insideKENT Magazine Issue 96 - March 2020 | Page 104

HOME+GARDEN
The Bed Edit CONT.
PILLOW TALK
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENTS TO GETTING THAT GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP IS YOUR PILLOW,
EVEN THOUGH IT’S ONE ELEMENT THAT MOST OFTEN GETS OVERLOOKED. WHEN WAS THE LAST
TIME YOU EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT YOUR PILLOWS? THE ANSWER IS PROBABLY BACK WHEN YOU
BOUGHT THEM, AND THAT COULD HAVE BEEN MANY A YEAR AGO NOW.
If you find that you’re waking up feeling unrested
(despite having a good mattress), if you’re having to
punch and bunch up your pillow to make it work
for you, if your neck is aching and your head feels
heavy, the signs are pointing to the fact that you
need a new pillow – after all, a good sleeping posture
is essential if you’re going to get a good night’s sleep,
and without sufficient support in the neck and
shoulders, that posture is impossible to achieve. If
that’s the case, here are some of the important things
to look out for when you’re buying your new ones.
How Often Should You Replace
Your Pillow?
The answer to this might shock you – you should
replace your pillow(s) every 18 months or so. Having
said that, memory foam pillows are designed to last
longer, and could last as much as three years. And
of course, the more you pay for a pillow the longer
it will last. As a general rule, though, if your pillows
are approaching five years old or more, it’s time to
switch them for new ones.
Which Type?
There is a seemingly infinite array of pillow types
available, and it might feel overwhelming when you
go pillow shopping. Don’t worry though; there will
be a pillow suitable for you out there somewhere.
• Down Pillow
Down pillows are the softest type, usually made from
either duck or goose fibres. Goose is generally softer
than duck but it’s also more expensive. You can also
get various combinations of feathers, down and other
fillings – check the packaging to see what is says.
‘Pure down’ or ‘all down’ are the best options.
• Synthetic Down
Synthetic down pillows are great for people with
allergies to natural down. Although hypo-allergenic
down pillows are available, they are also expensive,
so synthetic down is a good compromise.
• Cotton
Cotton pillows can be a great choice – they are
natural, hypo-allergenic and they are resistant to
mould and dust mites. Unlike down pillows, cotton
pillows tend to be much firmer and flatter.
• Memory Foam
Memory foam pillows are extremely popular. They
mould themselves to your head and neck in response
to body heat and weight. The great thing about
memory foam is, apart from its longevity, it distributes
weight evenly across the surface of the pillow, making
it extremely comfortable. Unfortunately, memory
foam is a heat retaining material, and it can make
you sweat at night.
Sleeping Positions
People sleep in different positions; some are side
sleepers, some prefer to sleep on their stomachs,
others are happier on their backs… Each different
type of sleeper should purchase a pillow designed
for their needs.
• Side Sleepers
If you tend to be a side sleeper you will need a thicker,
firmer pillow. Look out for one that has the same
thickness as the distance between your shoulder and
your ear for ultimate comfort.
• Stomach Sleepers
For stomach sleepers, a softer, flatter pillow is best
when it comes to where to place your head. However,
in order to prevent back pain, it’s a good idea to
have another, slightly firmer, pillow under your
stomach and pelvis.
• Back sleepers
A soft pillow is good for back sleepers otherwise you
might experience neck and shoulder pain. Ideally
you need to keep your neck and shoulders in
alignment, so something that offers extra support is
a good idea.
SLEEP ON CLOUD NINE WITH
SILENT NIGHT’S NEW SQUISHY PILLOW
Sleep experts at Silentnight have created a brand new, soft velvet-touch Squishy Pillow, and it’s perfect to
snuggle up to on a cold winter’s night. The high-quality, superlatively soft and squeezably spongy, DuPont™
filling is made from small clusters of fibre which help to make the Squishy Pillow as squishy as possible,
ensuring an ultra-comfortable and supportive snooze.
The Squishy pillow starts at just £15 and is available online at www.next.co.uk and www.amazon.co.uk
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