How do you know when it is time to get a new mattress? The sleeping set you currently use was once new. Remember? At first, you couldn't wait to go to bed and try it out. Gradually the novelty wore off and you didn't think about your sleeping set until something started to go wrong. Studies show that the average person sleeps 2 years on an uncomfortable mattress before deciding to replace it. Mattresses and box springs wear out like anything else. Don't forget, you use it all night, every night. That's hard use for most household products. The upholstery layers flatten, the springs weaken a bit and maybe you put on a few pounds here and there. Whatever the reason, one morning you wake up and realize that you might need a new mattress. How can you tell anyway?

The Better Sleep Council recommends asking yourself:

• Is it hard to wake up every morning?
• Do you wake up tired and sore?
• Is your mattress older than 10 years?
• Can you feel sagging or uneven areas?
• Do you and your partner roll toward the middle of the bed?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you might need a new sleep set.