To start your day out right, you have to make your bed. That’s what parents have been telling their kids since time immemorial. However, a study published in the UK in recent years has come to a surprising conclusion: making your bed in the morning can be bad for your respiratory health.
For those in a hurry in the morning, it’s the perfect excuse to skip this task. And with good reason: the study points out that millions of mites live in blankets and mattresses. There is a link between mites’ love of moist environments and our deep sleep. They prefer dark, warm and humid places. In other words, your bed, right when you wake up.
Here’s why you shouldn’t make your bed in the morning.
1. Mites
Mites are in all fabrics, and they feed on exfoliated human skin. Their droppings are allergens for most humans. Ever woken up needing to sneeze badly even though you’re not getting sick? Chances are these symptoms could be related to a higher presence of dust mites in your mattress and sheets. Mites thrive in warm, humid environments. As your body sweats in your sleep, you create a perfect nest for these critters. Every morning you create a cozy place for them to feed and reproduce.
2. Moisture
There are up to 1.5 million mites in each person’s bed. This number can double when two people share a bed. Keep in mind that humidity keeps creatures alive. It’s best to keep the moisture level of your home below 50%. A rate of 35 to 40% is optimal to reduce the number of mites. To get this level, buy a hygrometer, then control the humidity level with a dehumidifier if necessary.
3. Allergens
Making your bed has essential mental health benefits. It helps you get off on the right foot and set a positive direction for the day. People with allergies should try to reduce the presence of triggers for their symptoms. So it helps to give the air and the sun a few hours to kill the mites by drying them out, by reducing the dampness of your sheets.
How to reduce allergens in your bedroom:
Change the sheets every week
Keep pets outside the room
Wait a few hours after you wake up to make your bed
Vacuum every week
Have dehumidifier if the humidity in your room is higher than 50%
The perfect compromise is not to make your bed right when you wake up, but to wait until after your morning routine. When you wake up, shake out the sheets to air them out and benefit from a well-ventilated bedroom.