To maintain proper rest and hygiene, it is advisable to periodically wash the sheets you use to sleep. Different types of pathogens or dirt can be found in bedding that might cause illness over time.
Bedtime is one of the most anticipated following a long day of activities. During the eight hours that a person usually sleeps, the body recovers energy, prevents diseases and improves health. However, there are certain dangers that can be related to the hygiene of your bed, specifically on the sheets.
Like any garment, bedding has to be washed frequently due to the high amount of residue that may be in contact with your skin, such as dead cells, fungus, fecal material, or even food debris.
The Dra. Oma N. Agbaia dermatologist and assistant clinical professor at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine, told the magazine Women’s Health what “The skin cells that are shed from your body on a daily basis, and are deposited on your sheets, can generate the growth of certain bacteria and certain mites”.
Not periodically renewing your sheets, quilts and other elements that you use in your bed can become a source of infection that might affect your health.
Some germs that grow in this place are related to the appearance of skin diseases- especially in people with acne-, affect wounds in the healing process and have an impact on breathing, mainly in patients with asthma.
How often should the sheets be changed?
Regularly changing bedding can significantly help maintain a proper hygiene routine, improve sleep quality, and prevent odors and dirt. How regularly you have to do it Depends on how many times you use them..
In this sense, Gabriel Noriegahead of the Dermatology service at the British Hospital (Argentina), explained to the Argentine newspaper Clarion what “We recommend washing sheets once a week. In cases where the bed is not used on a daily basis, this frequency can be extended to two weeks”.
This point coincides with Dr. A.S. Philip Tierno Jr.director of clinical microbiology and immunology at New York University Langone Medical Center (United States), who shares the idea of washing bedding at least once a week, since every time you go to sleep , this is full of hair, dead cells, dirt and other substances that are only removed by washing.
This hygiene habit must be maintained throughout the year to prevent the accumulation of germs, especially at times when the season changes. It will also be beneficial for night rest, as it will provide greater comfort when sleeping.
But it’s not enough to keep your sheets clean, you also have to complement this cleaning routine in those elements that you use daily such as bath towels, rugs, pillows, curtains and kitchen rags, since they accumulate dirt and can become a source of infection inside your home.
Likewise, it is necessary to maintain adequate personal hygiene; this includes bathing at least every other day, washing the pajamas you wear to sleep, not piling up garbage in your room, and avoiding eating food on the bed.
