Is Your Bed Making You Sick?

If you are anything like me, then your bed is probably one of your favorite places to be! It’s the place where you retreat to after talking shift at work or a hard day doing chores around the house; you just sink down into the mattress and let yourself be with all of the stresses and strains of the day forgotten. It’s pretty great right?

Well, what if I told you that the bed you love spending time in so much could actually make you sick? You might not believe me, but it’s completely true; your bed can make you sick, and below are some of the ways that might be the case!

The Usual Suspects

Take a deep breath because it’s time to talk about the critters you’re actually sharing your bed with: dust mites. These microscopic party crashers thrive in warm, humid environments and feed on dead skin cells. Yum, right? Their waste (yes, you read that right) can trigger allergies and asthma, leading to symptoms like sneezing, coughing, and itchy eyes. It’s like they’re throwing a rave in your bed, and you’re not even invited.

Bed Bugs

Moving on to a more shudder-inducing topic: bed bugs. These little nightmares are like the freeloaders of the insect world, hiding in the nooks and crannies of your bed and coming out at night to feast on your blood. If waking up to itchy, red bites wasn’t bad enough, the thought of these critters having a buffet on your body is enough to make anyone consider sleeping in a bubble.

The Fungus Among Us

Then there’s mold and mildew, the silent but deadly squatters in your mattress. If your room has poor ventilation or you’re a fan of eating cereal in bed and spilling more than you’d like to admit, you might be creating the perfect mold breeding ground. Breathing in mold spores can lead to respiratory issues, allergies, and in severe cases, make you feel like you’re living in a bad science fiction novel.

Chemical Concoctions

Let’s not forget about the chemicals. Many mattresses and bedding materials are treated with flame retardants, waterproofing agents, and other chemicals that might sound great on a sales tag but can release VOCs (volatile organic compounds) into your sacred sleep space. Inhaling these chemicals night after night is kind of like hosting a toxic gas party in your bedroom—minus the fun and games.

So, What’s a Sleeper to Do?

Before you vow to never sleep again (because who needs sleep when you have coffee, right?), there are simple steps you can take to evict these unwelcome bedfellows:

• Wash your sheets and pillowcases weekly in hot water to send dust mites packing.
• Invest in a mattress cover to create a barrier against bed bugs, and all in an exterminator if you already have them, of course.
• Improve ventilation in your bedroom and consider a dehumidifier to keep mold at bay.
• Opt for mattresses and bedding made from natural, non-toxic materials to avoid the chemical cocktail.

At least, now you know your bed could be causing some of those word symptoms you have been having, you can do something about it and nurse your bed, and yourself, back to better health!