If you are inclined to suffer from allergies, summer can be a challenging time to get uninterrupted sleep. Making some changes to your bedding can help improve the quality of your sleep by reducing the load of allergies in your bed.
Shift your pets to the couch
While it can be calming to go to sleep accompanied by a purring puss or snoring puppy, even if you aren't allergic to your pets, having them sleep on the bed can increase the overall allergen load of the bed between the pet fur, animal dander (skin cells) and the pollen and dust on their paws. They'll be just as comfy on the couch, and you'll be able to sleep better without their extra irritants.
Wash your bedding regularly
Another potential source of irritants in the bedroom is unwashed bed linens. For each night you sleep in bed, you shed body oils, dead skin cells and body hair, all of which can be used by dust mites as a tasty snack. By washing your bedding regularly, you deprive dust mites of their favourite food source, and you'll have a lower load of irritants in your bed.
Switch to hypoallergenic bedding
For the pieces of your bedding that you cannot wash weekly, such as your quilt, you should switch to a quilt made from a naturally hypo allergic material such as a wool. As wool quilts are naturally hypoallergenic, they are less likely to trigger allergic reactions, and many people feel that they have improved sleep when using a natural quilt material such as wool. You can also place a hypoallergenic cover over the quilt that you can wash more regularly. You can find hypoallergenic bedding from suppliers like Luxor Linen.
Use a humidifier with an air filter
If your airways are already a little dry and scratchy from an allergy flare-up, it can help to have a humidifier running in the bedroom with a pollen filter. This ensures that no matter how pollen filled and dry the air is during the day, your body can get a little rest and chance to heal as you sleep. This can help you to have a better sleep and wake up feeling less raw in the eyes and throat.
If you are suffering this summer from allergies, it can be a great idea to upgrade your bedding and start to tweak your sleeping environment. Before you know it you'll be waking up refreshed and ready to face the day.
