No one can argue that good sleep equals a happy life, and your pillow plays a huge role in getting a good, peaceful slumber.
But you may harm your health if you don’t replace your pillows often. Here’s why doctors are advising you to toss out that yellow pillow.
Pillows are usually changed every couple of years
The thing about pillows is that they usually flatten fast, so if you’re picky with your bedding, you probably end up having to replace them every one or two years.
But if your pillow is discolored and has turned yellow, you might want to throw it out sooner.
Someone went viral for using a yellow pillow
A guy once went viral on X/Twitter with 60K likes and 4.7M views on the platform after posting a picture of his yellow pillow.
He wrote the caption: “Gf is mad at me because I have revealed to her The Yellow Pillow. Fellas, I’m sure you all know that this thing is magic.”
Comfortable doesn’t always mean healthy
In a reply to his post, the social media user jokingly wrote, “It’s not my fault the pillow is yellow and bestows upon me the most peaceful slumber.”
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While an old pillow might be comfortable, it could also be bad for your health.
A doctor shared the health risks of a yellow pillow
Dr. Rubin, a professional on TikTok whose handle on the platform is @rubin_allergy, has explained why yellow pillows could pose health risks, sharing some of the associated problems.
“As an allergist, from my perspective, it poses some health problems if you keep a pillow for years on end and you see that yellowing,” he said.
The allergist explained why it’s risky
In the video, the doctor explained why yellow pillows could pose some health risks.
He said, “Even if you have a pillowcase over it, the oils from your skin can get through the pillowcase and over time stain the pillow.”
A yellow pillow could worsen your allergies
The doctor explained that those oils from your skin that seep through your pillowcase could “create some odd smells, and it could increase the risk of having mold and dust mite allergens on them, making your allergy, asthma, and potentially eczema symptoms worse.”
The doctor strongly advises you to change it up
“Therefore, depending on the type of pillow and its quality you may be able to get one to five years out of that pillow before you actually have to change it,” Dr. Rubin advised.
It’s time to go check all the pillows in the house, fellas.
What causes a pillow to turn yellow
You’re probably wondering what even causes pillows to yellow, one reason is sweat which can seep through your pillowcase and cause the fabric of your pillows to discolor.
Natural oils from your face and hair could also cause that yellowing, so it’s sort of out of your control; even with a good bedtime skincare routine, your products could be seeping into the pillow.
How you could make a pillow last longer
Dr. Rubin shared a few ways to make a pillow last longer, saying, “There are different things you could do to help increase the lifespan of that pillow, including getting a zipper covering over the pillow so that it’s dustproof to keep those dust mites out.”
The doctor also advised regular washing
“You want to make sure that you’re laundering the pillowcase regularly, and depending on the type of pillow, you can actually put the pillow in the washer,” Dr. Rubin added.
He also advised if you feel the pillow is getting lumpy, you should probably change it.