How Much Should I Pay for a Decent Pillow?
A good night’s sleep is invaluable to our health, so we shouldn’t have to pay a high price for the things we need to get an undisturbed eight hours. The world’s most expensive pillow costs almost £46,000, and we’re not quite going to persuade you to consider such an exorbitant figure, but you should be investing enough to properly support your spine while you sleep.
How much that is, depends on a few different factors.
What Makes a Decent Pillow?
There are many great pillows on the market and with current technology, there are now many different materials used to stuff pillows. Traditional or modern, each has its benefits.
- Polyester
- Hollowfibre
- Microfibre
- Down
- Feathers
- Memory foam
These are the most common pillow fillings, and you can find pillows that contain a mixture of a few materials, as each has beneficial properties that can help you sleep comfortably.
Memory foam pillows are popular because they offer a lot of support and last up to three years, or more with proper precautions, but they can be very hot and they’re not machine-washable, so they’re impractical for some people.
Down and feather pillows can be extremely expensive, especially if the feathers come from Canada or Scandinavia; in colder climates, geese need more insulation from their coats to keep them warm, so these naturally more insulating and soft materials are perfect for super soft pillows. But they can become flat easily, feathers can poke through pillow covers and they don’t offer the best support for most people. In this case, it’s not always worth buying an expensive pillow.
Polyester and hollowfibre pillows are on the cheaper end of the market as the materials are synthetic and easy to produce, and there are usually options on the density of the filling so you can get enough support for your head and neck. However, synthetic pillows only usually have a shelf life of 1 to 2 years, so to make the investment worthwhile, you need to be able to care for them properly to extend the life of your pillows.
A good night’s sleep is invaluable to our health, so we shouldn’t have to pay a high price for the things we need to get an undisturbed eight hours. The world’s most expensive pillow costs almost £46,000, and we’re not quite going to persuade you to consider such an exorbitant figure, but you should be investing enough to properly support your spine while you sleep.
How much that is, depends on a few different factors.
What Makes a Decent Pillow?
There are many great pillows on the market and with current technology, there are now many different materials used to stuff pillows. Traditional or modern, each has its benefits.
- Polyester
- Hollowfibre
- Microfibre
- Down
- Feathers
- Memory foam
These are the most common pillow fillings, and you can find pillows that contain a mixture of a few materials, as each has beneficial properties that can help you sleep comfortably.
Memory foam pillows are popular because they offer a lot of support and last up to three years, or more with proper precautions, but they can be very hot and they’re not machine-washable, so they’re impractical for some people.
Down and feather pillows can be extremely expensive, especially if the feathers come from Canada or Scandinavia; in colder climates, geese need more insulation from their coats to keep them warm, so these naturally more insulating and soft materials are perfect for super soft pillows. But they can become flat easily, feathers can poke through pillow covers and they don’t offer the best support for most people. In this case, it’s not always worth buying an expensive pillow.
Polyester and hollowfibre pillows are on the cheaper end of the market as the materials are synthetic and easy to produce, and there are usually options on the density of the filling so you can get enough support for your head and neck. However, synthetic pillows only usually have a shelf life of 1 to 2 years, so to make the investment worthwhile, you need to be able to care for them properly to extend the life of your pillows.
Why Are Hotel Pillows So Comfortable?
One of the most common questions pillow experts and manufacturers hear is “Why are hotel pillows so comfortable and how can I get pillows like that in my own home?”, and while some 5-star hotels have high-quality pillows that you can buy for your home, the secret is in fact very simple.
Regular washing and replacing!
Pillows in hotels get used very frequently by a whole range of people so they need to be kept in tip-top condition to stay sanitary. That means being regularly washed in a washing machine, air or tumble-dried and fluffed so the pillow stays looking as good as new. As soon as the pillow begins to lose its shape, it gets replaced, so there are never lacklustre pillows in high-quality hotels.
Pillow Care Tips
You don’t have to be as militant about the standard of your pillows as a 5-star hotel, but you should be caring for your pillow to lengthen its life and protect your health.
To care for your pillows, you should:
- Wash pillowcases every 1-2 weeks
- Wash pillow protectors and dust covers every month
- Wash pillows every 2-6 months depending on filling
- Fluff pillows
- Flip and swap pillows
- Air pillows on warm days
If you don’t already take these precautions, it can seem like a lot of chores to add into your already busy housework schedule, however, keeping your pillows clean and in shape will allow you to keep them for longer, and make sure you always have a great night’s sleep.
An old pillow won’t support your head properly, leading to headaches, neck pain or back pain, and if it’s not sufficiently clean, it can cause existing problems like acne and sensitive skin conditions to flare up or worsen.
Don’t risk your health or your sleep, if it’s time for you to replace your pillow, invest in a decent pillow, and look after it well.
How Much Do Pillows Cost?
The price of pillows can vary immensely, with branded down pillows costing around £100, and our luxury hollowfibre pack of two pillows, for under £20. So, it’s more important to look at the quality of the pillow than the price or the name on the label.
Cheap pillows don’t mean a worse night’s sleep; everyone sleeps differently and requires a different amount of support for their head and neck according to that position. So don’t fork out on an expensive pillow thinking you’ll instantly sleep like a log – choose the best pillow for your sleeping position, and you might be surprised how little money you have to part with.
How Sleeping Style Affects Pillow Choice
Most people are combination sleepers, meaning they don’t stay in one position all night but turn over through the night. This doesn’t necessarily mean being restless at night, although if you can’t get comfortable, it might be time to change your mattress or make another adjustment to your sleeping habits, but rather, it’s actually a good thing to prevent bed sores and boost circulation overnight.
Combination sleepers need a medium-thickness pillow, to support their head as they lay on their sides and back; too thin or too thick and their spine won’t be aligned properly which will cause muscular pain around the neck. People who sleep predominantly on their backs, also require a medium-thickness pillow.
However, side sleepers require a slightly thicker pillow, especially men and people with broad shoulders, as the distance between the mattress and the side of the head is greater and necessitates more support from the pillow. Conversely, front sleepers need a thin pillow to cushion their faces while still keeping their spines aligned.
Babies under 1 year don’t need pillows and shouldn’t have duvets at all because of their inability to regulate their body temperatures, but if you begin to notice your toddler tossing and turning frequently or using a blanket or teddy bear to support their head at night, it might be time to introduce a pillow into the cot.
Should You Sleep with 1 or 2 Pillows?
There seems to be a myth that the more pillows you sleep with, the better sleep you have, which has led to half of adults in the UK sleeping with 2 pillows, however, this is inadvisable.
Pillows are supposed to support your head and keep your spine in alignment, so you don’t experience any neck pain, your blood can circulate easily and your airways are unobstructed. So the best advice is to sleep with one pillow that’s right for your sleeping position.
Sleeping with 2 pillows can have its benefits, but not in the way you may think. Side sleepers can benefit from a second pillow between their knees to keep their spine in alignment, as having your knees together can cause some twisting of the spine which might lead to back problems.
Otherwise, your scatter cushions may look lovely when the bed is made, but you don’t need more than one pillow under your head – especially if you buy the best pillow for you.
Best Pillows
While the best pillow for you depends entirely on your sleeping position, but can also be influenced by physical health problems or whether you’re a hot or cold sleeper, the best pillow brands give you options.
At Bedding Comfort Store, we only sell high-quality pillows at budget-friendly prices. Choose from cotton pillows to luxury pillows without having to break the bank and make sure you get the quality night’s sleep you deserve.