It is the place you lay your head on night after night, so it’s important that the pillow you choose is just right for your needs.
But how do you pick out a pillow? What’s the best type of pillow for you, and how do you balance comfort with the all-important head and neck support? If you’ve ever wondered which type of pillow is best for you, look no further than our pillow-buying guide.
In this guide, we’ll do the following:
- Break down some of the key factors to consider when choosing a new pillow.
- Get into the detail of what a good pillow to buy is.
- Troubleshoot some of the problems you might have been experiencing with your old pillow.
Ready to make your sleep even better? Let’s get into it.
How to buy a pillow
If you’ve been agonising over selecting the right pillow, or your current one just isn’t cutting it anymore, updating your head pillow can feel like a complicated task. To help you make the right choice, step one is to figure out what priorities are the most important to you.
Once you’ve established those, you can narrow down your field of options allowing you to choose a pillow that will best serve your needs. Below are some of the common areas to consider:
Sleeping position
Whether you curl up and sleep on your side, lie flat on your back or tend to end up on your stomach, your sleeping position is perhaps the most important element to consider when buying a new pillow.
- Front sleepers need a slim profile pillow to avoid raising their head and neck up too high, so a flat pillow is ideal for them.
- Side sleepers would need a pillow that would cradle their head and hold their neck securely- in line with their shoulders.
- Back sleepers would require pillows with medium firmness as it would elevate the neck to keep alignment with the rest of their spine.
- For the constant movers, they would need an adaptable pillow that offers plenty of different zones and options for different positions.
What’s your preferred feel?
Of course, what you need in a pillow is only one part of the decision-making process. Comfort is key when it comes to picking out the right pillow! Generally, feel will coincide with what’s best for your spinal posture — you’ll quickly feel uncomfortable if a pillow is too high or too low to cradle your head in a natural position. However, the feel of a pillow can also refer to its firmness and density, not just its height- whether you like a bit of resistance or prefer to gently sink into your pillow, will affect the softness and type of pillow that you choose.
Material
Material often goes hand in hand with feel, but it will also dictate how long you can expect your pillow to last, and how to care for it.
Latex and memory foam
Both have a life span of up to 10 years, are hypoallergenic and conforms to the sleeper’s shape over time to give you that perfect fit at night.
Feather down or eiderdown
This is a soft, premium and fluffy choice, but bear in mind that this is an animal product and can last from 5 to 10 years.
Cotton and wool
Cotton and wool have a shorter life span but are made from a naturally insulating material that are still breathable.
Polyester
Polyester tends to have the shortest lifespan of all the materials but is easily flattened into a low-profile pillow for front sleepers, and tends to be the most budget-friendly option.
The climate
If you live in a climate that experiences temperature extremes, this will factor into your choice of pillow. For very cold climates, feather down and wool can create extra layers of insulation and warmth while still maintaining breathability. In hot and humid climates, an open cell structure foam pillow helps regulate the body’s temperature while also being mould-resistant, sweat stain-resistant, and easily washed regularly for a fresh, clean pillow every night.
Be cautious about allergies
Latex foam and memory foam are good hypoallergenic options and are easy to clean while resisting dust mites or other allergens. Latex, wool and feather down can all be potential allergens, so bear this in mind when making your decision. All pillows should be regularly aired, fluffed, and laundered to avoid the build-up of dust, fungal growth or mites, and to prolong their life.
How do you pick out a pillow everyone will like?
If you have a guest room that you’re furnishing and you want to choose a pillow that’s a great all-rounder (pleasing all types of sleepers and regulating the temperature for visitors who may not be used to the weather), how do you buy a pillow that fits the bill for everyone? A great solution to the problem of finding a Goldilocks pillow is the SwissAire 5-in-1 Ergonomic Pillow. Made from a viscoelastic foam with a very open cell structure, the Ergo 5-in-1 pillow allows your guests to find the perfect zone for their sleep style, no matter what that is.
Each side has a different level of firmness, allowing them to choose the right level for their comfort, whether they like a softer or more resistant surface. Depending on their sleeping position and height, different guests will need different styles of pillows too.
With the 5-in-1 ergonomic pillow, they can choose from three different heights, allowing for comfortable side sleep, back sleep and stomach sleep, no matter how broad their shoulders are or how petite their frame is. Best of all, this foam pillow is anti-fungal, antibacterial, and dust-mite resistant and can be laundered regularly in a 60ºC wash, making it the hygienic choice that’s perfect for high-use guest bedrooms with multiple visitors.
Choose the right pillow for you at SwissAire
If you’re wondering how to buy a pillow that will give you a great night’s rest and won’t let you down, don’t look any further than SwissAire. Swiss technology meets quality craftsmanship in our entire range of pillows designed to support and offer maximum comfort, no matter how you sleep.
If you’re ready to buy your next pillow, chat with us today about the best option for you.