AN expert has revealed how often you should be replacing your pillow – and it’s probably more regularly than you think.
Most people replace their pillows every now and again because they lose their shape or start looking scruffy.
But Hannah Hayden, junior buyer, mattresses and bedding at Dreams, revealed you should swap your pillow at least every two years for cleanliness and to avoid hurting your body.
“Over time, it’s likely your pillow will have a have a build-up of dust mites and potentially lose its elasticity, meaning it will no longer provide the right support for the head and neck,” she said.
“That being said, you should replace your pillow even sooner if you continually wake up with a sore neck, or your pillow shows signs of discolouration.
“And any yellowing stains mean moisture and sweat is getting in, so your pillow needs to be replaced to keep things hygienic.”
Duvets and pillows are generally not recyclable, according to Recycle Now, so you should dispose of them in your normal rubbish.
Alternatively, consider taking them to a textiles recycling scheme, such as Dunelm’s Textile Take Back scheme.
You can also wash them and donate them to a local charity if they’re still usable.
The sleep expert also revealed that people who prefer to sleep in a specific way, such as side sleepers or front sleepers, should pay a bit more and opt for a pillow tailored to them.
“For those who sleep on their front, the best type of pillows will be on the softer side to prevent the neck from over-arching and to maintain proper alignment,” she explained.
“Side sleepers need to keep their spine aligned with a pillow that’s not too high, or too low.
“The best type of pillow might be either a memory foam or orthopaedic pillow to offer you the best support, designed to cushion vulnerable pressure points on the head and ensure the neck remains in the best position.”
For regular back sleepers, Hannah advised looking for a pillow with a “medium comfort grade” to support your head without pushing it too far forwards.
She added that you should expect to pay at least £15 for a regular pillow, and at least £10 more – around £25 – for a pillow designed for side or front sleepers.
Meanwhile for those with more complex needs, you may expect to pay around £65 or more for a tailored pillow.
Hannah explained that there are several different types of pillows, and you should pick one that suits your sleeping preferences.
These are:
Memory foam filling: Memory foam pillows have been designed specifically to mould to the contours of your head and neck. Made from a special visco-elastic material, they are one of the best pillows if you are a side-sleeper or suffer from neck pain.
Feather or Down filling: These are super soft, which makes them ideal for front sleepers as they don’t require as much head support. Feathers can also help to naturally regulate your temperature, so good for those who tend to overheat at night.
Hollowfibre Filling: These combine classic polyester with spring-like hollowfibres giving a bouncy, plump pillow. These are the perfect pillow for back or side sleepers and those with neck pain, offering a bouncy surface that doesn’t feel too soft.
There is often a huge disparity in pricing for the same pillow at different shops.
You can often get good deals on high quality pillows in clearance sales at homeware stores.
Check the clearance section and search for pillows to see if a tailored version is on offer before buying one for full price.
You can compare the cost of an item across multiple retailers by using a website like trolley.co.uk.
For example, you can search for a brand of pillow on the website and it will show you the range of prices for the item and where you can currently by it for the cheapest price.
You can often get a bargain on pillows by buying them in multipacks, reducing the cost of each individual pillow.
It can be worth doing this and holding onto the other pillow, even if you only need one right now, so you can replace it later.
