Which Allergens Are Found in The Bedroom Only?
May 25, 2018by editorial team
Busy parents like us don’t have much time to spare, let alone sleep to spare. When you crawl into bed you want to sink into the mattress and zonk out. Not start sneezing and coughing from allergies.
Especially the types of allergies in the bedroom only.
Factors causing allergies in the bedroom
- Dust – is an allergen that many people are familiar with and have. Dust is made up of little parts of our bedding, mattress, dead skin cells and mold. It accumulates under beds and other bedroom furniture where we don’t regularly walk.
- Dust mites – feed on dead skin cells and can be found in mattresses, pillows and in bedroom dust that accumulates. People can have a dust mite allergy and need to cover pillows and mattresses with a special covering called an allergen barrier.
- Window treatments – that are not cleaned or vacuumed weekly can accumulate large amounts of dust that trigger allergies while sleeping.
- Clutter – dust accumulates on clutter that is not cleaned weekly or that is not fully cleaned. Clutter such as kids magazines and books are more difficult to clear of dust than hard-surface-items such as a ceramic piggy bank.
- Pets – dander from pets that lay on pillows or beds can contribute to allergies in the bedroom. Even if you can tolerate the pet dander in other parts of your home, when pets leave dander on the bed and you sleep on that for 8 hours straight, you could have an allergic reaction that doesn’t happen otherwise.
Some symptoms of allergies
Some of the allergy symptoms to watch for, courtesy of Mayo Clinic, include:
- runny nose
- congestion
- sneezing
- itchy throat, nose or roof of mouth
- swelling and blue-colored under eyes
Pay special attention to kids that rub their nose often and do it in an upward manner. It’s a sign that allergies may be present. (1)
How do allergens affect your health?
Allergens can make adults and children feel sick and can lead to sinus infections and asthma. If allergens continue to be present and are not removed or taken care of, chronic sinusitis can develop. This is where the nose tissue is inflamed regularly and causes repeated sinus infections.
Asthma can be triggered by allergies and result in having difficulty breathing, chest tightness, wheezing, coughing, and trouble sleeping. (2)
Conclusion
As busy parents, we want to crawl into bed and get a good night’s sleep instead of staying awake sneezing from allergies. Dust, dust mites, window treatments, and pets can all be sources of allergens in the bedroom. Keep the bedroom clean from dust and free of clutter. Clean all items in the bedroom weekly. This may help avoid allergies, chronic sinusitis and asthma caused by allergens found in the bedroom only that may not be as bothersome in other parts of the home.
References
(1)(2) Mayo Clinic
