Sit 'n Sleep Reports Consumers Looking For Reprieve From Allergies Should Start At Home

Main Category: Allergy
Article Date: 21 Apr 2010 - 0:00 PDT

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As many Americans prepare for a particularly bad outdoor allergy season due to recent El Nino rains and the pollen that flourished as a result, Sit 'n Sleep today released findings showing that people would be wise to look at indoor environmental allergens as a major factor affecting their allergy symptoms. While outdoor allergens like grass, tree and weed pollen can trigger symptoms, indoor allergens including dust mites and pet dander in places like mattresses and carpets are also common culprits. In addition, exposure to indoor allergens is easier to reduce than outdoor allergens, which are often treated by staying inside when triggers are at their highest, or by taking medication.

"What many people fail to realize is how much indoor allergens play a role in exacerbating symptoms from sinus congestion and headaches to asthma," said Dr. Marc Meth, an allergist on staff at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. "Dust mites, pet dander and mold spores thrive in certain areas of your home from pillows and bedding to humid bathrooms. The good news is they can all be reduced through simple precautionary measures and household cleaning practices, thereby reducing your exposure and the likelihood of allergic reactions."

For a full list of tips on reducing exposure to indoor allergens, visit http://www.sleepwithlarrymiller.com. The tips include these top five ways to help limit allergy triggers:

- Put your mattress and pillows into casings to reduce contact between these sleep surfaces, where dust mites thrive on dead skin cells, and your skin.

- Wash sheets at least once a week in 140-degree water to kill dust mites. Replace pillows regularly and plan to invest in a new mattress every eight years.

- Remove bedroom carpeting to severely limit exposure to dust mites and pet dander. Can't afford new hardwood? Make sure to vacuum the carpet at least once a week, ideally with a HEPA filter vacuum.

- Make sure bathrooms are well ventilated to reduce the growth of mold spores and treat any visible mold patches with bleach.

- Keep windows closed in the spring and summer to keep outdoor allergens from further polluting the air inside your home.

"We recommend that consumers replace their mattress every eight years for a very specific reason," said Larry Miller, Founder, President and CEO of Sit 'n Sleep. "Over time, dust mites and other allergens multiply in that warm environment, causing potential health issues, as well as doubling the overall weight of your mattress. People who want relief from bad allergies should start by looking at the place where they spend a third of their life - their bed."

Source
Sit 'n Sleep

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