How often should you change your pillow?

Can’t remember the last time you bought a new pillow?

The chances are, you’re ready for an upgrade.

It does, after all, get a lot of wear and tear. On average, your pillow is used for 7-8 hours per night – adding up to more than 2500 hours a year! And during that time, it accumulates dead skin cells, hair, sweat, saliva, body oils, dust mites and more.

In fact, in a study conducted at the University of Manchester, researchers analysed 10 pillows that had been slept on for 1 – 20 years. Shockingly, they found they were a ‘hotbed of fungal spores’ – with each pillow playing host to at least 16(!) different types of fungi.

Gross, right? And according to scientists, resting your head on a flat fungi-riddled pillow can lead to a myriad of health issues. So the question is – how often should they be replaced?

The average lifespan of a bed pillow

Experts recommend you should replace your pillow once every 1-2 years. However, this is only a general rule. The lifetime of a pillow can be affected by many factors, including the materials from which it’s made, how often it’s used, its original quality (e.g. was it a luxury pillow or budget?) etc.

The table above shows the average lifespan for the most common types. But our advice? Just use your best judgement. If it looks and feels fine, and you’re still having a great night’s sleep, it probably doesn’t need changing just yet. If it’s showing the tell-tale signs of ageing, it may be time to throw it away.

Is it time to replace my pillow?

There are some common signs to look out for, which can suggest it’s time to part ways with your old faithful. For example, it may be worth investing in a new pillow if:

• – your head and shoulders no longer feel supported
• – you wake up each morning with a tension headache
• – you wake up with aches, pains and cramps
• – allergies have started to affect your sleep
• – your pillow is flat and out of shape
• – you’ve started to feel generally uncomfortable
• – the pillowcase looks yellow or stained
• – you regularly re-fluff your pillow throughout the night

There are also a few ‘tests’ that can indicate whether your pillow has reached the end of its life. For example, it may be worth doing a little inspection. Can you see any visible stains or discolouration? Is it torn or damaged in any way? Does it smell stuffy?

If your pillow passes the sight and sniff test, either fold it in half or press your hand down into the middle. If it doesn’t quickly expand and bounce back into its original shape, this also shows that your pillow has lost its structural support and may need to be ditched in favour of new.

Choose a new luxury pillow from our collection

A new pillow can not only lead to a healthier night’s sleep, it can also offer a wide range of other benefits – from banishing the fungi and promoting better hygiene to reducing those aches, pains and allergy symptoms. And if you think yours has reached its ‘best before’ date, and you’re looking to buy a pillow online, you’re in the perfect place.

Here at Dreamers Bed Centre, we have a fantastic selection of luxury pillows for you to choose from – including a variety of styles, fillings, and comfort ratings to suit every need and preference.

Whether you like a soft and fluffy hollowfibre pillow to sink your head into or prefer the firm support of medical grade memory foam, we guarantee, we have the perfect replacement. A pillow that’s affordable, clean, supportive, and ready to serve you well for the next year or two.

So why not take a look?

Scroll through our full range and find your new bedtime companion today.

And remember, we’re always on hand and happy to help. To learn more about how often you should replace your pillows – or if you have any questions about the pillows for sale in our online store – please don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can either give us a call on 01942 275 464 or send an email to info@dreamersbedcentre.co.uk and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.