Sick Bed Syndrome

Why your bed is making you ill…

Many of us enjoy the comfortable sensation of climbing into our beds after a long day. However, what joins us in bed each night may be something that doesn’t sit so comfortably.

Mattresses, beddings and pillows can become reservoirs of human cells, bacteria, fungal elements and excretions of the body. These reservoirs provide ideal conditions for dust mites with up to 10 million found feeding in just one bediii. While dust mites themselves are harmless, their faeces and body fragments can trigger allergic reactions prompting our body to release histamines to attack the allergeniv. This can cause eczema and hay fever, and estimates suggest dust mites may be a factor in up to 80 percent of asthmaticsiii.

Even though the prime breeding ground for dust mites is on our mattress, bed linen is also an area that requires attention. Items in our bed that come into direct contact with the body are likely to be contaminated with pathogens, which are biological agents such as bacteria that cause illnessesv including cold, flu and diarrhoea.

Bedding should therefore be washed on a regular basis using an antibacterial laundry cleanser according to Home Hygiene Expert Dr. Lisa Ackerley. “Just because it looks and smells clean, doesn’t mean it’s hygienically clean. People have this notion that simply putting dirty items into a washing machine will kill all germs, but that’s just not the case. Contagious bacteria and viruses such as Influenza and E.coli can survive low temperature washing, increasing the potential risk of infection for your family. For laundry washed at low temperatures a disinfectant proven to kill 99.9% of bacteria in temperatures as low as 15°C will get it hygienically clean.”

The bed is where the majority of us spend a third of our daily routinevi meaning it is vital to keep hygienically clean. A few simple hygiene habits can help prevent the spread of harmful bacteria, providing added protection while we sleep:

• Change and launder bed linen on a weekly basis and wash separately from other clothing to kill bacteria and dust mites;
• When washing bed linen add a laundry disinfectant such as Dettol Anti-bacterial Laundry Cleanser, an additive proven to kill 99.9% of bacteria in temperatures as low as 30°C;
• Decrease the temperature and humidity levels in your bedroom to reduce the number of dust mites;
• Regularly vacuum all soft furnishings, including your mattress, within the bedroom.