Daily Times

We’ve all heard the saying ‘don’t let the bedbugs bite’, but perhaps we should be just as wary of dust mites.

When it comes to keeping our beds in tip-top condition, there are a few things that most people do, from changing bed sheets each week to using mattress and pillow protectors at all times.

But what about the mattress itself? According to British bed experts, Hyde and Sleep, we should be changing our mattress ever eight years.

The company has revealed that on average, your mattress is likely to contain more than half a stone of dead skin cells – which makes them a feeding ground for dust mites. The brand is attempting to raise awareness about the health problems that may arise from using an old mattress such as poor sleep, asthma, and eczema.

In eight years we shed an average of 4.84kg of dead skin cells, but it’s not the dead skin cells we have to worry about, it’s what they attract. Dead skin cells are a feeding ground for dust mites, which give off an allergen that can be harmful to our health. A minuscule amount of dust mite allergen – two micrograms per gram, to be precise – can cause hypersensitivity in asthma sufferers while 10mcg/g can pose a serious health risk. Not only that but your mattress also collects bodily fluids such as sweat, saliva and more, which over time could amount to enough bodily fluids to fill two bathtubs. Grossed out enough yet?

To prevent your mattress deteriorating before it should, Hyde and Sleep recommend opening a window ever day to keep your bedroom well-ventilated. They also suggest cleaning sheets on a regular basis and using a mattress protector to prevent body fluids seeping down into the fabric base fabric.