Adam Terasek is the Store Manager of Verlo Mattress in Racine, WI.

This inquiry always makes me happy because it gives me the opportunity to discuss body impressions, and how they can affect the life expectancy of a mattress.

Your decision to buy a single- or double-sided mattress will depend on several factors, including your age, strength, lifestyle, mattress preference and lifespan expectations for your mattress.

In the past, all innerspring mattresses were double-sided, meaning you could flip the mattress over and sleep on the other side. But about 15 years ago, the industry changed. Many manufacturers stopped making double-sided mattresses and began producing only single-sided ones that were unflippable. In my opinion, they did this to increase profits. Single-sided mattresses cost less to manufacture and don’t last as long as double-sided ones, so they knew customers would have to buy a new mattress sooner.

That’s why almost every mattress store – except Verlo – typically sells only one-sided mattresses. Verlo is one of the few companies that still builds both double- and single-sided innerspring mattresses. Verlo believes it’s important to give customers a choice between buying a mattress that has another side to sleep on and one that doesn’t need flipping, because both offer advantages.

 Double-sided mattresses can be flipped to extend the lifetime of your mattress.

Double-sided Mattresses ­– Pros and Cons

The best way to explain the benefits of a double-sided mattress is to discuss material breakdown and body impressions. Every mattress has a life expectancy, as all mattresses are going to break down at some point – whether it’s a Verlo mattress or another manufacturer’s. It’s simply the nature of an upholstered product. How quickly a mattress breaks down depends on a wide range of factors.

No mattress is going to keep the same shape it had one year or even six months after being delivered. Body impressions are very normal. In fact, they’re good! They show that the mattress is conforming to your unique shape, which is essentially what a mattress is supposed to do.

With a double-sided mattress, you can flip it over and have another flat side that has no body impressions. Flipping it allows the first side to work itself out for a while, and helps the materials to settle evenly. For example, if a larger person normally sleeps on the left side and a lighter person sleeps on the right, flipping and rotating the mattress puts those two people on opposite sides of the mattress, which helps it to wear more evenly.

The main “pro” of a double-sided mattress is that the second side extends its longevity. In fact, Verlo gives you two additional years on our non-prorated guarantee because we know a two-sided mattress is going to last longer.

The “cons” are that a double-sided mattress needs to be flipped in order to benefit from the additional side, and unfortunately, two-sided mattresses are usually heavier than single-sided ones because there are more components. Flipping your mattress can be difficult if you live alone and have no one to help you. Also, two-sided mattresses are more expensive than one-sided mattresses because you are paying for more materials. You are also limited in your selection of mattress type, as double-sided mattresses are only available in traditional innerspring style mattresses.

 Single-sided mattresses don’t need to be flipped, and can be made of pocketed coils or memory foam.

Single-Sided Mattresses – Pros and Cons

Although single-sided mattresses don’t last quite as long (the “con”), single-sided mattresses do offer plenty of benefits. As stated above, one-sided mattresses are less expensive, but I’ve had plenty of customers buy them beyond their pocket book limitations.

Some people simply have no interest in flipping their mattress. Perhaps they are older or maybe don’t have the strength. (King-sized mattresses can be especially heavy.) Some may be too busy to remember to do it. Others have very cramped bedrooms with valuable knick-knacks or low ceiling fans, which can be booby traps when trying to maneuver a mattress. For these people, a double-sided mattress is not worth the extra expense.

Another noteworthy advantage is that single-sided mattresses offer you more selection in mattress type. Besides traditional innersprings, you can get one made with pocketed coils or memory gel foam.

In summary, I can give you great reasons for buying a double-sided mattress or a single-sided mattress. It all comes down to personal preference and choice.

Adam Terasek has been a valued Verlo Mattress employee for more than 13 years. He has gone from building box springs and making deliveries to managing the warehouse, selling mattresses and serving as a store manager. Adam lives in the Milwaukee area with his three sons.