The Conversation (0)
Becca Monaghan
Nov 03, 2024
You're apparently making your bed wrong — expert on how you should …
New York Post / VideoElephant
A doctor has urged people to stop making their bed first thing in the morning for this gross reason.
Dr Mehzer (@drsermedmezher) turned to TikTok with his words of warning and racked up more than 2.6 million views in the process.
He started the clip by showing an image of an unmade bed. "Leave your bed like this in the morning. Your health will thank you for it," he said.
According to the doctor, you're not alone. In fact, beds contain millions of dust mites that "feast on our flesh overnight".
The mites thrive on moisture, and when beds are made first thing in the morning, it "helps them to survive and reproduce".
Dr Mehzer then suggested they can be a problem for people who are allergic, and not even know about it.
"They can cause things like ongoing nasal congestion or random rashes," he continued, before offering advice on how to get rid of them.
He suggested that by leaving your bed unmade for 30 minutes to an hour in the morning will allow the moisture to dry up and "help to reduce their numbers".
Mattress protectors and changing sheets every week can also help keep mites at bay.
@drsermedmezher They Feast On Us 🤢 #bed. High Humidity: Dust mites thrive in environments with high humidity, typically between 70-80%. They absorb water from the air, making moist conditions ideal for their survival and reproduction. Indoor Settings: Common household environments like bedrooms, living rooms, and bathrooms often provide the warmth and moisture that dust mites need. Bedding, upholstered furniture, and carpets are particularly favorable habitats. Nutrient Sources: Human Skin Cells: Dust mites feed primarily on dead skin cells shed by humans and pets. Since people spend a significant amount of time in their homes, especially in their beds, these areas become rich feeding grounds for mites. Other Organic Matter: They also consume other organic materials found in dust, such as pollen, fungi, and bacteria. Allergy Triggers Allergenic Proteins: Fecal Matter and Body Fragments: Dust mites produce waste products and shed body fragments that contain potent allergenic proteins. These proteins can become airborne and inhaled, triggering allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Enzymes: The enzymes in dust mite feces, such as Der p 1 and Der f 1, break down proteins in human skin cells, aiding digestion. These enzymes are significant allergens #allergy #hygiene
Inevitably, the viral clip was soon flooded with hundreds of comments from fellow TikTokers.
"Even dust mites don’t wanna sleep with me," one joked, while another added: "Good I'm lazy anyway."
Meanwhile, a third humoured: "I knew there was a good reason why I naturally just didn’t want to make my bed."
How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel
Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter
Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.