People are being urged to change their pillows at least annually to help their breathing.

Asthma charity Open Airways is promoting a “New Year = New Pillow” habit, recommending that everyone replaces their pillows at the beginning of each year.

To help, the charity will be giving free pillow vouchers to all students with asthma who are on the 2023-24 Bermuda Student Asthma Registry.

Lindsay Bishop, the director of asthma education with Open Airways, said: “The reason for this New Year = New Pillow initiative was twofold.

“We want to instil good habits that promote health and improve asthma symptoms for all, and we wish to have every student who has asthma be included on the registry.”

Ms Bishop said changing pillows every year was important “because we spend much of our lives with our nose and mouth next to our pillow as we sleep”.

She said pillows can include mould, dust mites, fungi and pet dander, all of which are triggers for those with asthma and allergies.

“The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America estimates that 10 per cent of the weight of a pillow is from dust mites and their droppings. They also advise replacing your pillow every one to two years, or in some cases much sooner.”

As well as changing them, Ms Bishop said pillows and pillowcases should also be washed on a regular basis.

To receive a pillow, students with asthma should be added to the registry no later than tomorrow.

Registrations can be made here or at the Open Airways website www.openairways.com.

People with questions about asthma or COPD [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease], can contact Open Airways on 536-6060 or e-mail Nurse@openairways.com.