I am on my third mattress in four years. Each one starts off fine, then after about 12 months there's a visible dip where I sleep. I'm not a huge person (170 lbs). Is this just how mattresses are now, or am I missing something? I rotate them, use a mattress pad, and have a decent frame. Frustrated and tired of spending money on these things.
Consumer Goods
Why does every mattress I buy start sagging after a year
What kind of mattresses have you been buying? Innerspring, foam, hybrid? That matters a lot.
Foam beds are notorious for body impressions. Even high-density foam softens over time. If you're a side sleeper and always sleep in the same spot, a dip is almost guaranteed. Rotating helps but doesn't fix it entirely. Have you tried flipping if it's a two-sided mattress? Most modern ones aren't, though.
First was a cheap innerspring from a big box store. Second was a memory foam from an online brand. Current one is a hybrid. All sagged. I do rotate every few months but they're not flippable.
Could be your foundation. If the slats are too far apart or the box spring is old, the mattress won't get proper support and will sag prematurely. What's under it?
A year is fast even for cheap foam. I'd second checking the foundation. Also, do you weigh more than you think? 170 isn't heavy, but if you always sleep in the same position, the foam breaks down in that spot. Maybe try a latex mattress if you want something more durable.
Latex is supposed to last longer but it's pricey. I had a similar issue and switched to a firm innerspring with a pillow top. So far so good after two years.
Also, warranties often cover sagging over a certain depth (like 1.5 inches). Have you checked if yours is still under warranty? Might be able to get a replacement.
The current hybrid is on a platform bed with slats about 3 inches apart. Seems solid. I hadn't thought about warranty. I'll look into that. But even if I get a replacement, it'll probably do the same thing.
If it's within warranty, at least you're not out more money. But yeah, if the replacement is the same model, it might fail again. Maybe consider a different type next time. Latex or a traditional coil mattress with less foam on top.
One more thing: do you use a mattress topper? Sometimes people add a soft topper that creates the illusion of sagging when it's just the topper compressing.