Signs your pillow needs replacing as doctor highlights impact on neck support

An ageing pillow can lose its shape and support, affecting neck alignment and sleep quality. Read on to know what Dr Mihir Thanvi says about choosing the right pillow.

New Delhi: A pillow may look harmless even after years of use, but changes inside its material can affect the support it provides to the neck and spine. Flattening, unevenness and loss of resilience can gradually alter sleeping posture and contribute to discomfort on waking. Hygiene can also become a concern as pillows accumulate skin cells, moisture, dust mites and other allergens over time.

Dr Mihir Thanvi, Senior Consultant – Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Apollo Spectra Hospital, Jaipur, explains how pillow deterioration can affect sleep, neck support and musculoskeletal comfort, why replacement should depend on condition rather than an arbitrary timeline, and how pillow height should vary with sleeping position.

Flattening can change neck alignment

Explaining how regular use of the pillow and its changing shape can impact, Dr Thanvi stated, “Over 1-2 years of regular use, pillow core materials suffer structural fatigue and viscoelastic breakdown, resulting in permanent loss of loft and dynamic resilience.”

A flattened or uneven pillow may no longer support the natural curve of the neck. According to the doctor, this can allow the cervical spine to sag or tilt away from a neutral position. The resulting strain can affect the cervical facet joints, intervertebral discs and muscles around the spine.

“Sustained load over........

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