You probably need a new pillow

Karen Haywood Queen writes about pillows in the Costco Connection for October.

Signs you need a new pillow are: You wake up with a sore back or neck. Your pillow is so flat, you have to bend it to get any loft. Or maybe it was from a bargain bin. Or maybe you heard someplace that pillows can get infested with microscopic ickies.

A good pillow can last 20 years, a cheapie only 3.

The biggest pillow is not always the best. Seventy percent of people sleep on their side. Twenty percent on their back. Ten percent on their stomach.

A side sleeper needs the most support. A back sleeper can use a medium-firm to firm. A stomach sleeper might want a mooshier (medium density) number.

You might also want allergen-free if you suffer from sniffles. These can even contain feathers and down if done right.

Memory foam also lets air circulate—some people get hot heads.

Use a pillowcase—protects against oil and dirt. Usually you can wash a pillow if you want—check the tags. Do not wash memory foam, though.

I use a memory foam cylinder I got when I had eye surgery (http://healthsasspresents.blogspot.com) and love it. Lets my nose hang off to breathe.

I used to have a pillow named Flat Pat—good for balancing a book on. When I could no longer read books in bed (I listen now), my sister took Pat.

You don’t name your pillows? Silly puppy!