How Often Should You Replace a Pillow?

There is no fixed number of years that applies to everyone. Replace your pillow when it no longer suits you or no longer feels the way it used to, not according to the calendar.

How do I know my pillow no longer fits?

The right pillow height depends on your body measurements, your sleeping position and your mattress. If one of these changes, a pillow that worked well for a long time can suddenly stop fitting. Typical signs:

What matters is not the age of the pillow, but whether it keeps your head and cervical spine in a line and leaves room for your shoulder. You can read more in Pillow too high or too low? How to tell.

How do I care for a Pillowise pillow?

The core of the Pillowise pillow is 100% memory foam and is made in the Netherlands. The cover has a moisture-regulating top layer of Tencel and a bottom layer of polyester. It can be washed in the washing machine at 40 °C. The materials are certified to STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX.

We deliberately don't give a number of years for its lifespan, because it depends on how the pillow is used. Every Pillowise pillow comes with a 5-year warranty. That is a commitment under the warranty terms, not a statement about when you should replace the pillow. You can find the terms under Warranty terms. For general information about the material, see Memory Foam Pillows: Effects, Pros and Cons, Care and Odour.

Should I measure again when I replace my pillow?

Yes, that makes sense. Choosing a new pillow by feel is often a matter of trial and error. Pillowise determines your size using three measurements:

• Shoulder width: measured around the curve of your back, with the tape measure lying loosely.
• Neck circumference: once all the way around your neck.
• Neck length: from the underside of your ear to the tip of your shoulder.

On top of that come your sleeping position (back, side, stomach) and your mattress (soft, medium, firm). From these, an algorithm selects one of six pillows, each in its own colour: pink, orange, green, blue, red or purple. We explain how the height is determined under Calculate Your Pillow Height.

What about neck discomfort?

A well-fitting pillow is not a cure. If you have ongoing pain, please have the cause checked by a doctor.

So: do I need to replace my pillow regularly?

Not on a fixed schedule. If you sleep well, wake up without discomfort, and neither your mattress nor your sleeping position has changed, you don't need to change anything. If one of those no longer holds true, it's worth taking a fresh look at your pillow size.

Find your size: You can get measured at a retailer or use PillowScan. Find your size now or find a retailer near you.

Thijs van der Hilst, physiotherapist (non-practising)
Inventor of Pillowise