Can Your Bedroom Really Make You Sick?
After a tiring day at work, there is nothing more refreshing than getting some quality shut-eye in comforts and warmth of your bedroom.
However, do you know if your bedroom is healthy or not?
Well, most people don’t, and little do they know that their bedroom can be the culprit in making you more prone to sickness.
Here’s how your bedroom can make you sick.
- Wrong Mattress
Whether you have a mattress that does not provide the right support or is long overdue for replacement, the wrong mattress can be the culprit for pain, soreness and lack of quality sleep. Mattresses that are too soft can cause as much problem as ones that are too firm— leading to stiffness, shoulder pain, and lower back pains. There are many amazing websites such as sleepify that help you to find the perfect mattress and get that good night sleep.
Make sure that you get the right supporting mattress for you and consider replacing mattresses every 8 to 10 years.
- Bed Bugs
These tiny, hard-to-see wingless parasitic insects exist only on the blood of pets and humans and make their homes to any place that is close to where you usually sleep.
They can be hanging out in your mattress, bedding or upholstered furniture, and are usually carried from place to place when traveling— they love to stow away in folded clothing, overnight bags, and luggage.
And once these bugs loved their new home, they will squeeze their flat, tiny bodies into areas such as headboards, mattress seams, crevices of nightstands and any clutter around your bed waiting for their meal—which is, by the way, you— as you sleep.
So, how do you know if your room is infested with these critters? Bed bugs cannot always be seen, but if you see tiny bites on your body or any black dirt or mold— which is their excrement— then it is a telltale sign that you have an intruder in bed. Adult bed bugs, however, can be seen, especially if they are full with your blood. They are about the size of an apple seed.
Bed bugs do not spread disease, however, they can cause excessive scratching and itching and can lead to allergic reactions.
- Dust Mites
Another annoying critter, dust mites are microscopic, natural-occurring bugs which feed off of your dead skin flakes. Although these bugs do not bite, their excrements can be major asthma and allergy triggers which affect most people.
Dust mites can be found just about anywhere, but in bedrooms, they usually love hanging on your carpets, pillows, mattresses, upholstered furniture and dust.
- Flu and Cold Germs
You cannot see germs from your cold last week hiding in your bed. And if you did not bother changing the sheets after you feel better, then you could be producing a suitable environment for these viruses and germs to grow and infect someone else.
Flu viruses can stay alive and kicking on some surfaces for up to 24 hours— however, they can lose their infectiousness quickly. Still, it is best to clean up everything from your bed sheets to doorknobs and light switches— in order to prevent any problems.
- Pet Dander
Snuggling with your adorable doggo or kitty seems cozy, however, if you are allergic to pet dander plus harmless substances in your pet’s saliva or urine, then you could have mild to severe allergic reactions.
Pet dander can be particularly aggravating at night because it collects in carpets, upholstered furniture and bedding.
Symptoms of pet allergies may include shortness of breath, severe breathing problems, and intense rashes, all of which can lead to an asthma attack.
- Pillow Problem
The wrong type of pillow can give you a pain in the neck— literally. The very purpose of sleeping with pillows is to keep the head aligned over your shoulders like you were standing. The head should not go backward or forward, and instead, support a natural curve of the neck.
If you sleep on your back with a pillow that is too high, you increase the risk of muscle strains in your shoulder and neck area. For side sleepers, consider placing a pillow between your knees and get a pillow for your head that keeps your spine aligned. Lastly, for the stomach sleepers, place a small pillow under your pelvis in order to keep your back aligned. You can use a flat pillow or ditch it all together.
