While your weight, the width of of shoulders and any allergies (eg to feathers) will affect your choice, the most important factor is your sleeping position: While I adore nothing more than a peaceful slumber, I do tend to be a restless sleeper. I toss and turn, feel too hot then too cold, get all tangled in my duvet and never stop flipping over my pillow to get the cool side. So I was majorly looking forward to testing out the Silentnight Wellbeing Cool Touch Pillow. Where relevant, we also take into account other aspects including trial periods, washable covers and extra features – such as adjustable and ergonomic designs – all of which can play a part in our recommendations. Silentnight’s Airmax Pillow’s main goal is to provide you with as much breathability as possible while you sleep. This is largely thanks to the pillow’s air mesh sides that promote air flow and comfort. The increased circulation ought to prevent overheating, too. How did I sleep?

Given that we’ve finally cottoned on to the importance of a good night’s sleep for our health and wellbeing, it is staggering how many of us will put up with a pillow that is too flat, too tall, too soft or too hard. These days brands like Simba, Tempur and Panda all have different types of pillows for different sleeping positions. So there’s no excuse for hanging on to an uncomfortable pillow. Comfort and supporting your spine and the natural curvature of your spine and taking weight off the pressure points in your body is really crucial to creating a sense of weightlessness. The less pain that you’re in, the less discomfort that you’re in, the more likely you are to be able to stay still, and staying still is crucial for good sleep quality.” The cover layer of the Silentnight Just Like Down pillow is made from microfibre. This is a form of polyester which is super soft to touch but also very durable. Giving the pillow a soft feel greatly adds to the comfortable feel of the pillow and you relax in an enjoyable sleep environment. A bonus of using this material is that it is easy to keep clean. The cover is not removable but it does not need to be as the full pillow can be machine washed. Keeping the pillow clean and hygienic will help it keep its shape for longer. 2. Down Like Eco Fibre LayerFor this test we worked our way through a constant rotation of new pillows, looking for those that helped us sleep better. The first thing we learned is that material is a key factor. Broadly speaking, there are five types that you need to know about: washable cotton, luxurious down, memory foam for support, modern microfibre and hybrids of two or more of those. See the FAQ at the bottom of this article for a full explanation of the pros and cons of each. Hybrid: A hybrid pillow combines multiple fill types, the most popular combination being foam and microfibre. This way, you get the benefit of a foam structure to support your head, and fluffy fibres for softness.

We wouldn’t normally include the same brand twice, but Simba’s Stratos is sufficiently different from the Hybrid pillow at the top of this list to justify separate billing. It’s cheaper, for a start, but the main selling-point is the Stratos material used for the cover. Yes, at least every six months, because of the dead skin cells and bodily fluids that may accumulate in the pillow itself. Pillowcases should be washed every two weeks. How do I wash my pillows? It’s a little bit firmer than the Otty Deluxe, but it’s not so firm that it feels clinical, instead landing somewhere in the middle of the spectrum. It comes with an inbuilt protector, plus a soft, breathable and hypoallergenic bamboo cover (which can be washed at 40°C), which helps you to keep things fresher than washing your pillowcase alone .If you have sensitive skin, this could be the pillow for you, as it is OEKO-TEX certified free from irritants and chemicals, and the soft, smooth bamboo cover is naturally antimicrobial. However, the pillows did look and feel luxurious (making them great options for guest rooms!). Do I recommend the Silentnight Hotel Collection Pillow Pair? If you have a single or double bed, choose a standard-size pillow. If you have a king or super-king bed, you may want to consider a super-king pillow. Square pillows are typically used for decoration. The Silentnight Wellbeing Cool Touch Pillow is ideal for those who spend the night constantly flipping over their pillow for the cool side. It comes with pressure activated gel pads that absorb body heat to cool you down naturally as you sleep. How did I sleep? We’ve got more and more research showing how temperature is really crucial to sleep disturbances and the ability to stay in sleep,” says sleep psychologist Hope Bastine. “We also see a correlation between nightmares and high body temperature. So keeping the body temperature quite low is important for staying in deep sleep as well as being comfortable.”