It’s news that teenagers will undoubtedly welcome: according to a top doctor, you really shouldn’t make your bed as soon as you get up.
The reason? Los Angeles The physician Dr. Myro Figura claims that mattresses, duvets and pillows become reservoirs of human skin cells, stimulating dust mites.
The microscopic insects, which are usually harmless but can cause allergies, live in bedding – and a well-made bed retains moisture, helping them thrive.
In contrast, a messy bed where the sheets are simply thrown aside and left in the morning creates dry conditions that cause the creatures to dehydrate and die.
In one Instagram video Shared Dr. Figura with its 865,000 followers: ‘Whether you have a partner or not, you never sleep alone.
‘There are more than 10 million dust mites on an average mattress. If you have a two-year-old pillow, 10 percent of its weight is dust mites and their poop.
‘House dust mites are not only gross, they produce allergens that can trigger asthma and make you feel full.
“When you sleep, you sweat and they feed on that fluid.”
According to Los Angeles-based physician Dr. Myro Figura, mattresses, duvets and pillows become reservoirs of human skin cells, encouraging dust mites
The creatures thrive in the moist and warm conditions created by a well-made bed with tightly pulled-up sheets and blankets
At just 0.25 mm in size, dust mites are too small to see with the naked eye. Despite normal cleaning, they are present in all houses.
They do not bite or transmit disease, but for some people the presence of the mites can cause a range of health problems.
Many people with dust mite allergies also have eczema and asthma caused by insects, especially substances found in dust mite feces.
They can cause rhinitis, coughing, dry eyes and disrupt sleep. Experts claim that people think they have a constant cold, when in reality it could be due to dust mites.
“When you make your bed, you trap all that moisture and the dust mites have a party,” Dr. Figura said.
Instead, leaving your bed unmade for an hour or two “allows the moisture to dry and drastically reduces the number of dust mites that can survive,” he advised.
Bed linen and pillowcases should be washed at least once every two weeks, but preferably once a week, he added.
Vacuuming the bed and washing your sheets regularly above 60 degrees can also help kill the mites and reduce their numbers because, like bed bugs, they are tolerant of lower temperatures.
Vacuuming the bed and washing your sheets regularly above 60 degrees can also help kill the mites and reduce their numbers because, like bed bugs, they are tolerant of lower temperatures.
If you do become a victim of dust mites, experts have long recommended that you go to your pharmacist.
Dr. Derrick Philips, dermatologist and spokesperson for the British Skin Foundation, previously told MailOnline: ‘House dust mite allergies are common in people with eczema and can cause skin eruptions.
‘Eczema flare-ups can be controlled by regular application of emollients, which retain moisture and restore the skin barrier.
‘For moderate to severe attacks it is best to make an appointment with your doctor or pharmacist. You may need treatment with steroid creams.”