General Physician Begs People to Stop Making Their Beds First Thing in the Morning

Each time you go to bed, you are not alone, even if it’s just you lying there. Some strangers are sharing the bed with you. Deep inside the bed’s springy mattress, lurks a mob of millions of bulbous creatures that are invisible to the naked eye, as per Stanford Healthcare. These tiny, wingless creatures called “dust mites” slowly invade your mattress, and live inside, feeding on the moisture on your skin. It might be difficult to imagine, but within just a few years, the bedding becomes a home of these creatures plus the particles of their poop. “They feast on us,” Doctor Sermed Mezher (@drsermedmezher) said in an Instagram reel and explained why no one should make their bedding the first thing in the morning.

"Leave your bed like this in the morning. Your health will thank you for it," the doctor said while showing a snap of an unmade bed. According to the award-winning doctor, there are millions of dust mites that “feast on our flesh overnight.” These mites thrive on humidity and moisture and if beds are made just after waking up in the morning, the moisture locked in the bedding only supports these creatures to survive and reproduce. “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,” he explained in the caption.

The doctor pointed out that the most favorable environments for these insects include bedrooms, living rooms, and bathrooms as they often provide the warmth and moisture that dust mites need. “Bedding, upholstered furniture, and carpets are particularly favorable habitats,” he explained. As people spend considerable time of day on their beds, these mites feed on the dead skin cells. The physician shared that this mighty mite issue can especially be an underlying problem for people who suffer from chronic allergies. “They can cause things like ongoing nasal congestion or random rashes,” he said.

Elaborating on the science in the caption, he wrote that these mites produce a lot of waste matter and enzymes that contain “potent allergenic proteins.” These proteins can become airborne and inhaled, triggering allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Moving further, the London doc suggested that the bed should be left unmade for at least 30 minutes in the morning so that the moisture can dry up. This will prevent the dust mites from reproducing further and more. Tools like mattress protectors, weekly changing of bedsheets, and vacuum cleaners can also help deal with the problem.

The doctor’s simple tip sent a wave of horror streaming down people’s spines who didn’t know that they had unwanted friends lying with them on their beds. “I wish I didn’t see this video as I am laying in bed right now and I have started to feel itchy,” wrote @xrobyn_bulmerx in a comment. “I’m sitting on the bed right now and I wanna sleep on the ceiling tonight,” said @iamjamieorange. @j_vchhi wrote almost in panic, “That's it. I am sleeping in the fridge.”

Some people took the doctor’s video on a funny note. “My favorite remedy for getting rid of mites is hotboxing them with farts of diabolical levels,” quipped @nhingthings. @potus.goodman said, “I miss the person I was 30 seconds ago!” @awaken.allstars offered a suggestion, “Use eucalyptus silk bedding and sheets, mites can’t breed on it, not like cotton.” They’re correct in saying that. Ethical Bedding explains that eucalyptus silk is naturally resistant to dust, dust mites, and mold, and even though it is not devoid of mites, it can reduce their number to a considerable amount.

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