You may have heard since you were a child that you should make your bed soon after you get up. It’s a good habit, but scientists are taking the opposite stance. Unknowingly, you’re setting yourself up for a proliferation of dust mites, which then trigger unwanted allergies.

Stout when you wake up? No!

The morning routine involves making your bed. Many people have it ingrained in them that they should do this step as soon as they get up. However, science says this is not a wise idea at all. You are thus offering your bed to dust mites to breed. And you really don’t want that. It’s definitely not a good start to the day, as you’re fostering a harmful environment that will affect your health.

Dust mites are microorganisms that like to breed in bedding and feed on dead skin cells. Many studies have proven that they especially love moist environments that promote their harmful activity.

The average person sweats 500 millilitres per night, so it is ideal to leave the bed untouched for at least 30 minutes. This allows the moisture to evaporate and encourages ventilation of the down comforter.

You should make your bed no earlier than 30 minutes after waking up. ━━ You should make your bed no earlier than 30 minutes after waking up. ( Source: Deagreez /  iStockphoto )

Mites affect health

Dust mites are not harmful in themselves, but in more sensitive people suffering from asthma and allergies they aggravate symptoms. These are mainly caused by mite excrement. The result is a stuffy nose, watery eyes and sneezing. Even if you do not suffer from allergies, you should not underestimate anything. It’s better to let the duvets breathe and make the bed after half an hour. To prevent moisture, you can also use mattress protectors. Preferably a soft and absorbent material to wick away sweat.

Mould

Moisture can promote other problems such as mold and bacteria. Most dirt gets trapped on the pillow, which in conjunction with humidity often leads to the promotion of mould growth. Characteristic signs are odour or dark stains. As the study points out, you could be setting yourself up for more serious problems. In particular, they talk about poor sleep quality, insomnia, snoring and excessive daytime sleepiness.

Summary

The advice is: air out and wash your duvet. This is the only way to prevent the possible growth of microorganisms that you definitely don’t want to suffer in your bed. Not only will you help your health, but you will also fall asleep feeling calm, fresh and clean.