A brand new pillow can cost below $10 or over $1,000, although on average will land somewhere under $200.
A better pillow will last you longer
So, if you spend a bit more on a pillow than you would've in a past life (hello, college dorm room), you can expect to keep it on your bed for far longer than the cheapest one on the market.
Overall, investing in a good pillow is absolutely worth it. A quality pillow can help support proper neck and spine alignment while you sleep, reduce back pain, and even improve the quality of your sleep.
Choosing the right pillow can make a significant difference in how well you sleep and how likely you are to wake up free of any aches and pains. The purpose of a pillow is to support your head, neck, and shoulders so that they stay comfortably aligned with your spine.
Expensive pillows are typically defined by their filling and the two most popular and comfortable pillows are down or a combination of down and feather. So why is down so expensive? There is much less down than there are feathers on a goose or duck. That translates into higher prices.
1. The White Willow Cooling Gel Memory Foam Orthopedic Bed Pillow for Sleeping & Neck Pain Relief for Back Sleeper, Side Sleeper & Stomach Sleeper with Pillow Cover - Check here for Amazon offer. This pillow is rectangular and comes in multi-colours for head, neck, and back purposes.
The right pillow should keep your head, neck, and spine, all in neutral alignment, and support the natural curvature of your spine. Keeping a neutral spine not only alleviates neck pain, it also relieves pressure throughout your entire body.
Most experts recommend replacing pillows every 1 to 2 years. Doing so helps to ensure that you're using pillows that are supportive, clean, and free of allergens. It is also important to care for the pillows you use to ensure their longevity. Generally, you'll be able to tell when it's time to replace your pillows.
It is best to sleep with one pillow to support your head and neck. Stacking two pillows under your head can lead to improper spinal alignment and neck pain. However, you can sleep with a second pillow or body pillow to support your body and maintain sleep posture.
Hotel pillows are made from high-quality materials, which enhance comfort and breathability. Hotel pillows tend to be more expensive, as hotels are eager to spend copious amounts of money on premium-quality pillows for their guests.
Down pillows tend to be the fluffiest, but a combination of down and feathers may be firmer and less expensive. Down alternative pillows can still feel soft and offer good support, but they're usually made with synthetic fill so they're more affordable than down. Memory foam pillows are thicker and often firmer.
Everyone's body is built differently. For side and back sleepers and people with wide shoulders, one sleeping pillow may not comfortably fill the gap between their head and the mattress. This lack of support in bed can lead to neck pain, poor quality sleep, and even headaches.
Resting your head on a clean pillow can be the start of a good night's rest. There are other reasons that you should wash your pillows regularly, too. Pet dander, dust mites, dirt and oils from your skin can all build up on your pillow. These things can make your bed less clean and even possibly trigger allergies.
Natural pillows tend to last longer than synthetic pillows. And higher quality pillows will last longer than inexpensive ones. If you're using a pillow that's five or six years old, you're not getting the support you need—and you're not sleeping as comfortably as you could.
Even though many people sleep with two, three or even four bed pillows, the recommended number is just one. A single pillow is all you need to support your head throughout a night's rest. The whole purpose of a pillow is to keep your neck aligned with your spine.
If your pillow can be washed, it should be washed at least twice a year. If you eat in bed, have pets, or sweat a lot, you should wash pillows quarterly. Special pillows like body pillows or throw pillows should be cleaned every 3 to 6 months. This is dependent on how, where, and how often they are used.
The life of a typical hotel pillow is 18 to 36 months.
The Sleep to Live Institute in America (which again has industry links) recommends replacing them every six months. Many – though not all – sleep experts say that if you fold your pillow in half and it doesn't spring open straight away by itself then it's dead: it can't support your head and neck, so bin it.
According to Cushner, most side sleepers need medium-to-high-loft pillows that provide “enough cushioning for the head and neck without sinking too low,” so the customizable fill level will let you figure out the loft that works best for your body.
Natural, breathable materials like latex and cotton are moisture-wicking and will help you stay cool through the night. Material: With options like memory foam, latex, down, and down-alternative pillows, choice in material really comes down to personal preferences.
No product lasts forever, and over time, even the best pillow can turn yellow. However, there are a couple reasons why sleeping on a discolored pillow could disturb your sleep or even be bad for your health. The first is the presence of allergens.
Shortness of breath while lying down.
To gauge the severity of this symptom, doctors often ask people how many pillows they need to lie on to avoid feeling short of breath in bed. For example, "three-pillow" orthopnea is worse than "two-pillow" orthopnea, because you have less tolerance for lying flat.
If the pillow is too plush or too thin, it can't adequately support your head and keep it in alignment with your spine.
Even if you are a frequent pillow folder, it should always bounce back to its original shape once you let go or take your head off it. But if it stays folded on its own, that's a clear sign your pillow is too worn down for its own good. Your pillow should never be so flat that it stays folded in half.