Advanced Sleepwear to Reduce Allergies and Improve Sleep Quality
By Dr. Dan Gartenberg
Addressing allergies and sleeping with a fabric that disperses moisture during the 1/3 of your life spent sleeping is one of the simplest ways to improve your sleep forever.
These sleep hacks are so effective because once you do them, they can positively impact every night of sleep for the rest of your life. After dealing with allergies for years, I finally went to a doctor and got diagnosed as highly allergic to dustmites. This was resulting in me snoring at night and a lot of complaints from my sleep partner.
Below are the steps that I took to address this issue. As a results, I have seen an increase in my sleep quality and a reduction in snoring.
1. Get hypoallergenic PJs
How to do it
In addition to quality PJs having utility for regulating temperature, they can also address allergies in the bedroom. Dust mites are extremely common and live in 4 out of 5 bedrooms. These small bugs thrive in cold and damp climates and can be a major source of allergies. Frequently changing your bedding and wearing hypoallergenic sleepwear is a proven solution that can help address this issue.
2. Get tested for allergies like dust mites by a doctor
How to do it
Did you know that 5-30% of the population are allergic to dust mites? While you might not think that this is a serious allergy is, untreated allergies cause chronic inflammation. This is not healthy. If you snore or sneeze at night, this is one of the most common reasons. To be proactive about your health, it is best to get a referral by your general practitioner to see an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) doctor (if you get a referral then your insurance is more likely to pay). An ENT doctor can rule out issues like dust mites and also test for other allergies, such as to pets or foods that may be causing sleep disruptions.
3. Get casings for your pillows and bed to block dust mites
How to do it
If you discover that you are allergic to dust mites, you can take protecting your bed to the next level with casings that you can place around your pillows and mattress.
Mattress and pillow casing is recommended in addition to hypoallergenic sheets. The New York Times and Wire Cutter recently conducted a review of the best casings.
By completely enclosing your bed and pillow with a special fabric, this prevents dust mites from being able to survive on your bedding. Such casing, is the recommended solution for addressing allergies in your bedroom.
If you find that you frequently cough or have dry mouth at night, consider investing in a humidifier.
Hypoallergenic breathable PJs can also block out dust mites and bacteria, such as Dagsmejan. You can get $15 off all Dagsmejan Sleepwear and learn how to get the most of it by downloading the Free SleepSpace app and unlocking the Dagsmejan Sleepwear program.
4. Change your pillows every year
How to do it
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America (AAFA) recommends that you change your pillow every 2 years. Pillows accumulate a lot of dead skin, dust mites, and even mold. Pillows can also begin to lose their support structure in as little as 1-year. That's why we recommend to change them more frequently (at least once a year) if you use the same pillow on a regular basis. Also when replacing a pillow, factor in that high quality pillows, such as memory foam pillows like Termpur-petic have a longer lifespan. That's why I personally use a Tempurpetic pillow. While it costs more upfront, it lasts longer, making it more economical.
5. Sweep and mop your bedroom once a week
How to do it
A simple way to reduce allergies in your bedroom is to clean it on a regular basis. We usually do a deep clean of our bedroom at least every 2 weeks and will sweep and vacuum at least once a week. This helps keep your bedroom as a clean sleep sanctuary, which is what you ideally want for getting the most regenerative night of sleep possible.
Another hack to create the perfect sleep sanctuary is to make your bed every morning. This will give you the opportunity to have a ritual of getting into your bed every night. Having such rituals can help with stimulus control - promoting the ability to fall asleep faster.