Bedding to rest your head on

You don't often hear people talking about how important their pillows are - until they go on holiday and discover that good pillows really do make a difference when it comes to sleeping well. Bedding experts know that the type of pillows you choose can have a real impact on how well you sleep - and choosing the right pillow cases is important too.

Bedding for heads

Pillow cases are fairly simple pieces of bedding, but it's still important that you make the right choices. If your head is uncomfortable and your neck not properly supported, you're likely to stay awake for longer, or wake up more regularly during the night. Both of these situations will result in disturbed sleep and poorer performance the next day. If you're buying new bedding, think about:

• Size - many pillows come in a standard size, but it is possible to get pillows that are smaller and larger than the standard. Bear this in mind when you're buying pillow cases - cramming a larger pillow into a small pillow case will result in a lumpy pillow that won't give you the support you need. A small pillow drowning inside a king-size pillow case will also be uncomfortable, as you fight with the extra fabric around your face. Always choose the bedding that fits the pillow.

• Hygiene - our pillows can become unhygienic pretty quickly, as we sweat and lose dead skin cells during the night. Pillows also cope with the oils that are in our hair, so it's important to wash and change your pillow cases regularly to ensure good hygiene. You can buy inner pillow covers to help, and then buy decorative bedding to go over the top.

• Type - pillow cases normally come in just one or two types, making it easy to choose which ones you want. For many people, the pillow case that incorporates an "envelope" inside is best, because it allows you to tuck the pillow into the case, removing the possibility of the pillow falling out of the case during the night. Oxford pillow cases have an additional border around the pillow, which looks great, but can get in the way at night. As always, this type of bedding comes down to personal preference.

Given the importance of supporting your neck and head at night, it's worth paying attention to the pillows we use and the bedding we choose.

Duncan Stewart Textiles Ltd has been trading online at www.towelsrus.co.uk for over 5 years. With 30 years of experience in the towel and home textiles market, we offer the very best in quality and service both to businesses and individual clients. We give you as much information nand advice as we can so that you can make an informed choice when it comes to buying bedding, towels and other textiles. Whether you're replenishing your linen cupboard or ordering personalised towels for a corporate events, we can help. Browse our website to order online, or call us on 0845 123 5880.