If Your Pillows Fail This Test, It's Time To Replace Them

Have you ever wondered when it's time to get rid of your pillows? After all, sometimes you have broken one in and it's so comfortable you may not even notice it's actually detrimental to you. While it's ideal to replace your pillows every two years (if not sooner), there is a way to determine if one is ready for the bin. Rather than waiting until your cushions get super lumpy or flat, you can try the hack of folding them in half and testing if they stay that way. If a pillow does remain folded, that means it's got to go. When your neck doesn't get enough material to support it and brace it as you sleep, it can actually cause health issues and lead to everything from pain to strains and pulls. If you're not sure about which pillows need to be swapped for newer versions, this hack is for you.

It may come as a surprise how often you should be changing out your pillows. However, because you were placing weight on them for an extended amount of time as you sleep, this can cause the materials inside to shift and flatten, creating less support for your head, neck, and even back. The more wear a pillow gets and the more the materials are used, various issues in your body can occur, including disrupted sleep that leads to health issues. You don't necessarily have to toss old pillows: you can repurpose them around the house for uses other than sleeping.

Even if you're really good about keeping your bed pillows clean and fluffy, they do have an expiration date. To test its elasticity, take your pillow and fold it in half horizontally. It is suggested by some to hold this in place for ten seconds. If the pillow flops back into place within five seconds or less, then it's still in good condition and can be used further. However, if the pillow stays folded, this means it is beyond healthy use. The tricky part is if your pillow doesn't bounce back as quickly but still springs back after five seconds or more, how do you determine if it's still good to use or a little too close to worn out? In this situation, it may be a good idea to try again in a few months rather than waiting another year or more.

While there is no set amount of time between folding checks, if your pillow is relatively new, you don't need to worry about it for at least one to two years. These are good markers of when you want to start checking on the status of your sleeping cushions. Different fillers in your pillows also have different life spans. For example, memory foam can last anywhere between two and three years, while synthetic filler materials are the kind you want to replace after two. Always check how long you should keep your specific pillow type, but try this test in between the recommended replacement years to see if it needs to go sooner. This will ensure you're getting the sleep you need and keep you feeling good.