Do You Actually Need to Rotate Your Mattress?

When was the last time you rotated—or flipped—your mattress? If your first response is, “You guys rotate your mattress?” you aren’t alone. Recommendations to rotate or flip your mattress have faded with time. This is due in part to the emergence of one-sided mattresses, like pillow tops, memory foam, and hybrid options. These mattress types don’t need flipping, making that rule of thumb a bit more outdated. However, that doesn’t mean your mattress shouldn’t be rotated. And yes, there is an actual difference.

1. What’s the difference between flipping vs. rotating?
2. When do mattresses need to be flipped or rotated?

What’s the difference between flipping vs. rotating?

Your mattress handles a lot of heavy pressure, especially in the areas that support your hips and shoulders. These are the places in your mattress that likely seem to have a person-shaped indentation in them. 

Rotating the mattress means turning it 180 degrees, and it helps your mattress hold up under the pressure of nightly use. In fact, a rotated mattress can outlast a non-rotated option. You can expect better support and it reduces the likelihood of sagging spots.

Flipping the mattress is a lot like cooking a pancake. You flip your mattress to the other side you haven’t slept on. It’s typically recommended for mattresses with double-sided innersprings. You only need to flip yours if you still have a conventional innerspring mattress or purchased a dual-sided hybrid option in the last 10 years or so. Flipping them distributes the force more evenly across the mattress and helps ensure greater comfort.

When do mattresses need to be flipped or rotated?

Whether you rotate or flip your mattress depends on its specific type. If you have a conventional quilted coil mattress or hybrid coil mattress, you’ll want to flip yours roughly every six months. 

You won’t need to flip one-sided mattresses like pillow tops, memory foam, or hybrid models. Flipping these types of mattresses to their alternate side can disrupt your sleep, as you end up sleeping on the side without much built-in support.

However, rotating (or turning) these mattresses reduces the chance of indentations. You’ll benefit from rotating your mattress every three months or so. If you are sleeping with someone heavier than you, rotate it more frequently—just make sure you stay consistent.

With any rule, there is an exception, of course. A zoned mattress is one of the kinds you don’t want to flip or rotate. These mattresses have specific support throughout different areas of the mattress. You should mainly focus on upkeep for this kind, such as regular cleaning and maybe light vacuuming (especially if you snack in bed). 

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