How Often Are You Replacing Your Pillows? (Hint: Not Nearly Enough)

Listen, guys, I get it. Finding the perfect pillow is NOT easy. Me? I like mine fluffy — but not too fluffy. My neck needs to be at the exact right angle for me to sleep soundly. My husband, however, prefers a flatter, more dense pillow and he only needs one… while I use anywhere from two to four pillows throughout the night. My point? We all have wildly different preferences when it comes to pillows, but one thing unites us all — and that’s how often we should be replacing our precious head chalices.  

According to House Beautiful, we should be ditching our pillows as often as every six months. Say whaaaat? It feels like I bought new pillows for my bed just yesterday… but it was actually four years ago. Crap! The magazine spoke with Tempur-Pedic’s Brent Pfister, who said the cheaper the pillow, the more often you need to replace it. Got a regular polyester pillow? You should be getting a new one every six months or so. Did you invest in a higher-quality pillow? Then you probably have 18 to 24 months before you need to replace it. 

Ready to be really grossed out? A 2011 British study found that one third of a two-year-old pillow’s weight was comprised of bacteria, skin cells, and dead dust mites. Insert the vomit emoji right here.

Suddenly feeling like you need some new pillows? Me, too. Below is a list of our favorites. Here’s to a healthier, happier sleep in 2019!

The smartest pillow on our list, Pluto is a hybrid pillow unique to each customer (and made by hand) that's created based upon the brand’s online survey covering body stats, sleep habits, and preferences. Here’s how it works: While all the Pluto pillows are designed with a CertiPUR-US foam inner core and an outer plush pillow (Read: Support and comfort), the way they are tailored varies based on an individual’s sleep profile. What’s that mean? Well, some might have taller foam, while others have denser foam. The covers are also custom, and have different surfaces that all vary in thickness. Example: Hot sleepers like myself get a cooling fabric comprised of a high percentage polyethylene. Others have a quilted knit surface or a high-thread-count cotton surface. 

With a 750-fill power, these cloudlike pillows from Parachute are supremely lofty, yet supportive at the same time. Made of premium European white down, they feature a luxurious sateen shell and come with a 3-year warranty. Additionally, they are Oeko-Tex-certified, which means they surpass the highest standard of testing for harmful chemicals and synthetics. You can customize your firmness from soft to medium and firm.

Looking for something with a down fill but at a lower price point? These down pillows by Allied Home are pretty remarkable. Featuring a 550-fill power and a durable cotton shell that ensures the down stays in the pillow and doesn’t poke you in the face. The pillow is hypoallergenic and Responsible Down Standard-certified — you can actually “track your down” from farm through shipping and processing to your bed!

If down fill happens to give you a sneezing attack or if you suffer from asthma, this Beautyrest pillow is a nice alternative. It’s made from ultra-soft 300-thread count cotton and loaded with a hypoallergenic polyester fiber. A great medium density pillow for stomach and back sleepers, it easily conforms to your needs. And it’s super washer/dryer friendly.

How about a pillow that remembers your sleep positions? Sounds kind of creepy, but it can provide ideal and gentle support throughout the night. This memory foam pillow works to alleviate pressure points by conforming to the curves and contours of your head, neck, and shoulders. It can even reset itself and respond to any changes in your position as you move throughout the night. What boyfriend ever did that?

Are you one of those people who is always flipping the pillow over to get to the cool side? Yeah, me too. This memory foam pillow incorporates a gel side that disperses body heat and creates a cooler sleeping surface. It keeps you soothed throughout the night while at the same time providing a stable core of pressure-relieving memory foam. Ahhh …

Contour pillows may look a little stiff and uninviting — or like something grandpa uses to prop up his back when he’s yelling at the TV — but for anyone with neck pain or who cares about proper spinal alignment, they’re a dream. This contour pillow includes high and low contour options so you can find just the right comfort level. It's a really good choice for side and back sleepers as it helps to reduce uncomfortable pressure points.

Can 15,000 Amazon reviewers be wrong? This popular pillow is constructed with flexible shredded visco-elastic memory foam that let’s you add or remove foam to adjust your comfort level. It’s suitable for all sleep positions — back, side, and stomach. It’s also hypoallergenic, dust-mite resistant, and comes with a 5-year warranty. But don’t take my word for it, read the reviews!