WHAT ARE ALLERGENS
Allergens are things that can cause allergic reactions in some people. While they are usually harmless to most, a person with allergies may react when they breathe them in, touch them, or eat them. Common bedroom allergens include dust mites, pollen, pet dander, mold, cockroaches. Some common household products we use everyday may also cause allergies. When someone with allergies comes into contact with an allergen, they react. They might sneeze, cough, get itchy skin, have watery eyes, or even have trouble breathing.
DIAGNOSIS OF ALLERGENS
LOOK AT THE SHEETS
If your sheets have allergens in them, your eyes might start to burn and you may sneeze a lot. Ultimately you will have trouble sleeping as your body gets warm and sweaty.
Moisture makes a perfect place for dust mites to live. These tiny, microscopic, arachnids hide in your bedding. You end up breathing them in, and they can make it hard to sleep.
Mold can also grow on your mattresses and other bedding items when they are left moist. If your skin feels itchy or you feel uncomfortable at night, mold might be the reason.
DIAGNOSIS BY A DOCTOR
Doctors can help figure out if you have allergies. They’ll ask about your symptoms and look inside your nose using their equipment. Doctors may also do a skin test to check for allergies.
Some people can’t do skin tests for whatever reason the doctor determines. In that case, doctors will test your blood to see if you have an allergy.
BEDROOM ALLERGENS
Main types of allergens that can be found in the bedroom are:
DUST MITES
Dust mites are a big cause of allergies. They feed on dead skin and may live in pillows, carpets, mattresses, and bed sheets. Dust mites are microscopic—too small to be seen without a microscope. They are not bugs but eight-legged arachnids that belong to the same family as spiders and ticks. Stanford Health Care states that a single female dust mite can lay 25 to 50 eggs every three weeks. This allows their numbers to grow quickly—up to one million can live in just one bed.
MOLD
Mold grows in damp places like wet carpets, moist bedding, and around windows. It can also grow inside the walls.
Mold comes in many colors like white, green, black, and purple. It loves dark, muggy places with poor airflow. A home with little fresh air makes it easier for mold to grow.
People are usually allergic to mold spores—not the mold itself. Mold spores are like tiny seeds that float in the air. If you breathe them in, they can cause allergies.
ANIMAL DANDER
If you have pets like cats or dogs, it’s best not to let them sleep in your room if you have allergies. Their dander can cause allergies.
Animal dander is made up of tiny skin flakes and hair from pets. It’s so small you might not see it, but it floats around your home. Dog and cat fur can also spread allergens everywhere.
You can also be allergic to pet pee or waste—not just fur and dander.
POLLEN
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences says that pollen is a soft, powder-like material made by plants to help them make more plants. Different kinds of plants release pollen at different times of the year—trees in the spring, grasses in the summer, and weeds in the fall.
Pollen can get into your home through open windows, air vents, and even on your clothes or pets. If you’re allergic, you’ll start sneezing after breathing it in. Even if you close your windows, some pollen still gets inside.
COCKROACHES
Cockroaches shed their skin and leave droppings that can cause allergies. If you see one, it’s important to remove it right away and take steps to control the problem so they don’t spread quickly.
OTHER THINGS THAT GIVE ALLERGIES
VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds)
VOCs, or Volatile Organic Compounds, are gases/chemicals that come from some liquids and solids. These gases can be bad for your health, both now and later.
VOCs are found more inside homes than outside—sometimes ten times more. They come from many things we use every day. This like paint, glue, cleaning products, air fresheners, bug spray, furniture, printers, markers, and craft supplies.
Since VOCs are in so many things, it’s important to use them safely and keep windows open to let fresh air in. Breathing in VOCs can make allergy symptoms worse. They may also cause other health problems.
The U.S Environmental Protection Agency talks more about the sources and health effects of VOCs.
KEY TAKEAWAY OF COMMON BEDROOM ALLERGENS
Understanding allergens and where they come from is important to help keep your home and bedroom safe. Allergens can be things like dust mites, pollen, pet dander, mold, and cockroaches. Everyday household products can also cause allergies. When a person with allergies comes into contact with these allergens, their body reacts. By knowing the common allergens found in the bedroom and around the house, you can take steps to reduce them and protect yourself.