How Often Should You Change Your Pillow?

Sleepers often overlook the pillow, but it plays a huge role in the quality of your sleep, as it helps to keep your spine correctly aligned meaning that you can have a more restful sleep ensuring that you wake up feeling more refreshed and rested.

Why?

You spend around a third of your life sleeping which is spent lying on the same pillow night after night. Each night your skin cells regenerate which sheds hair, skin and bacteria which is then absorbed by your pillowcase material.

Throughout just a few weeks this leads to a build-up of unwanted bacteria which can also cause a noticeable smell. Washing it regularly will get rid of most of these chemicals and bacteria.

This bacteria can cause further problems if you have allergies as organisms such as dust mites can begin to develop within your pillow. Over a prolonged period, these allergies can start to affect the quality of your sleep negatively.

Also, just because you regularly clean your pillow, eventually over time, it begins to lose shape due to the constant pressure that it’s under night after night from the weight of your head.

This can be delayed by regularly turning the pillow over, but there will still be noticeable flat spots.

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Symptoms

You Consistently Wake Up with a Stiff or Sore Neck


If your pillow is supporting you adequately, then you won't be waking up with neck stiffness or discomfort. Throughout your pillows life, the support it provides will decrease, and this cant be fixed other than fluffing which is a very temporary fix.

You’re Suffering From Sniffles Due To Allergies

Pillows can develop into a breeding ground for dust mites if you don’t clean them regularly so if you wash it and you’re still sniffling due to allergies then it’s time to invest in a higher quality hypoallergenic alternative.

It Feels Like You’re Sleeping On Lumps

Over time the filling within your pillow may begin to clump together which forms lumps which aren’t the most pleasant experience. If this is a common occurrence, then it’s time to replace it with a new pillow.

It Won’t Fluff

If you find yourself having to fluff your pillow all the time whether this is before you go to sleep, in the middle of the night or the morning then it’s time to invest in a new pillow, the odd fluff isn’t a problem, but when it becomes frequent then this is a problem.

Skin Breakouts are Becoming a Problem

If over some time you’ve experienced an increase in acne or other skin conditions then your pillow could be responsible.

Just because you can’t visibly see dirt, there can still be a whole host of unwanted bacteria living within the material. If this continues even after you wash the pillow and the cover then you may need to replace it.

Your Pillow Just Isn’t Comfortable

Don’t waste your time having poor sleep. If you sigh at the thought of going to sleep or have to toss and turn to settle into position when using a particular pillow, then it’s time to buy a new one.

Your Sleeping Position Has Changed

The type of pillow you need will depend on your sleeping position so if you’ve changed from a back sleeper to a side sleeper; then it may be time to buy a new pillow.

It’s important you buy a pillow that’s designed for your sleeping style; otherwise, this can cause sleeping discomfort and pain.

The Pillow Can Be Folded in Half and not return to its normal shape.

The average pillow will probably be able to fold in half, but if it stays in that position without reverting to its original shape, then it’s probably time to replace it for a new one.

You’re Pregnant

If you’re expecting a new arrival, then a pregnancy body pillow will make a massive difference to your sleep quality. They're usually long in shape and are tucked in between the legs so you can sleep on your side to give you more support.

pregnancy-pillow

If It's Been 1 to 3 Years since you last bought a new pillow

The length of time that your pillow is built to last will depend on the filling material because different materials break down at different rates. This will require you to make your judgement but regardless of the material you shouldn’t keep it any longer than three years.

Discolouration

Discolouration is one of the most visible signs that your pillow is coming to the end of its life. If you remove the cover and you’re staring at a pillow that used to be white but it's now yellow from all the sweat stains then it’s time to replace.

Most of the time washing the pillow will not completely remove these stains, but it’s worth a try if the pillow is still supporting your neck and head giving you a good nights sleep.

How long will my pillow last?

Type Of Pillow

Lifespan

Latex

3-4 Years

Buckwheat

3 Years

Feather

18-36 Months

Memory Foam

18-36 Months

Down

2+ Years

Synthetic Down

18-24 Months

Polyester

6-24 Months

Pillow Maintenance Tips

Buying a fancy new pillow doesn’t mean that your job is complete. It’s essential to maintain the quality of your pillow by taking good quality care of it which will extend its life, so you don’t need to replace it as frequently.

How To Wash Pillow

Before washing your pillow, you need to check whether it can be machine washed. Generally speaking, most pillows are washable; however, if you have a premium quality filling such as Goose Down, then it may need to be spot clean or dry cleaned.

If your pillow is machine washable, then it’s recommended that you wash it every 5-6 months on a hot temperature setting so it can effectively kill bacteria. You need to ensure that you also use detergent.

To dry, the most effective course of action is to dry on a low setting until its thoroughly dry without any damp spots.

If you don’t have a dryer, then it can be harder to dry the pillow especially if it has a dense filling. An alternative is to put it on a low setting radiator and keep flipping and fluffing it until it’s dry.

How To Wash Pillow Case

Your pillowcase will be where the majority of the bacteria will collect, so you need to wash this a minimum of once a month.

You also need to ensure that you use a pillowcase because this will be the first line of defence for protecting your pillow from any dirt and bacteria from absorbing into the pillow which will increase its lifespan.

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