Experts have revealed that making the bed right after waking up, although a normal and familiar practice, can be "harmful to health." They suggest that we should leave beds unmade to help eliminate the small creatures lurking beneath our covers. The experts point out that making the bed immediately creates a fertile ground for dust mites, which can trigger asthma attacks and allergies. This is because these tiny creatures, around a quarter of a millimeter long, tend to live and thrive in warm, humid environments, just like bed linens, and they feed on dead skin cells.
Research has shown that leaving the bed unmade can help ventilate it and kill these pests. Experts explained that this allows moisture and heat from nightly sweating to escape from the bed, as these factors, especially if room ventilation is poor, create the ideal conditions for dust mites to live longer. They added that changing bed sheets weekly and maintaining good room ventilation can prevent these creatures from multiplying.
One sleep expert stated, "A perfectly made bed is a fertile environment for dust mites, serving as an ideal warm space for these pests to survive and thrive. Making your bed in the morning allows them to survive, reproduce, and grow, which could lead to asthma, eczema, or allergies similar to hay fever. Symptoms may include nasal congestion, rashes, sneezing, and watery eyes." The experts suggested leaving the bed unmade for at least an hour to starve and eliminate dust mites.
