What to do if You’re Allergic to Your Bed

Do you or your children regularly wake up with itchy, watering eyes and a runny or blocked nose? Do you sneeze when you shake out your pillows and bedclothes? If so, you could be suffering from an allergic reaction to your bedding.

A number of factors can trigger allergic reactions, such as pets, or smoking in the bedroom. But one of the most common and yet invisible causes of bedding allergies is house dust mites.

House dust mites and allergies

House dust mites are microscopic organisms that feed on human skin and can be found in everyone’s home. They thrive in warm, humid places where there is plenty of food, so beds provide the ideal environment for them to live and breed in. Since we spend around a third of our time in bed, we breathe in vast quantities of these house dust mites. Most of us are blissfully unaware of their presence. Some people, however, can experience a hypersensitive reaction to proteins found in the excretion of these dust mites.

Whenever you touch or shake your bedclothes, these proteins are inhaled or come into contact with your skin. If you suffer from a house dust mite allergy, your body will produce antibodies, which release a chemical called histamine. This in turn leads to swelling and irritation of the upper respiratory passages, causing a range of symptoms:

* Hay fever

* Runny nose

* Sneezing

* Watering eyes

* Asthma

* Worsening of existing eczema

The tendency to be allergic to house dust mites often runs in families. The good news is that there are several ways in which you can protect you and your family from these pests and ensure everyone gets a good night’s sleep.

The best bedding to prevent house dust mite allergies

Allergies are often made worse by bedding made from or filled with natural materials, such as feathers and wool. Synthetic materials or high quality cotton (which is tightly woven so that dust mites can’t get through the cloth) are best for allergy sufferers. Synthetic materials are easy to wash and dry regularly, which can help protect you from dust mites. Bedding should be washed at a temperature of at least 60