How not changing your bed sheets can leave you with 4 nasty illnesses – including 2 silent killers
ALMOST 11 million dirty Brits wash their bed sheets just once a month, a survey which disclose the vile bedroom habits of the nation has revealed.
One in three people also admitted waiting at least two weeks before washing their bedsheets, the analysis by YouGov found.
New research has identified four health conditions that could be linked to not getting the linen in the laundry often enough – two of which are silent killers.
1. Eczema
Eczema is a common condition that causes the skin to become itchy, dry and cracked, and it can be very uncomfortable for those suffering from the condition.
The most common form, atopic eczema, affects one in five children and one in 10 adults in the UK, according to the National Eczema Society.
Dirty bed sheets can often make symptoms of the condition much worse, according to Dr Sabrina Felson of New York University.
“You shed 500 million skin cells a day and many slough off while you roll around in bed,” she wrote on WebMD.
“These tiny dust mites love to feed on the shed cells and their droppings can trigger allergies cause your itchy eczema to flare.,” she said.
Experts from Bed Kingdom added: “When your sheets aren’t clean, the fabric can irritate your skin when it rubs against it.”
2. Pneumonia
Pneumonia is a type of chest infection that can make it difficult to breathe.
Without treatment, the condition can lead to oxygen deprivation and death.
Common symptoms include coughing, feeling tired and weak, sweating, or shivering more frequently.
US research looking at hospital bed linens found that Staphylococcus bacteria, which can cause pneumonia, were common.
“Washing your bedsheets regularly is the safest way to rid your bed of any bacteria living between your sheets,” Bed Kingdom added.
3. Acne
Acne is a common – and often painful – skin condition that affects many people at some point in their life.
And about 95 per cent of people aged eleven to 30 are affected by the condition to some extent.
Although more commonly found on the face, acne can also affect the back and chest area, the NHS says.
“Whilst acne isn’t caused by bad hygiene, dirty sheets or pillowcases can be partly to blame,” experts from Bed Kingdom explained.
Staphylococcus bacteria, which is known to live on dirty bedding, can worsen acne, according to one 2012 study.
“Changing your pillowcases every two to three days and the rest of your bedding once a week could help improve acne breakouts,” Bed Kingdom said.
4. Asthma
Asthma is a common lung condition that affects 8millions people in the UK.
It’s respiratory condition caused by inflammation of the breathing tubes that carry air to and from our lungs.
It can affect people of all ages but often starts in early childhood, but in some cases it can also develop for the first time in adults.
Experts have found the dusty mites which build up in beds that haven’t been changed regularly, can trigger asthma.
“Clean your bedding on a hot cycle and regularly vacuum your bedroom to help your asthma symptoms,” Bed Kingdom added.