Everything from wear and tear to build up of skin cells and dust mites can signal it's time to replace your pillow. Once your pillow starts becoming lumpy, saggy or cannot maintain their original form, you should definitely start shopping for a new one. 

When buying a pillow, the two fundamental things to consider are:

How do you sleep?

Your sleeping position will determine what type of pillow height and firmness you should go for. 

First, identify which sleeping position you are - a stomach sleeper, side sleeper, back sleeper or combination sleeper because different sleepers requires different pillow types to support the neck and spine. 

In what position do you feel most comfortable when you trying to fall asleep? This is a good starting point to discover your likely sleep type. If you are still unsure, you are probably best buying a pillow suited to a combination sleeper.

Because the best sleeping position is to keep the full length of your spine in a neutral position, stomach sleepers need very little height. A soft, thin pillow is the best option to minimise this spinal strain by ensuring your back is in as neutral a position as possible.

Use a soft, thin pillow for your head and consider propping up your pelvis with another thin pillow or folded towel to improve spinal alignment.

If you are a back sleeper, you should be looking for a pillow which provides support in order to keep your head in line with your spine. A good way of checking this is if your ears are in line with your shoulders and your chin is in line with your sternum when you are lying on your back.

Back sleepers should be looking for a pillow with medium firmness and medium to low loft. They're often made with an inner chamber of a denser fill to help create structure and support, with softer fill around the outside. You want your head to be lifted off the mattress to keep it aligned and you don’t want your head to sink into the pillow throughout the night, putting it in the wrong position.

Sleeping on your sides creates a gap between your head and the mattress, and a taller loft helps fill this space preventing your head from tilting downward or being uncomfortably elevated.

It will also help make sure your shoulder isn’t bearing all of your weight, which can cause shoulder pain from sleeping on your side.

If you sleep on your side, then we recommend a medium to firm pillow to provide complete support and alignment for head, neck and shoulders.

Look for pillows with high loft and firmer support. This is to ensure your head is at the right height (in line with your shoulders) when you are lying on your side and so you do not sink into your pillow throughout the night.

The kind of filling material inside your pillow can also make or break a good night’s sleep. Luckily, you have many types of pillows to choose from.

Pillows are generally made from either natural or synthetic materials, each of which have their own advantages and are suited for a particular sleep preference, such as price, durability, a softer or firmer feel, or whether they are suitable for people prone to allergies.

Natural fillings are generally lightweight and breathable. If you prefer a pillow with a softer, responsive feel, a pillow with a natural fill would be a good match for you. These are the most common pillows made with natural fillings:

Pillows made using synthetic fillings are available in a variety of shapes and styles. They are versatile and can provide additional support, making them suitable for a wide range of sleep positions.

They are generally less expensive than pillows made with natural fillings and are suitable for people who may be allergic to natural fillings such as down.

Below are some of the most popular pillow types. Explore to see what option fits you best:

Apart from your sleeping positions and preferences, there are also other important factors that you should consider when choosing your perfect pillow.

1) Pillow Cover and Maintenance: Look for removable, breathable and washable covers. Polyester, cotton and bamboo covers are popular choices and here are some of their key differences;

Which should you choose?

• Choose Bamboo if you value ultimate softness, are sensitive to heat, or prefer an eco-friendly luxury feel.
• Choose Cotton if you want a classic, crisp cover that is long-lasting, sturdy, and easy to clean.
• Choose Polyester if you need an inexpensive, heavy-duty cover that resists wrinkles and requires minimal maintenance.

2) Customer Reviews

We recommend reading through customer reviews to help you understand first-hand what others’ experience has been with their purchase, so you can make an informed buying decision.

3) Quality Standards

Choose pillows which are made with high quality materials that meet international certifications such as CertiPUR-US® for foam, and OEKO-TEX® for textile materials. This ensures your pillow meets the required performance standards and does not carry any health risks.

 All elmira pillows are oeko-tek 100 and certipur-US certified so you can trust that they’re safe for you and your family. Learn more about our materials and certifications. 

4) Cooling Properties

Pillows can vary in terms of their breathability and cooling properties. If you tend to sweat when you sleep or stay in a hot climate, look for pillow fillings that allow air to flow through such as microfibre, down / feathers, latex or shredded foam. Memory foam pillows can trap heat, though many contain cooling gel or other cooling materials that counteracts this tendency.

For instance, the snow-silk fabric cover® in some of our pillows allows for more airflow to keep you cool all night long.

Tend towards the hotter side when you sleep? If so, you might want to add a cooling pillow to your cart. The Elmira classic snow pillow & Elmira snow neck pillow boasts a cool to the touch fabric, all to keep you chill and content from lights off to lights on.

5) Adjustability

Some modern pillows allow users to adjust or change the filling to your liking. This is especially helpful for combination sleepers.

You can add more filling or additional padding to make the pillow firmer or higher, or reduce the filling to make it lie flatter against your mattress. This is a useful feature to have and reduces the likelihood where the pillow’s height or firmness isn’t suitable for your preferences.

One size doesn't fit all, so we designed the Elmira® Adjustable Shredded Pillow to offer a one-of-a-kind, personalized sleep experience.

The proprietary blend of ELMIRA-Material™, lightweight liner and breathable fabric cover let you fluff, scrunch, flatten, nest into — or even remove — the fully adjustable ELMIRA-Blend™ fill to customize the pillow’s shape and support for your personal needs.

6) Home Trial and Returns Policy

When buying a pillow, you may never know if it fits your needs without trying it out for a few nights. Consider whether a home trial and refund policy is offered with your pillow, so you can test out the pillow at home for a period of time to properly evaluate whether it’s the right one for you.

Learn more about our 30-night pillow trial.

7) Pillow Warranty

After making your purchase, you’d want to be sure that your pillow comes free of any issues. The warranty period and coverage offered with pillows can vary depending on the brand and pillow type. While most policies cover defects in materials or workmanship, some also offer coverage on sagging or loss of support.

Learn more about elmira pillow warranty policy 

8) Pillow lifespan 

Long-lasting pillows are made from superior materials. Quality materials cost more and that’s why often, but not always, the price of a new pillow is tied to its durability.

For example, a good polyester pillow can last up to two years, whereas you can expect a Talalay latex pillow to last for 10.

To extend your pillow's lifespan, we recommend using pillow protectors and washing your pillows every 4 - 6 months if washable.

9. Budget

The cost of a pillow depends on materials and craftsmanship.

Materials that are typically more expensive due to how they are made or gathered include latex, memory foam, feather and down. By contrast, cotton and polyester are cheaper to produce, therefore the pillows with these fillings are similarly cheaper.

Something else to look out for is quality differences that exist even among pillows constructed with the same filling material.

For example, not all polyester fibres have the same specifications and treatments, nor is all latex the same. 

A good example of this is Talalay latex. Compared to regular latex, Talalay latex is regarded as higher quality due to how the latex is frozen within its mould to stabilise the cell structure during manufacturing. This results in denser latex which retains its supportive rebounding properties longer, and is longer lasting.

While you may be tempted to opt for the most budget-friendly option, think of pillows as an investment in your sleep quality and overall wellness. 

High-quality pillows may be pricier, but they may also offer better durability, support, and comfort. They still come in a range of cost options, with Elmira pillows ranging from N39,000 to N120,000. 

For your pillows to last for as long as possible, it is important to take good care of them. While many people would regularly change their pillowcases, they often forget that their pillow also needs regular cleaning from time to time, particularly as pillows are likely used in very close contact with their face. Over time, pillows can accumulate sweat, body oils, saliva and dust mites, and thus it is necessary to keep them as clean as possible.

We highly recommend using a pillow protector or cover (in addition to your pillowcase) for all-round protection against liquids, dust mites and allergens, particularly for people who are more sensitive to allergies.

Many pillows are machine washable, while some can only be dry-cleaned. Other types of pillows such as memory foam pillows cannot be machine washed, but often come with a separate cover that can be taken off to be washed. We recommend washing your pillow at least two times a year, and do check your pillow’s care label for wash instructions.

It is recommended to replace pillows every 2 years due to bacteria that may build up within the pillow.