I Tested Aldi’s £12.99 CBD Pillow for Better Sleep—It Worked in Just Two Days, But a Surprising Neck Rash Followed!

IF your bedtime routine involves scrolling, tossing and turning and fluffing up a sad old pillow, you’re not alone.

One in five Brits claim not to get enough shut-eye, with worries, late-night scrolling and eating late often to blame.

Pictured, Aldi’s new CBD pillow tested by Lynsey HopeCredit: Oliver Dixon After five days using the pillow Lynsey developed a rash on her neckCredit: Supplied

Around 48 per cent don’t get the and only five per cent consistently through the night.

Aldi’s latest middle aisle product promises to help you drift off in record time, without a price tag.

When I heard it was bringing a Silentnight CBD Pillow to stores for just £12.99, my ears pricked up.

As someone who often lies awake for hours before being able to drift off, I couldn’t wait to give it a try.

It has been released ahead of on Friday, March 13. I got to the shops on the morning the pillows were released to make sure I bagged one.

It’s a standard size, made from a knitted polyester fabric that has been treated with CBD.

My sleep has worsened since having three children in my thirties. I think I’ve gotten so used to waking up in the night that it’s now hard for my body to sleep through.

I hear every sound and even the slightest noise wakes me up.

I hope and pray this pillow might make a difference. It felt nice and plump and the design includes a satin piped edge with a branded Silentnight tab.

If nothing else, it’s definitely an upgrade on the old stained pillow I’ve probably been using for five years or more.

How is the pillow made?

Tiny CBD-filled capsules are embedded into the fabric of the pillow cover.

When you lay your head on it, movement breaks the capsules and CBD is slowly released onto your skin or into the air.

CBD is then absorbed through the skin or inhaled in trace amounts.

It’s, stress reduction and improving sleep quality. The filling is 100 per cent polyester.

It’s washable at 40C, making it easy to keep clean and hygienic. It should not be tumble dried or ironed.

What is CBD?

CBD is short for cannabidiol. This is a compound derived from the leaves and flowers of the hemp plant.

itself is an illegal class B drug, as is the compound THC which it contains. This is the hallucinogenic part.

But pure as it doesn’t have the same intoxicating effects.

It has become a familiar ingredient in all sorts of products over recent years, including teas, gummies, sprays, hummus – even clothing.

Many of these can be picked up at High Street stores such as Holland and Barrett or .

Can CBD products help you sleep?

The jury is still out.

James Wilson, also known as The Sleep Geek, says many people currently before bed but it’s , bath salts or a balm.

One study found a pillow might help but James says it wasn’t carried out well as researchers didn’t include a placebo and there was no attempt to control other factors that might impact sleep, such as caffeine, alcohol or whether they were shift workers.

Many people currently use CBD to help relax, normally in the form of dropsCredit: Getty

“Anecdotally, a lot of people will say yes, CBD helps, but there hasn’t been a great deal of research in the area,” he says.

“There have been similar products over the years, including lavender pillows, where the product gets used up and you are just left with a pillow.

“On the plus side, it’s not very expensive so if people want to try it and they find it works, that’s brilliant.

“I’d much rather people try a cheap pillow than a pod system costing thousands of pounds.”

My 7 day diary:

Day 1: I slipped the pillow into a clean fresh pillow case and for the price, it felt quite luxurious.

I fell asleep quickly but I did wake up early the next morning and I struggled to get back to sleep.

This is standard for me, but the pillow certainly didn’t stop me waking.

I had enjoyed a couple of glasses with with friends so perhaps that didn’t help my sleep either.

Day 2: I fell asleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow, which is unusual for me.

Not only that, but I slept from 10pm right through until 6.30pm.

I didn’t even wake for the toilet and usually I’d be up at least once.

Even if I fall asleep quickly, I often wake at 3am and struggle to get back off but this didn’t happen tonight.

The Silentnight CBD Pillow costs £12.99Credit: Oliver Dixon

Not entirely sure I can credit the pillow, but I had a great nights’ sleep and felt amazing when I woke up.

Day 3: Again, I fell asleep quickly and slept through until my alarm went off at 6.30am.

Once might have been a fluke, but as this happened on a second day I really did believe the pillow might be making a difference.

I didn’t suffer any back or neck pain from sleeping on it and was lovely and cosy to settle into. Again, I didn’t even wake once for the loo.

Day 4: By night four, I’m confident that the average time it takes me to fall asleep has decreased.

I woke up feeling refreshed and felt like I’d experienced a much deeper, higher quality of sleep too.

In the past, I’ve tried some really , including smart wake-up lights and a Garmin sleep monitor, but nothing really made much difference. For £12.99, so far, I’m impressed.

Day 5: I slept well again tonight. I did wake up once in the night and whilst once I might have tossed and turned for some time afterwards, I did fall straight back to sleep.

The pillow still feels soft and cosy. There’s no noticeable aroma or smell, which is a positive, as I think I’d find that off putting.

However, I’ve also developed a rash on my neck and cheek.

It’s not painful but there are lots of red spots.

I wondered if the pillow might be the cause as I couldn’t think of anything else, but no way of telling.

The pillow is a standard size, made from a knitted polyester fabric that has been treated with CBDCredit: Oliver Dixon

Day 6: Six days in and it did take me a little longer to fall asleep tonight, but I had worked on my computer later in the evening so perhaps I was still a bit wired from that.

Once asleep, though, I slept peacefully through the night and once again woke up feeling refreshed.

I don’t know what happens once all the capsules have ‘broken’ and whether the effects might start to wear off. I hope not.

The rash remains and has spread to the other side of my neck.

Day 7: After a week using the pillow, I’m happy to report I’m still falling asleep faster than usual.

I’m also sleeping well through the night with less wake-ups and I think I’m not so easily disturbed.

The mornings have suddenly become lighter and usually this sort of thing would really impact my sleep (I notice it even through blackout curtains) but I’ve only been waking up to my alarm.

Overall verdict

If you struggle to sleep, this pillow is a great investment.

At just £12.99, it’s significantly cheaper than many other branded pillows on the market so even if it doesn’t dramatically improve sleep, it’s worth a go and it’s still a comfort upgrade.

My sleep definitely improved. I was falling asleep faster and sleeping much better through the night, often without waking at all.

Sleep-wise this was a real positive, but my biggest concern is the skin rash.

Tiny CBD-filled capsules are embedded into the fabric of the pillow coverCredit: Oliver Dixon

I had to whether CBD can cause a rash and it’s possible, though I’ve never been particularly sensitive before.

Obviously, it could be caused by something else, only time will tell. It seemed a big coincidence.

I also worry whether the effects of the pillow might wear off quite quickly.

Once the capsules are ‘broken’, will the impact of the CBD continue?

Presumably regular washing might also cause the effects to stop after a while.

Overall for £12 I found the product really effective and I’d definitely recommend to people who need to boost their sleeping hours.

A spokesperson at Silentnight told Sun Health: “We take all customer feedback very seriously.

“As you would expect, we thoroughly trial and test all of our products, and can confirm that the pillow contains no ingredients known to cause sensitivity.

“Customer wellbeing remains our highest priority, and we are committed to ensuring safety, comfort and clarity in all our products.

“We are happy to provide a complete list of the materials and components used in the product upon request.”

A spokesman for Aldi said this was the first instance of any type of reaction they’d been made aware of.

Until further tests are carried out they wouldn’t be able to clarify whether the rash that appeared was caused by the pillow, or something else.

There is “currently no evidence to suggest this is anything other than an isolated incident”, they added.