Allergies and Specialty Sleep
According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, more than 50 million people in the U.S. suffer from some kind of allergy. Most of these allergens are things like common dust mites, ragweed and pollen but these simple allergens and the symptoms they cause have helped allergies become the 6th leading cause of chronic disease in America. The reasons and hypotheses that scientists have postulated on this topic are many, but no one seems to have the real answer. One thing is for sure, taking medications forever does not have to be the only method by which you can combat allergies. There are a number of homeopathic options for treating allergies, seasonal or otherwise, and taking a long, hard look at your bed, bedding and bedroom should be at the top of your list.
Most American's currently own a traditional inner spring mattress and many of us will hang on to that mattress for a long time to avoid costly replacement. After all, if the bed is still relatively comfortable, why spend additional money before you absolutely must? If you suffer from allergies through part or most of the year your bed and your bedroom could be major culprits. Inner spring mattresses, for example, can be wonderful homes to dust mites. Dust mites are microscopic pests that thrive in human homes. They live on sloughed off skin cells and are particularly common in rugs, mattresses and bedding. If you are allergic to dust mites you probably suffer from allergies all year long and dust mites have been identified as a leading cause of asthma.
Simply replacing your innerspring mattress is not really going to solve your problem. In today's specialty sleep market, you can find a number of options that serve consumers with significant allergy problems. Not only do the newer sleep technologies offer benefits to your joints, back and neck, they have also been designed with new materials that do not house allergens like traditional mattresses. If you are an allergy sufferer, or one of your children suffers from allergies or asthma is to consider purchasing one of the hypo allergenic specialty sleep options; an airbed, latex bed or a water bed.
Airbeds work beautifully for people with allergies to mold, dust mites and other common allergens. Dust mites cannot live inside an air mattress and you can empty and refill your air mattresses seasonally to ensure that you have a clean slate. If you consistently wash your bedding and maintain your airbed, not only will it last a lifetime but you can significantly reduce your exposure to allergens during sleep. Additionally, if you sleep with a partner, you can enjoy the benefits of tailoring your sleep surface to each individual offering firmer or softer mattress options to each sleeper. Airbed mattresses today come in all sizes from twin to California King and you can purchase memory foam toppers and other bedding that will work wonderfully with your airbed. They even make airbeds that can cater to women during pregnancy - a time when allergies can be a particular nuisance.
Latex mattresses are equally inhospitable to dust mites. Because latex mattresses contain a core of latex material, rather than springs, batting and other materials, they are impervious to dust mites. You can find latex mattresses at varying levels of softness and latex mattresses are now being manufactured by more and more companies so your options for this sleep surface are improving. Again, you can buy a memory foam topper and other bedding to customize this excellent sleep surface for you or you and your partner. Latex mattresses, like airbeds, often offer extended warranties and additional benefits to your overall joint and physiological health.
Waterbeds have been around for years, but the newer generation of this “old school” sleep surface makes it far more attractive. Obviously, dust mites cannot live within the fluid core of your waterbed mattress which makes these beds ideal for those who suffer from allergies and asthma. Additionally, if you like the warmth of the water bed but not the incessant “rocking” and lack of stability, there are now waterbed options that provide both the softness and feeling of sleeping on water with a newfound firmness. New advances in waterbeds have yielded a variety of options for all whether you opt for a firmer feeling or the traditional waterbed technology. Waterbeds now come in both hard sided and soft-sided models that look like traditional beds and you can get special toppers and bedding that can customize this specialty sleep surface for you and your partner.
Depending on your sleep situation and the preferences of both you and your partner, either an airbed, a latex mattress may make for a wonderful hypo allergenic sleep surface and may offer other benefits as well. Additionally, you can get pillow and mattress topper covers that are impervious to dust mites and you should consider replacing any carpeted floors in your home with another material that is not as habitable to this common allergen, among others. You may find that by replacing carpeting with vinyl, wood or alternative flooring, replacing your inner spring mattress, washing bedding more regularly and by vacuuming weekly that your allergies are significantly reduced.
About the Author
Blair Stephens is an accomplished freelance writer and proud member of the MyRest.com team. She has written articles about sleep technology, sleep disorders, memory foam, airbeds and more. MyRest.com is the best speciality sleep site on the web and will be offering articles and resources to everyone to help them find the sleep option that works for them. Check out our sleep resources at http://www.myrest.com
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