This 15 Minute Pillow Trick Will Help You Get the Best Night’s Sleep
Is finally getting a good night’s sleep at the top of your New Year’s resolutions? Then we definitely suggest trying this quick pillow trick to help get some sweet slumber.
A reader was kind enough to share the clever tip in a recent issue of our print magazine (Buy on Amazon, $18.97 for one year subscription). Jane Willis from Ohio wrote in saying, “After waking up exhausted every day for a week, a friend suggested that I tumble dry my pillows on high heat with two tennis balls for 15 minutes before bed.”
Now, we understand fans of cool pillows might find this advice to be a bit backwards — but it’s not about warming it up for you to lay your head on. Instead, it will get rid of any sneaky critters that like to get in the way of our snoozing. “Dust mites on the pillows can trigger grogginess and the heat along with the tennis balls helps kill the pests,” Jane explained. “I’ve felt great ever since!”
You can let the pillow chill down before sleeping, of course, and you don’t have to use this dryer routine every single night before hitting the sack. Cleaning your bedsheets and pillowcases on a regular basis (ideally once a week) should take care of most of the sleep-depriving mites. But if you notice yourself feeling especially groggy despite that, giving your pillows a spin in the dryer just might be the solution.
It’s also important to remember to occasionally run pillows through the washer for a good scrub, too. The cleaning experts at Handy recommend doing so at least twice a year. Just make sure the material is washer-friendly, like cotton, down, or synthetic fabrics. Memory foam is more sensitive, so those will need to be hand-washed instead. The company also agrees with using tennis balls in the dryer, explaining they can help pillows stay fluffed up and get fully dried. Lingering moisture can lead to mold and bacteria that can also mess with your sleep (and overall health), so you don’t want any dampness hanging around.
Here’s hoping these tips can help us all start 2021 well-rested, energized, and ready to make the best of the year to come!
