How Often Should You Replace Your Pillows?

A high-quality pillow cushions your head and neck while keeping your spine aligned, but after a while, even high-quality pillows wear out from regular use and lose support. With an unsupportive pillow, you may have a hard time falling asleep or you’ll wake up feeling sore. If your pillow is getting old, feels lumpy and flat, or you wake up with neck or shoulder pain, it might be time to replace your pillow.

In our article, we explain why and when you should replace your pillows. We also provide helpful advice on how to care for your pillows.

Why Do You Need to Replace Your Pillows?

Pillows don’t last forever, so it’s a good idea to regularly replace them every 1 to 2 years so your head and neck have consistent support for better sleep. The following are some surprising benefits of replacing your pillow.

Breathe Better

Allergens and bacteria, including dead skin cells and dust mites, can build up inside your pillow. Dust mites are tiny pests that can aggravate allergies.

Some pillow materials, like down, feathers, and synthetic materials, attract dust mites, while latex, memory foam, and buckwheat repel them. If you have allergies, switching to a hypoallergenic pillow may improve your breathing and sleep quality.

Reduce Pain

After a while, pillows lose their support and become flat. You may feel attached to your favorite pillow, but without support, you’ll experience painful pressure that could disrupt your sleep. The right pillows give your head and neck the support they need for spinal alignment and reduce pressure points.

Improve Hygiene

As time goes by, your pillow accumulates dead skin cells and fluids. Bacteria gradually builds up inside the pillow and causes a bad smell. Bacteria also leads to mold and mildew growth.

When Should You Replace Your Pillows?

Pillow support decreases under continuous wear and tear, creating pressure buildup in the neck and causing headaches. A classic sign that you need a new pillow is that you often wake up with a stiff neck. If you’re not sure you need to switch pillows, fold the pillow in half—if it doesn’t immediately form back to its original shape, it’s time for a new pillow.

Neck Pain

The right pillow should encourage spinal alignment. If you experience neck pain in the morning that fades during the day, your pillow may not be providing the support you need.

Wrong Support

If you feel neck pain from a new pillow, the pillow may be unsupportive for your sleeping position. Before buying a new pillow, consider your sleeping position and the pillow’s loft (height).

Side sleepers have a large gap between their neck and sleep surface and need a medium to high loft pillow. The higher loft of a good pillow for side sleeping fills in this gap, cushioning the head and neck.

Stomach sleepers are the opposite—a low loft pillow is more comfortable because stomach sleeping results in the smallest gap between the head and mattress. A low loft pillow won’t raise the head and cause the spine to arch. If you’re a stomach sleeper, you may even feel more comfortable sleeping without a pillow.

The best pillow for back sleepers has a low to medium loft. The height aligns the neck with the spine in a neutral position and fills in  the slight gap between the neck and mattress surface.

Allergic Reactions

The more dust mites accumulate inside your pillow, the more your sleep is disrupted from sneezing and coughing. You may frequently wake up with itchy, watery eyes and a stuffy nose. Some pillow materials are the perfect breeding ground for dust mites, which thrive on dead skin cells, like down or feather pillows.

How to Care for Your Pillows

Caring for your pillows ensures they last. Regular cleaning reduces bacteria and allergens inside your pillows and can restore the loft. For proper care, read the pillow’s care label to see how best to clean your pillow.

Washing

Most pillows are machine-washable, but some require hand washing or dry cleaning. Wash your pillows every 4 to 6 months in hot water to kill dust mites and bacteria growing inside your pillow. The same rule applies if the pillow requires dry cleaning—take your pillows to the dry cleaners every 4 to 6 months.

Drying

For best results, tumble dry your pillows on low heat or hang dry. Always make sure the pillow is completely dry before use, otherwise, any lingering moisture could cause mildew or mold growth.

Pillow Cases

Pillow cases are a great way to protect your pillows from makeup, body oil, and dead skin cells. Most bed sheet sets come with one to two pillow cases, and some companies sell pillow cases separately.

For extra protection, consider adding pillow protectors to shield the pillows from spills and stains.

Different Pillow Types

Depending on the material, some pillow types last longer than others. For example, latex and memory foam pillows last longer than down alternative pillows.

Memory Foam Pillows

Memory foam pillows contain either a solid piece of memory foam or shredded memory foam filling. The foam conforms to the head and neck, relieving pressure points.

Memory foam is an excellent option for those with allergies because memory foam is naturally hypoallergenic. A memory foam pillow can last up to 4 years with proper care.

Feather Pillows

Feather pillows contain duck and geese feathers for plush support. Some feather pillows include down clusters for extra softness, but sleepers may feel the sharp quills poking through the cover.

Feather pillows are malleable to accommodate nearly any sleeping position and can last 2 to 3 years.

Down Pillows

Down feathers make for some rather luxurious pillows, as they’re stuffed with the soft fluff found underneath a bird’s outer feathers. Down pillows provide the ultimate comfort, are lightweight, and easily compressed into any shape to suit your sleeping needs. Most down pillows have a mixture of feathers and down, but a true down pillow should contain at least 75 percent down.

Down pillows can last as long as feather pillows—up to 3 years with proper care.

Down Alternative Pillows

Down alternative pillows mimic the softness of down pillows but provide more support. These synthetic pillows are the most affordable pillows—you can score an inexpensive polyester pillow for less than $20.

Keep in mind that while down alternative pillows are the least expensive, they’re also the least durable and only last 2 years at most.

Latex Pillows

Like memory foam, latex conforms to the head and neck, relieving pain. Latex is also a good option for allergy sufferers since the material is dust mite-resistant.

Latex is more responsive than memory foam, and it sleeps cooler. Plus, latex pillows are durable and last up to 4 years, unlike down or feather pillows.

Buckwheat Pillows

Buckwheat pillows are one of the heaviest pillows. These pillows contain thousands of buckwheat hulls and most pillows come with a refill bag to adjust the loft. Buckwheat pillows can be molded into any shape, but unlike down and shredded memory foam pillows, they can’t be fluffed up to increase the loft.

Buckwheat pillows are naturally hypoallergenic and last for 2 to 3 years.

FAQs

What is the average lifespan of a pillow?

On average, pillows can last 1 to 2 years, depending on what materials they contain. Some pillows, like memory foam, have a longer lifespan—3 to 4 years. Other pillows, including down, last up to 2 years at most. The lifespan also depends on how well you care for your pillow. If you don’t regularly wash your pillows every 4 to 6 months, you may have to replace your pillows sooner than expected.

When should you throw away pillows?

Old pillows accumulate dust mites and absorb body fluids, like sweat. It’s a good idea to throw out your pillows every 1 to 2 years. If you have a brand new pillow, but recently replaced it with a pillow that better supports your head and neck, you could donate the pillow to charity. Charities usually accept pillow donations as long as the pillow is gently used.

Can old pillows make you sick?

Over time, allergens and bacteria build up inside your pillow, causing allergic reactions and disrupting sleep. If you don’t replace your pillow, bacteria could lead to mold and mildew growth. Plus, you’re not getting enough sleep because you’re up coughing and sneezing.

Why do pillows get moldy?

Mold can grow inside your pillow if stored in a damp environment or if you use your pillow when it’s not completely dry after cleaning it. Once mold starts to grow inside a pillow, the only solution is replacing it. Mold can lead to trouble breathing and illness, like a cold or sinus infection.

What is the best pillow for side sleepers?

Memory foam pillows are one of the best pillows for side sleepers. Memory foam closely conforms to the body’s curves and reduces pressure buildup. Shredded memory foam pillows are excellent for side sleepers, who can easily fluff up the pillow for a higher loft, cushioning the neck.

Conclusion

Pillows cradle the head and neck, but after a while they lose their support. Plus, pillows accumulate bacteria and dust mites, causing congestion and itchy, watery eyes. Regularly replace your pillows every 1 to 2 years so you can get a good night’s sleep.