We’ve all been there. You’re awake at 3 a.m., tossing and turning until you fall back asleep, a mere 10 minutes before the alarm goes off. It’s maddening and if it’s a frequent occurrence, it might be time to break up with your mattress.

That’s not the only sign that your mattress may be reaching its end. Mattresses have an average lifespan of 5-10 years depending on the quality. Remember, you spend a third of your life in bed, and with that kind of attention, your mattress is bound to degrade over time. If you’re seeing noticeable wear and tear, such as sagging or bowing, it’s time to start looking for a replacement.

Your body has a lot of ways to remind you it’s time for an upgrade, too. Waking up with unexplained aches and pains on a regular basis means you’re not getting the support you need while you’re sleeping. You might also notice, no matter your bedtime, you are always tired. Have allergy symptoms started showing up in the morning with no irritants in sight? Over time, your mattress begins to harbor dead skin cells and sweat, leading to some unwanted bed mates, and dust mites. Dust mites and other microscopic critters can lead to some unpleasant allergic reactions, which may be the signal your mattress is spent.

And last but not least, if you are getting better sleep when you stay overnight somewhere else, from a posh hotel or your in-law’s twin-size guest bed, then it’s time for an upgrade. For a lot of people, this is the final “wake-up” call. When you wake up refreshed after your sleep anywhere but home, your mattress isn’t making the cut.

It can be a tough call to make; a mattress is a big purchase and sometimes a confusing one. It’s important to do a lot of research and pinpoint what’s most important to you in a mattress once you start shopping around. We’ll talk about how to find the right mattress for you in another post, but take a good, hard look at your mattress tonight. It might be time to break up.