You shed a half a billion skin cells every day. Over time, many settle into the cracks and crevices of your mattress. Dead skin is a feast for hungry dust mites. These tiny bugs and their droppings can set off allergies or asthma.
Aches and Pains: Waking up with aches and pains may be due to the comfort layers in your mattress breaking down, causing pressure points when you sink onto the firmer support core. Poor Sleep: Tossing and turning on an uncomfortable mattress may result in poor sleep quality, even if you're not consciously aware of it.
Yes an old mattress is a breeding ground for many types of bacteria and microbes such as staphylococcus,MRSA,Enterococcus as well as dust mites, dander old skin cells. All of which can make you ill and cause respiratory problems.
Over time, mattresses can become a breeding ground for dust mites, mold, and bacteria, potentially causing health issues like allergies, skin irritations, and respiratory problems.
Check to see the mattress has Oeko-Tex certification, and GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certification. Oeko-Tex Standard 100 ensures that there are no harmful chemicals in your mattress, and GOTS is a certification for the outside covering, letting you know that the cotton cover is certified organic.
Sleeping on a 20-year-old mattress isn't a good idea. Most mattresses wear out after 7–10 years, losing their support and becoming full of dust and allergens. A mattress that old can cause discomfort, poor sleep, and health problems like back pain or allergies.
“Dust mites, pollen, dust, and loose dirt can cause allergies and trigger asthma attacks,” says Brian Sansoni, senior vice president of communications at American Cleaning Institute. “Sleeping on a clean mattress can prevent these triggers and help you to have a good night's sleep."
Your bed could be making you ill. A scientific study analysing samples of eight-year-old mattresses has highlighted the variety of bacteria, yeasts and moulds that thrive in the material. And these particles can provoke allergies, cause infections and exacerbate existing lung conditions.
After you unwrap a new mattress, it may give off a chemical odor that could linger for a few days, in turn disturbing your sleep and possibly causing short- and long-term health problems. That smell comes from volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, chemicals used in the mattress manufacturing process.
Try using soap and water first to get rid of any lingering vomit odor, wiping the affected area with an old rag that's gently soaked. Then, sprinkle baking soda to thoroughly remove moisture and deodorize the mattress. You might even try mixing a drop or two of essential oils for sleep with baking soda.
If you wake up feeling worse than when you went to bed, it may be time for a new mattress. An old mattress can cause body aches and pain because of the lack of support. A good mattress cushions and supports the muscles and joints in your body while you sleep.
A bad mattress can cause lasting health problems by worsening your sleep quality. If your mattress is old, it may no longer be a sufficiently supportive surface for your sleeping position and pressure points.
Ackerley says that the dust mites increase a person's risk of getting a cold or suffering from allergies. But that's not all; our bed sheets can also harbor bacteria that causes the flu or food poisoning. She calls this "Sick Bed Syndrome," and told the Daily Mail that most people don't realize it's happening to them.
Dust mites occur naturally and can appear in nearly all homes; roughly four out of five homes in the United States have dust mite allergens in at least one bed. Dust mites can live in the bedding, mattresses, upholstered furniture, carpets or curtains.
“Mattresses can harbour all sorts of bacteria and bed bugs, which can lead to breathing and health issues,” Professor Yuben Moodley from the Institute for Respiratory Health said. “Dust mites are tiny insects that feed on flaking skin.
"Something as simple as leaving a bed unmade during the day can remove moisture from the sheets and mattress so the mites will dehydrate and eventually die."
The problems with most mattresses
The polyurethane foam in many mattresses emits potentially harmful volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, sometimes for years. Exposure to some VOCs can cause respiratory irritation, trigger asthma symptoms and, over the long term, increase the risk of cancer.
You shed a half a billion skin cells every day. Over time, many settle into the cracks and crevices of your mattress. Dead skin is a feast for hungry dust mites. These tiny bugs and their droppings can set off allergies or asthma.
If you suffer from allergies, sleeping on an old mattress can pose a problem. Dust mite allergies can cause sneezing, runny noses, itchiness, watery eyes, coughing, and even sinus pressure.
Shifts in the manufacturing and design of both mattresses and bed frames over the past 20 years have made traditional box springs largely obsolete, as platform and slatted beds have increasingly become the norm in the United States (though they've long been common in other countries).
For example, loud squeaking and waking up with new pain are indicators of a bad mattress. If your mattress is sagging heavily, accumulating allergens, or showing obvious signs of wear and tear, it should be replaced.