Casper Editorial Team

A sagging mattress is about as fun as taking a nap in quicksand. And after a couple of sleepless nights, you’ll be stretching your back, wondering whether it’s time for a chiropractor visit or a new bed altogether. 

Thankfully, there’s something else you can do about that unpleasant mattress indentation. In fact, there are five things. Below, we’ll clarify why mattresses sag, along with how to fix a sagging mattress with seven tips and tricks.

Let’s fix your sinking, sagging, no-fun mattress.

Our luxurious mattresses are designed for long-lasting support. With a quality mattress built to provide ergonomic comfort, you won’t have to deal with early sinking and sagging.

But First, Why Does My Mattress Sag?

As you research how to fix a sinking mattress, you’ll notice that mattresses often sag purely from regular usage. Unfortunately, a dip in your mattress material is a standard part of its lifecycle and often a sign that it’s time to go mattress shopping.

The foam material within the mattress that helped you sleep soundly when you first bought it softens over time due to the weight of your body. The result? You’ll no longer experience even mattress support and may feel a discernible dip when you lay down, even if you try to adjust your sleeping position. You may have researched ways for how to make a mattress softer when you got your new bed, but the presence of mattress sagging was never the intention.

You’ll likely feel the uncomfortable sagging the most on your hips and back, which exert the most pressure on the mattress. Over time, the uneven mattress support will chip away at the quality of your sleep.

Before you ask, “how long does a mattress last?”, it’s important to note that not all mattresses are alike. The type of mattress affects how long it lasts before it begins to sink. Consider the primary mattress types:

  • Innerspring Mattress – Over the years, the metal coils inside innerspring mattresses lose their tension. 1Concurrently, the top comfort layer material begins to soften as well, making mattress sagging a common complaint.
  • Hybrid Mattress Like innerspring mattresses, hybrid mattresses contain the same metal coils that lose their tension eventually.1 If your hybrid mattress has high-quality foam, it might last a little longer, but the sagging will eventually appear.
  • Foam Mattress A high-quality memory foam mattress will last longer without sagging, but lower quality foam mattresses and bad bed foundations can mean premature sagging.2 

Put simply, even the best mattresses will eventually sag. The question is: is it time for a brand new one or is there something you can do to address the mattress indentation before tossing it? 

To that end, try these five tricks.

#1 Turn Your Mattress Around

Start your sagging mattress journey with an easy solution: rotate your mattress. But, how often should you rotate your mattress to maintain even weight dispersion? Every three to six months, you should rotate your mattress, switching the top and bottom of the bed. This can both prevent sagging from happening and reduce sagging that’s already occurring.

Since sagging is a result of body pressure, rotating your mattress changes the primary pressure points. Notice that we didn’t say to flip your mattress. That’s because most newer mattresses (including Casper mattresses) are one-sided and shouldn’t be flipped, given a one sided built-in comfort layer.

#2 Add More Pillows to Key Areas

If you’re wondering how to fix a dip in a mattress, another easy trick is to up your pillow game. Add pillows where your mattress sags and underneath:

  • Your hips
  • Your back
  • Your legs

Make sure to choose pillows with good shape retention. While they aren’t a permanent fix, they’ll add a little bit of the support back that you’ve lost around the sagging area.

#3 Consider a Mattress Topper

Still sleeping like the Princess and the Pea? If you are wondering how to fix a sunken mattress, it might be time to invest in a high-quality mattress topper. To up mattress thickness, toppers are your best bet to remedy a sagging area of the mattress. Your new mattress topper will counter the sagging by creating a more even sleep surface so you can sleep peacefully, no matter your preferred sleeping position. 

Our plush Foam Mattress Topper provides a layer of Casper comfort to your existing mattress. Add a topper to your existing mattress to achieve an extra comfortable night’s sleep.

#4 Replace the Mattress Foundation

For memory foam mattresses, an incorrect or poorly made bed foundation is a recipe for mattress sagging. If there are slats within your bed’s foundation, ensure they’re evenly spaced out and that they haven’t been pushed to one side of the bed.

Even a great mattress foundation will eventually wear out. If you replace your foundation, follow your mattress manufacturer’s recommendation for the type of foundation you should purchase for your specific mattress type.

Just like your mattress should support you, your mattress needs support as well. Our Mattress Foundation gives your mattress the base support it needs for a good night’s sleep. 

#5 Buy a New, Long-Lasting Mattress

If you’ve been in a sleep-deprived haze due to this question of how to fix a dip in your mattress—sometimes the answer is the one that’s staring you in the face. It’s time for a new mattress.

While you may be able to extend your mattress’s life with short-term solutions like mattress toppers and extra pillows, if that dreaded dip is due to the mattress material degrading, then the dip is here to stay. Once this happens, it’s one of the most prominent signs you need a new mattress. Questioning how often to replace a mattress? Depending on your style of mattress, you should retire your mattress and purchase a new one every six to ten years.1 Even if you’re still within that window, once the sagging starts, there’s a chance it will only worsen over time.

Should that be the case, it may be time to say goodbye to your old mattress.

Sleep Sweetly with a New Casper Mattress

If you’re ready to sleep sweetly again, explore our premium mattress selection.

No matter how you like to sleep, we’ve got a mattress for you. Back sleepers, side sleepers, and stomach sleepers rejoice — you’ll never ask how to fix a sagging mattress again. Not when Casper has your back. 

Peruse our range of prices and styles to find your dream mattress and forget the nightmare of your old, sagging mattress.

Sources: 

  1. Sleep Foundation. How to Fix a Sagging Mattress. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/mattress-information/how-to-fix-a-sagging-mattress 
  2. SF Gate. What Causes Memory Foam to Sag in the Middle? https://homeguides.sfgate.com/causes-memory-foam-sag-middle-101079.html 
  3. Hunker. Does Plywood Under the Mattress Work for a Sagging Mattress? https://www.hunker.com/13403939/does-plywood-under-the-mattress-work-for-a-sagging-mattress