7 Signs it's Time For a New Pillow

 There are few things in life as universally loved as a good night’s sleep. Getting a good sleep depends upon your sleeping environment and, of course, the bed you sleep on. When your pillow becomes old and worn, it is no longer comfortable and can make getting to sleep much more difficult.

Here are seven signs that your pillow is getting old and needs replacing.

1. No Loft

A simple test you can do to determine whether you need to get a new pillow or not is to take your existing pillow and fold it in half. When you release it, it should spring back to its original shape and form. If it doesn’t, you should start looking for a replacement.

2. Lumps and Bumps

If the material inside your pillow starts to decay, as many materials will when they age, it can lead to it feeling particularly lumpy or bumpy. This doesn’t just make the pillow less comfortable, and harder to sleep on, it also means it won’t be giving your head the support it needs.

3. Discoloration

A sure sign that your pillow is coming to the ends of its life is when it begins to discolor. This might not always be obvious, but if you take the pillowcase off and are faced with a pillow that is yellowed from sweat stains, you should definitely think about buying a new pillow.

  4. Past Expired Date

Believe it or not, some pillows come with their own expiry date. Manufacturers of polyester pillows often include a tag on their products that shows an expiry date. Once you go over this expiry date, you need to get ready to purchase a new pillow. Of course, your pillow won’t spoil overnight; you don’t need to rush out the day after the expiry date to buy a new one. However, once you reach the expiry date, you should replace it at the next opportunity.

5. It’s Past Its Lifespan

While polyester pillows often come with expiry dates, even those pillows that don’t have such a date can only be expected to last for so long. You should do some research into the type of pillow you have and see what the average recommended lifespan for it is. If you invest in a good pillow, one which uses natural fibers, you can expect several years of use from it. This is in contrast to the polyester pillows, whose expiry dates are usually in the 6 – 24 month range.

6. Can’t Remember Buying it

 If you find yourself with a pillow that is so old you cannot remember buying it, this is usually a good indication that you should be looking to replace it. The absolute longest you should keep a pillow for is 10 years, and that only applies to the very highest quality purchases.

8. It’s Starting to Smell

This might seem like an obvious point, but it’s easy for the user of a pillow to become desensitized somewhat to the way it smells. Over time, your pillow will accumulate sweat, body oils, dead skin, and a whole host of other not-so-nice stuff. However, the change to your pillow’s odor will be gradual, making it easy to miss until it has developed to quite an extreme point.

If you notice any of the above signs, get ready to buy a new pillow. Having a new pillow doesn’t just feel a lot nicer when you are trying to sleep, an old pillow won’t give you the kind of support you need when asleep