Dust Mites and Bed Mattresses: 3 Tips to Reduce Your Allergy Symptoms

Do you suffer from allergies? Well, if you often find yourself itching, red-eyed, and sneezy in the morning as you wake up, it might be because you’ve been sharing your bed with dust mites. These tiny creatures are one of the main causes of allergies at home and when there’s a lot of them in your bed, you most certainly won’t get a good night’s sleep.

Dust mites are everywhere in Sacramento. They’re 8-legged arachnids that, when indoors, thrive in mattresses, curtains, carpets, couches, and other fabric furnishing left unwashed for a long time. They’re so called because a significant percentage of dust particles are found to contain their skin molts and feces, which cause allergic reactions in hypersensitive individuals.

Dust mites are particularly attracted to places where there’s a bounty of dander or dead skin flakes that serve as their food. According to EHSO.com, an average human sheds about 1/5 ounce of dead skin or dander a week. Add to that the ones shed by your pets and your bed becomes a buffet table for mites. Dust mites love moist and warm spaces too, so going to sleep without at least washing off the day’s sweat and dirt, in combination with poor room ventilation make your bed a perfect place for dust mites to build their empire.

Ways to Reduce Dust Mite Allergy Attacks

You can’t totally eliminate dust mites, but there are ways you can minimize contact with these critters.

• Protective beddings. AllergicLiving.com suggests you cover your mattress comforters and pillows in mite-proof casings. Plastic covers can be effective but are not comfortable to lie on.  Fortunately, there are moisture-wicking types of protectors that don’t “feel like shower curtain” available in leading Sacramento sleep and wellness centers today.

• Bed placement and ventilation. A study discovered that mattresses located in lower floors of the home and in a poorly ventilated room tend to accumulate more dust mites. So opt for a room with proper ventilation and make sure it’s not anywhere too humid, such as the basement. Ideally, your thermostat setting should be kept below 70F and the relative humidity below 50%, according to EHSO.com.

• Ditch that old bed. If your bed’s too old (sunken or with protruding coils) such that it’s causing you back pain other than nightly allergies, consider replacing it.  Spring mattresses are the least comfortable variety for allergic people because their warm inner coil system tend to host high concentrations of dust mites along with mold and mildew. Latex, organic mattresses such as those available in The Healthy Bed Store are made of hypo-allergenic materials and can provide relief from dust mite allergies.

Sleep is essential to your overall health so you shouldn’t let nightly, dust mite allergies spoil a great day ahead.

Source:

Saying Good Night to the Dust Mite, AllergicLiving.com