Inside Hästens’s “sleep spa” showrooms in Sydney and Melbourne, customers encounter a carefully curated atmosphere designed to evoke the calm of a boutique hotel. The Swedish mattress and pillow maker is known for luxury sleep products, favored by celebrities such as Emily Blunt. Its signature pillows come with hefty price tags, exemplifying a growing trend among Australians spending more on sleep-related goods, even as many continue to struggle with poor rest.
The promise of improved sleep through high-end pillows is an appealing one, but experts caution that sleep quality depends on far more than just bedding. Sleep specialist Emilia Axelsson highlights the importance of pillow height and support, which help keep the neck aligned and muscles relaxed throughout the night. Based on individual assessments, she recommends products ranging from the Beddoc Therapeutic Pillow, priced at $1,035, to Hästens’s High Firm Pillow, which retails for $725. Both options offer specialized support for side sleepers, although their significant cost raises questions about the value of expensive sleep aids.
Despite the convenience of such solutions, sleep physician David Cunnington stresses that pillows alone cannot address the complex causes of sleep disorders. He notes that while a pillow may increase comfort, it is unlikely to resolve underlying problems. Cunnington explains that many consumers turn to sleep products as a means of regaining control in the face of multifaceted issues affecting sleep, but warns that excessive focus on perfecting sleep accessories can be counterproductive, with stress and daytime habits playing major roles.
Case in point is Samuel Paterson, a mining engineer who has invested heavily in pillows over the years, hoping to relieve frequent neck pain resulting from his physically demanding work conditions. While many pillows have failed to provide lasting relief, Paterson found some improvement with Dunlopillo’s Luxurious Latex Contour Pillow, priced at around $190 and endorsed by the Australian Physiotherapy Association.
Physiotherapist Trudy Rebbeck points to sedentary lifestyles, increased screen time, and reduced physical activity as contributing factors to neck pain and discomfort that are often mistaken as solely pillow-related problems. She advises that proper pillow height and alignment are critical but must be considered alongside other factors such as mattress firmness, movement, muscle strength, stress management, and overall health.
Pillow materials—from memory foam and latex to down and feathers—affect feel but do not determine effectiveness on their own. The key is whether a pillow maintains comfortable support in the individual sleeper’s preferred position. For some, like sleep research student Claire Boland, the experience of luxury hotel bedding drives pillow preferences. Boland found Sheridan’s Pure Indulgence Feather & Goose Down Pillow ($450) replicates that feeling, but ultimately found the Emma Diamond Pillow ($269) better matched her sleep needs by providing support that allowed her to forget about the pillow altogether.
After testing a range of options, including ergonomic memory foam and pillows using advanced materials, it remains clear that there is no universal solution. While the Hästens High Firm Pillow was a favored choice for its feel, its price point is prohibitive for many. The most effective pillow, experts agree, is highly personal and depends on individual body type, sleep position, and preferences.
As more Australians seek solutions to sleeplessness through costly products, specialists emphasize that good sleep is best supported by a holistic approach—one that extends beyond the mattress or pillow to include lifestyle, health, and stress management.