By: Dr. Marc Kruger, Medical Director
Kuakini Pulmonary Sleep Disorders Center • Phone: 547-9119
Getting a good night’s sleep can help get you going in the mornings and sleeping with a good pillow will certainly help. But if your pillow has seen better nights, it can worsen headaches, neck pain, shoulder and arm numbness, sneezing and wheezing. A bad pillow won’t cause any of these problems but using an incorrect pillow can exacerbate many underlying problems linked to those symptoms.
Even if it’s covered by a pillow cover, over time, a well-used pillow may collect skin cells, as well as contain mold, mildew, fungus, and dust mites that could make up over half its weight.
When is it time to replace your pillow? Experts say the general rule is to purchase a new pillow every 12 to 18 months, whenever you notice allergies flaring up or when you experience increased neck discomfort.
