Sleep Talk: Your Guide To Picking The Perfect Pillow

Once seen as just a simple necessity for a good night’s sleep, the humble pillow has since become a far more complicated choice.

Hotels now regularly offer pillow menus, featuring everything from memory foam to buckwheat husks; pillows have been repurposed into clothes or even – in one viral trend – belted and used as dresses.

But what makes a comfortable pillow for sleeping? Does microfibre beat feather for a healthier night’s rest, or is it a matter of personal taste?

• Down and Feather vs. Microfibre

When it comes to materials, the options can feel endless, but you needn’t be overwhelmed. Firstly, traditional down and feather pillows are perfect for those of us who prefer a light, natural-feeling pillow.

They’re also warm and breathable. The more down a pillow contains, the more heat it will retain.

In our climate, the Ultimate Luxury European Pillow, with 80 per cent down and 20 per cent feather, is lofty and warm (great as we come into the cooler months), while a higher feather count is cooler for summer.

Microfibre pillows, on the other hand, have a balanced fill, which provides excellent head support – a good option for sore necks that require a more even bolster. A great option is Polite Society’s Microfibre Pillow, which is excellently priced, too.

• How to Choose the Right Pillow for Your Sleep Style

The height and firmness of your pillow are more than just personal preferences – they’re key to a comfortable, well-aligned sleep. But do you really need perfect alignment to avoid neck pain?

 “There’s a spectrum of opinion,” explains Alex Flood, a physiotherapist and expert in musculoskeletal matters. “Some argue that perfect alignment is essential to avoid issues, while others note that humans have slept without memory-foam contour pillows for millennia, so how critical can it really be?”

Flood’s advice is to recognise your sleep style, and go from there. For back sleepers, a low pillow height and firmness usually works best, while for those who sleep on their side, a medium-height pillow to fill the space between your head and shoulder is ideal.

Stomach sleepers should opt for a low or even no pillow to avoid neck strain.

When in doubt, Flood suggests asking someone to snap a photo of you lying on the pillow – this will help you assess your neck and spine alignment.

“Comfort should be your ultimate decider,” says Flood.

• Match Your Pillow to Your Bed

While many of us may default to a standard pillow size, it pays to consider choosing the right size for your bed and comfort. A Polite Society standard pillow measures 50 x 75cm, the perfect size for a single, double or queen bed. For a king and a super king bed, you might prefer an American king pillow, measuring 50 x 90cm, a couple of which will stretch the width of the mattress. 

If in doubt, always go larger with your pillowcase, giving the pillow and its contents room to breathe.

Meanwhile, a European pillow, measuring 65 x 65cm, makes the perfect occasional cushion, useful for propping yourself up in bed or balancing a book on your lap while you read.

At Polite Society, our extensive range of pillowcases enables you to create a perfectly appointed bed, with just the right number of pillows for you. The Messina Linen collection, for example, comes in a range of sizes and colourways, from soft dove greys and duck egg to a rich, deep botanical green. Mixing a block colour with a natural stripe or pale gingham adds interest and polish.

If you’ve chosen crisp white bedlinen, a pillowcase with a border can elevate the look – we love the chic, biased-edge border on our Santorini range, and the refined Oxford borders (with a subtle satin stitch detail) on our Buckingham sets. Think of your pillowcases as an opportunity to personalise your bedlinen to better reflect your taste.

• How to Care for Your Pillows

Just like a good mattress, your pillow has a shelf life. Most pillows need to be replaced every six to eight months, although they can last up to a couple of years, depending on the fill and how much use they get. Polite Society pillows are designed with longevity in mind. 

Signs that it’s time for a new pillow include loss of shape or support, says Flood.

To extend your pillow’s life, keep it clean and dry. Contrary to popular opinion, feather and down pillows can be washed on a gentle cycle and then either tumble-dried at a low temperature or hung to dry. 

Flood suggests it’s also a great idea to invest in a pillow protector, such as this 100 per cent cotton protector, which prevents dust mites, allergens and bacteria from infiltrating your pillow. Protectors also prolong the lifetime of your pillow.

• Choosing the Right Pillowcase

Just as you pay attention to the fabric in your clothes, it’s important to consider the material used to make your pillowcase. Beauty editors have long espoused the benefits of a silk pillowcase for tangle-free hair and a soft complexion; we love the smooth finish and longevity of our Damask pillowcases, produced from our 100 per cent cotton jacquard fabric and featuring a subtle, delicate pattern. 

Linen also makes a great choice for a good night’s sleep, as its breathable natural fibres wick away moisture and have hypoallergenic qualities. (A natural, linen look promotes an appealingly relaxed vibe, too!) Our Amalfi Sky bedlinen, for example, is cut from 100 per cent Belgian linen chambray cloth woven in Italy, and finished by our master seamstresses in Sydney, combining form and function perfectly.

• Sleep Hygiene Matters

Even the world’s best pillow can’t fix poor sleep habits. If you’re struggling to sleep, take a closer look at your overall sleep hygiene – think consistent bedtime routines, a dark and quiet room, and limiting screen time before bed.

 “Consider sleep holistically and your overall sleep hygiene,” says Flood. “The Sleep Foundation has some great resources for this, as well as guides on sleep aids (melatonin), sleep disorders and more.”  

But it's important to maintain perspective. At the end of the day, Flood says there is “minimal evidence” to indicate that certain pillow profiles or types will lead to problems; it’s more a case of selecting the pillow profile and fill that feels the most comfortable for you.