Speaking with the BBC, scientists explained that dust mites (you know, the ones that feed off scales of human skin?!) love warm, moist environments exactly like the one you tuck yourself into at night. And considering they produce allergens that can trigger asthma, not only is this unpleasant, it’s also not great for your health.
But there is a simple way to keep them at bay without a whole lot of effort… don’t make the bed!
“We know that mites can only survive by taking in water from the atmosphere using small glands on the outside of their body,” Dr Stephen Pretlove told the publication.
“Something as simple as leaving a bed unmade during the day can remove moisture from the sheets and the mattress so the mites will dehydrate and eventually die.”
Before we put this issue to rest however, Professor Andrew Wardlaw from the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology isn’t sold on this theory. He says that most homes are humid enough that the bugs with thrive regardless of your sleeping situation.
“I find it hard to believe that simply not making your bed would have any impact on the overall humidity,” he said.
The jury is out on this one!
This article originally appeared on womenshealth.com.au
