Untidy beds may keep us healthy | Hacker News Reader

Untidy beds may keep us healthy

news.bbc.co.uk

43 pointsDysiode24 comments

Dust mites are a bitch.

Although I was pretty skeptical, I noticed a marked difference after I encased my bedding (mattress, pillows, comforter) in special dust-mite proof sheets. Dust mites can't get in (or out, if they're in there), and the proteins that actually cause the allergic reaction also can't get out. So you have less bugs producing allergens, and the allergens don't get into your lungs. I hardly ever wake up coughing uncontrollably anymore. (Air filters and powerful allergy/asthma drugs were pretty effective, too, but the combination is best.)

Anyway, I had no idea I was allergic to dust mites, even though I often woke up in the middle of the night coughing uncontrollably and woke up in the morning almost drowning in my own phlegm. I thought it was post-nasal drip or bad sleeping posture or something. A 15-minute skin test later, and now I know for sure what I am allergic to, and can be on the right drugs (and immunotherapy). So if you have similar symptoms, get tested, and get your body fixed. Dust mite allergy can be cured, and there are nonsedating side-effect free drugs that can help you while your body is being fixed. (Singulair.)

I hate to make preachy public service announcements, but a lot of people are probably unnecessarily tired today simply because they spent most of the night not being able to breathe and didn't even realize it. And if you don't sleep, you can't hack!

Unfortunately, you might be less happy as a result: http://www.happiness-project.com/happiness_project/2009/08/m...

She also mentions that not making your bed could make you feel more happy, because it is resistance against your parents rules.

Interesting idea. But it seems trivial compared with laundering your sheets in hot water regularly

They don't just live in your sheets, they live in the mattress too. You can launder your sheets all day and they can still come out of your mattress onto your clean sheets.

It seems that the two approaches would work well together.

> In the next stage of their research, the scientists are putting mite pockets into beds in 36 houses around the United Kingdom to test their computer model and will investigate how people's daily routines affect mite populations.

I realize I already have dust mites in my bed, but I would still have a hard time volunteering for this. Ignorance is bliss.

If you're not allergic, you're not allergic. Then they're just there, eating your dead skin cells. You shouldn't worry too much about microorganisms unless they cause you problems -- they are everywhere, and you can't get rid of them.

In fact, each and every one of us has billions of microorganisms hanging out on our skin and inside our bodies. Many of them are our friends, helping us digest things we can't otherwise digest and warding off infections.

Incidentally, one theory as to why allergies are so prevalent these days is because chlorinated water killed off a gut parasite that hooks into the intestine and excretes an immunosuppressant. Without that suppressant action that we evolved with the "expectation" of having, we now all have more potent immune systems than "designed". The result is that it reacts to things that pose no harm, like pollen and dust mite debris.

On the other hand, dirty water has killed a lot more people than allergies have.

Whenever I reflect on this fact, I feel like something H.P. Lovecraft might have written about.

As someone with dust mite allergies this is what I'm going to start doing: 1. Leave blanket rolled up at end of bed 2. Turn fan on to blow over the bed, drying it out

Much cheaper than buying those fairly pricey dust mite cases that seem to have dubious effectiveness.

Or you could invest in an electric blanket.

As a bonus you will get more sleep in winter (because it takes time for your body to warm the bed otherwise).

Electric blankets are also a classic money-saving measure if you're trying to save on heating bills.

On the other hand, an electric blanket plus a cold house is guaranteed to make you not want to get up in the morning. You may lose enough productivity to cancel out the money you save on heating.

What about if you had a laptop next to your bed and worked from home?

Sure, there's muscle atrophy, but it's a small price to pay for comfort! </sarcasm>

The only thing I know about electric blankets is that elderly people seem to burn to death from them or get severe burns on their body from them on a regular basis. It happened to my granny, too (just the burns, thankfully).

Overall, they just seem like a silly idea to me. Or maybe it is just an idea from another era, when people thought that electricity would solve every problem and being exposed to x-rays could make you mutate into superman.

You'd be surprised at the advances in Electric Blanket technology. My mother actually bought one earlier this week and I was surprised at how much better they are now.

It automatically adjusts it's heat settings to maintain a constant body temperature and to remove the chance of burns, is waterproof and has extra layers of underlay to prevent the mattresses from damage (and in the extreme cases, fire)

Still, I remain skeptic of the concept. I think it is not even very good to have too much warmth while sleeping? If the blanket is waterproof, what about sweat - can it evaporate?

And what about the body regulating it's own temperature? It seems better equipped for that than an external device.

Also the thought of sleeping with electrical wires leading into my bed makes me uneasy.

To be honest I haven't really considered the pros and cons, though. I am biased.

If it is too cold for going to bed, how about a hot-water bad or cherry pit pillow?

Waterproof means it won't electrocute you if it gets wet.

As to self-regulation, the body's heat controller seems to release adrenaline to increase temperature. This works fine but is not so good for sleeping.

Be aware that if you are doing this because you are (putatively) allergic to dust mites, which is triggering breathing issues:

Breathing cold air, especially through the mouth, can exaggerate breathing problems.

Agreed. I am wondering if sleeping at a higher temperature would help, so that there could be less heat released through skin.

I haven't made my bed in a week. Now i am feeling +much+ better. :)

On a side note: Am I the only one who struggles reading these articles made of one-sentence-paragraphs? I completely lose the flow and the structure of the argumentation (Is there any?).

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