New pillows mean new materials and no mold, fungus, dust mites and dead skin

A pillow is not just a pillow.

Take a leisurely stroll around the pillow section of Bed Bath & Beyond at the Henderson store on Marks Street and notice the stacks and stacks of pillows. The standard, queen and king pillows are stacked to the ceiling and on display in shelves to touch and feel. There is even literature on how to care for the pillow.

Find a synthetic (foam, polyester), down or feather side sleeper pillow that can have low, medium or high loft depending on sleeping position. Move to the left and discover a higher loft pillow for tall people with broad shoulders. Someone with a petite frame needs a lower loft pillow to keep the spine in alignment. And someone who sleeps on his or her back or stomach should find a pillow with more loft.

According to Susan Mathes, customers need to spend as much time selecting a pillow as they do their mattress.

"Mattresses and pillows go together, and while you can't take your mattress with you when you travel, look at all the people who never leave home without their pillow," said Mathes, a representative with Therapedic, a 58-year-old mattress and sleep products manufacturer. "So when you find the right pillow, you never want to leave home without it."

Mathes said latex and memory foam are the most popular, and the most popular type of pillow is a side sleeper. Within the Therapedic line, Mathes recommends the Cooling Gel and Memory Foam pillow and the TruCool Diamond Luxury Side Sleeper pillow.

At Reverie, the leading manufacturer of adjustable beds, Lisa Tan is interested in knowing if you sleep on your side or on your back. It's important to her.

"There is a huge education gap here because people don't prioritize their sleep because it happens to them while they're unconscious," said Tan, chief marketing officer at Reverie. "We spend a third of our life in bed, so it's important to have a good mattress and supportive pillow."

Tan was sharing her pillow education during the summer Las Vegas Market, the most comprehensive furniture, home decor and gift market in the United States.

"Sleep is a critical part of our body's daily recovery process because while we're asleep our body regenerates and recovers from activity and stress," she said. "Having a supportive pillow ensures that your neck rests in a neutral position. This is important as it stops you from straining your muscles while you should be sleeping. If you wake up with a sore or stiff neck, it might be time to trade in that old pillow for something better."

See, a pillow is not just a pillow.

During her demonstration, Tan presented three pillows from Reverie: Latex Curve, designed to provide maximum neck support; Cool Down, a combination of materials that provides a soft down filling with a structured foam-lined cover that also features a cool-to-the touch outer cover for a cooling effect; and Dual Slumber 3-in-1, a double-sided pillow with memory foam on one side and plush micro-fill down alternative on the other. A removable silk-like microfiber pillow insert provides a high loft option that can be removed to create a low loft option and can also double as a travel pillow.

Diane Abell, national sales director for accessories at Reverie, said pillows and other bed accessories continue to be a strong growth area in the industry because consumers are asking for more customization for individualized needs.

"No one pillow fits everyone," she said. "We continue to study and monitor the research being done on how people sleep, and right now our research tells us that latex pillows are the most preferred. A cool room is also important to a good night's sleep and so is a cool head. Cooling gel pillows, where the entire surface is covered with gel, are becoming more popular. Sleeping on the right pillow can make the difference between a good night's rest and an energized morning or a fitful sleep with a difficult morning."

Do I need a new pillow?

Is it time to replace your pillow? This depends on the type of material that is used to make the pillow. If it is a synthetic pillow, then the life span is around six months to two years. A natural feather pillow can last up to 10 years depending on the quality.

A good way of testing whether a feather pillow needs replacing is by pushing the air out of the pillow and folding it in half. If the pillow returns to its original position, then the pillow does not need to be replaced. However, if it remains folded, replace it with a new one.

For a synthetic pillow, bend it the same way and then place a book or any flat object that weighs around 10 ounces on the folded pillow. A pillow with good support will throw off the weight and return to its normal position. A pillow with poor support will remain folded.

Some sleep experts believe a pillow should be replaced every 12 months. While it may still provide ample support, it may also be home to mildew, mold, fungus, dust mites and old skin cells.