According to some reports from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, around 20 million people in America suffer from having a dust mite allergy.
This can mean that dust mite is one of the most seen triggers for asthma and allergies going all year round. Unfortunately for you, the primary trigger for your allergies is often your bedroom. In this case, your mattress.
There are microscopic creatures on your bed, and they are the cause of your allergies.
Don’t worry, though!
You could do many things to prevent these creatures from negatively impacting you. If you follow these steps, your allergy symptoms will most likely be alleviated, and you will not have to wake up with a runny nose or itchy eyes.
Types of Mattress Allergies
Allergy is one of the causes of chronic illnesses being spread all over America.
Health problems like these, records an annual expense in America that goes up to $18 billion! That makes it the 6th leading reason for chronic illnesses. While around 50 million people suffer from allergies annually, it is hard to specify how many are precisely allergic to their mattresses.
You should know that although there might be mites and bugs on your mattress, they are not the main reason for your mattress allergy. If you feel irritation from these insects, it is much safer to associate your allergies with bugs instead.
However, you can still be allergic to your mattress due to the dust, maybe the material of the mattress itself, or even due to some chemicals on your mattress. Here are a few types of mattress allergies.
Foam Allergy:
Something different from every person is that our bodies react to the same things differently. An example could be that someone using mattress foam is not experiencing any irritations while others will.
Since many people tend to go with memory foam for their mattresses due to the comfort, their decision often backfires when they find out that they are showing symptoms of allergy! This could be something that is caused by the dust collecting on the mattress or the chemical that was used on it.
Heat Rash:
This is seen more commonly happening with mattresses that offer highly comforting materials, such as memory or even adaptive foam. The main reason behind it is that the foam sticks to the body of whoever is sleeping on it, very closely, making it harder for air to pass through for cooling.
When this heat is stuck in there, you will not see the symptoms in one night, but you will see rashes once it starts to accumulate the irritation. However, even heat rashes are an indirect allergy to your mattress. It can also be caused by almost anything else like your clothes or even chairs.
Latex Allergy:
If you are talking about natural latex, it is made from a rubber tree sap. While it is something completely natural, the proteins present in there can be allergens for some people. Remember, those allergic reactions mainly only happen when the person is making direct contact with the latex foam.
Some symptoms that you might notice are rashes and dry skin. The worst-case scenario could be watery eyes and a runny nose. You can easily avoid latex allergy by either opting for a different material, or you could use a good mattress protector.
If you notice that you are having tremors or difficulty breathing because of your latex bed, then you should immediately go check in with your doctor.
Chemical Allergies:
One of the most common allergies associated with mattresses is chemical allergies. This is caused by the reaction that your body has from the chemicals that were used to treat the foam. Isocyanate is one of the primary suspects for chemicals found in mattresses that cause allergies.
This is not only able to trigger headaches and nausea, but also asthma attacks. If you want to prevent this from happening, you should go for a mattress with the CertiPUR-US certification. They are a non-profit organization that ensures that the chemicals used on your mattress do not contain any heavy metals, ozone-depleting chemicals, formaldehyde, or any other harmful chemicals or substances.
What Can You Do to Avoid This?
Of course, you need to know how to prevent these allergies since you spend quite a bit of time in your bedroom. Here are some quick fixes that you can try:
1. Get Rid of the Dust
In some cases, the main reason for your allergy is not the mattress itself but the dust on it. Several people are sensitive to small particles, so you should try to use a vacuum to suck out all the dust.
2. The Mattress Material
If you suspect that the reason behind your allergies is memory foam, you need to avoid buying a mattress with the material. Of course, this goes for latex as well.
3. Regularly Change Your Sheets
Changing your sheets regularly is essential. The general rule is to change your sheets every week to maintain a clean bed. This will also keep some uninvited visitors, such as mites and bed bugs.
Conclusion
Allergies are a growing cause of many chronic diseases all over the world. Sicknesses like these are why it is essential to ensure that you take care of your allergy if your mattress causes it. We hope that this helped you understand mattress allergens more and how to deal with them.
