Almost 70% of people say that a comfortable pillow is very important to a good night's sleep, but many of us make a crucial mistake when it comes to our favourite pillows - we're keeping them for too long.
Sleep experts suggest that pillows should be replaced around every six months to two years, this is more to do with hygiene rather than the pillow losing shape or support.
Dirt, oil and dead skin cells get trapped on your pillow which may lead to skin complaints including acne. Dust mites also like to congregate in your pillow, which can issues, particularly for those people who are allergic to dust mites. The good news, however, is that dust mites don't carry any risks other than those allergic or asthmatic reactions, and they don't spread any kind of disease. Still, that doesn't mean you want to be sleeping among hundreds of thousands of them!
More than 25% of Australians have allergies, and of those around two thirds may be allergic to the type of dust mites that congregate indoors. All of MiniJumbuk's pillows feature Ultra-Fresh, a highly effective anti-bacterial process. This deprives dust mites of their food source and prevents them from multiplying in the bedding, this keeps your pillows fresh and hygienic for longer - great news for dust mite allergy sufferers. Another great suggestion is to air your pillows outside regularly on breezy sunny days to freshen and rejuvenate the filling, or place your pillow for 30 minutes on low in the tumble dryer, this can help clear some of the debris from your pillows.
When the time does come to choose a new pillow, keep in mind that the aim is to find one that fills the gap between your head and your shoulders when you lie down. Stomach and back sleepers need much thinner pillows than side sleepers, to ensure that the head is aligned with the spine when you are snuggled into your favourite sleep position. Also don't forget whenever you get a new mattress you should also get a new pillow, as the gap between your head and shoulders will alter with the change in mattress firmness.