Can A Pillow Allergy Give You Poor Sleep
You read that right, the material in your pillow can be the very thing that can cause your pillow allergy to flare up, and therefore give you poor and interrupted sleep. When I realized this, its was like a lightbulb turned on in my brain!
Can a pillow cause you to have an asthma attack?
Pillows can cause allergies and asthma attacks. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America , one in four Americans suffer from allergies or asthma. also deemed as the third most common and chronic disease among children under 18 years old. allergic-asthma.
The Conventional Wisdom Is Wrong
The conventional wisdom says that the down and down/feather fill inside your pillows cause and/or accelerate asthma and allergies.
Thats not true.
The notion that down and/or feathers trigger allergic reactions is a myth promoted by the manufacturers of synthetic pillows.
Youre probably familiar with that decades-old, constant drum beat: synthetic pillows are healthier than down and down/feather pillows.
Thats not true.
Fact is, a number of scientific studies have proven, beyond doubt, that the average synthetic pillow harbors far more dust mites and protein allergens from dust mite feces than the average down or down/feather pillow.
A ground-breaking study by Kemp et al , found that the average synthetic polyester pillow contained up to 8 times more protein allergens from dust mite feces than the average down or down/feather pillow.
And the reason for this is quite simple: the fabrics used to construct the pillow shells for synthetic pillows are typically cheap, ultra-thin, low thread count cotton, polyester or blended fabrics.
And the result?
Dust mites easily penetrate the pillow shells of your synthetic pillows and grow into large colonies as they feed on the dead skin cells sloughed off while you sleep.
When you go to sleep, dust mites go to work!
What About The Pillow Stuffing Itself
There are lots of claims about hypoallergenic materials, but for the most part this term is misleading. The FDA does not really define or regulate the term hypoallergenic. That means you are pretty much on your own when it comes to finding a pillow that wont be a breeding ground for dust mites or other nasty organisms.
Some people think polyurethane foam is the way to go. But a study in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives revealed that such pillows can be high in PBDEs . These flame-retardant chemicals are hormone disruptors. As far as we are concerned, you do not want any extra exposure to PBDEs.
Feather pillows also create a good environment for fungi. A report in the journal Allergy concluded:
We have examined pillows for fungal contamination, and show that the typical used pillow contains a substantial load of many species of fungi, particularly A. fumigatus. Given the time spent sleeping, and the proximity of the pillow to the airway, synthetic and feather pillows could be the primary source of fungi and fungal products. This has important implications for patients with respiratory disease, and especially asthma and sinusitis.
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Can Down And Feather Pillows Be Hypoallergenic
Can down and feather pillows be hypoallergenic?
The simple answer is no. While most down and feathers inside a pillow are triple washed to get most the dander off, it is never 100% hypoallergenic. This can be a very sad answer to most allergy sufferers who LOVE the feel of a down and feather pillow. Not all hope is lost though!! I have asthma and allergies and I can enjoy a luxurious down and feather pillow. I have to be a little more diligent than other non allergy sleepers but it is do able. Here are some tips to help my fellow allergy sufferers.
Change pillowcases once a week. Make sure your pillowcases are fresh and clean to keep dust and dander away from you while you are sleeping.
Wash pillows more often. My allergies arent just to the down and feathers, I am allergic to dust too. If I wash my pillows more frequently, I know I can still enjoy my fancy down and feather pillow.
Buy new pillows more frequently than non allergy sufferers! This is a sad truth. Pillows will get dust mites and that can trigger your allergies. Whether you use a down and feather pillow or a hypoallergenic polyester pillow, allergy sufferers need to get new pillows every year to every 2 years. Interesting fact: New studies have shown that polyester aka synthetic pillows accumulate dust-mite allergens at a rate faster than feather pillows.
Use tightly woven fabric like twill weave or satin weave over your pillow. These fabrics will keep allergens inside your pillow and away from you the best.
What To Do If You Suspect An Allergic Reaction
The hay fever symptoms are really pronounced and youll know immediately if youre suffering from an allergic reaction. Some of the most common symptoms that youre likely to experience include:
- Red and watery eyes
- Hives and other types of skin irritation
If you suspect that youre allergic to the down comforter or to dust mites, youll need to see a medical professional that specializes in allergies.
A few simple tests will have to be performed to identify the allergen the substance that youre sensitive to. Once the allergen is identified, youll need to do prevention that focuses predominantly on avoidance.
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Facts And Figures About Feather Allergies
Feather allergies are relatively rare.
A genuine feather allergy produces symptoms similar to the ones of hay fever. If youre actually experienced an allergic reaction to the down in your pillow or comforter, youll wake up feeling tired and swollen. If youre enjoying a restful and rejuvenating sleep, chances are that youre allergic to something else.
Hay fever caused by pollen is the most common allergy in the world. It affects approximately 7.8 percent of the people in the US, according to the 2010 US National Health Interview. Skin and food allergies follow. Drug, latex and insect allergies come next.
Feathers themselves dont even make it among the top allergens. When feathers arent cleaned properly, however, they create good conditions for the accumulation of dust mites.
The exterior of the comforter has to be made of a non-porous material to keep the filling clean. Following manufacturer recommendations in terms of washing the bedding will also be essential for the prevention of allergic reactions.
If Your Pillow Cant Be Washed
or if it doesnt have an allergen-proof cover, consider buying a separate allergen-proof cover to encase your pillow, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.This also opens you up to a larger range of pillows. Then, you could choose one based on your preference for loft, firmness, or sleeping position.
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Down And Feather Pillows Have An Unfortunate Tendency To Flatten Out As You Sleep
Light and fluffy is great if all you need is cuddly. However, when sleeping, your head and neck need proper support so that your muscles are relaxed and your spine is aligned in a straight line. Its hard to get that support when your pillow turns into a pancake in the middle of the night. Down and feather pillows generally suffer from a lack of consistent support. They tend to flatten out under the weight of your head during the night causing a downward bend in your neck. They require frequent refluffing and adjustment to maintain loft and support.
Pillow Allergy: Dust Mites Are The Biggest Culprit
Aside from the material thats in your pillow, another cause of allergies is actually the dust mites that make their home there. Now, dust mites can be found everywhere, but pillows have proven to be a convenient home for these creatures.
What exactly are dust mites, anyway? Well, these are microscopic creatures that feed on the millions of skin cells that our bodies shed every day. Their fecal matter is what we allergy sufferers react against its these minuscule objects that cause us to sneeze, have itchy eyes, or give us a hard time with our breathing. They thrive in places that are very humid, and because your pillow is prone to retaining moisture when you sweat at night in your sleep, dust mites find pillows to be a comfortable home.
So, the waste from dust mites is a leading cause of allergies, and so the more dust mites there are in your pillows, the more prone youll be to waking up sneezing, with a runny nose, or even sinus problems.
Yes, dust mites are the worst! However, Im going to talk at length about dust mites and how you can deal with them in my next article, so, for the meantime, let me go on about other allergens found in pillows.
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The Following Symptoms Appear:
- irritation of the nasopharyngeal mucosa, accompanied by difficulty breathing, sneezing, suffocating cough
- intense watery discharge from the nose without SARS
- inflammation and redness of the mucous membrane of the eyes, lacrimation
- skin manifestations in the contact area.
Allergic symptoms may appear immediately after contact with an irritant or over time. This process depends on the level of the immune defense, the rate of accumulation of toxins in the body. With an immediate course, manifestations appear after 5-7 minutes, while in case of slow development symptoms appear after 2-3days.
In children, symptoms appear earlier and more intensely than in adults. The childs immunity is not sufficiently developed and, thus, it is more sensitive. Intensive production of histamine can be accompanied by such dangerous manifestations as muscle spasms and bronchospasm, swelling of muscles and soft tissues. If the childs condition deteriorates sharply, there is difficulty in breathing or swelling on the face, emergency medical care is needed.
To avoid allergies, pay particular attention to pillow hygiene and take anti-allergic drugs. The pillows should disinfect and cleaned as often as possible. Natural pillows can be processed at high temperatures. Among anti-allergic drugs, pay attention to modern ones, such as Alerid, Relent or Zyrtec.
Environmental Outcomes: Hdm Allergen Levels
In past studies, HDM allergen exposures have often been assessed as the concentration of allergen in dust from bedroom floors and the childs bedding. More recently, airborne or inhaled allergen levels have been used to more accurately measure exposure. Here, inhaled HDM aeroallergen exposure was sampled using model 2 nasal air samplers , worn by children for 10 min after getting into bed each night, for four nights. A sampling protocol, played on a CD player, describing bed entry and gentle movements, was used to emulate natural sleep disturbance and standardise disturbance. NAS were previously coated internally with an adhesive which collected impacted particles, which were extracted with 0.7 ml of 1% bovine serum albumin, 0.05% Tween, phosphate buffered saline buffer and analysed for Der p 1. Additionally, ambient nocturnal aeroallergen exposure was sampled using 25 mm GF/A glass fibre air filters as described, held in an Institute of Occupational Medicine Inhalable Sampling Head , located within 1 metre of the pillow and connected to a diaphragm pump with airflow of 2.0 litre/min. Samples were managed by an electronic timer and collected for 6 h after going to bed each night for 4 nights . Filters were extracted in 1.0 ml of the same buffer as the NAS.
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How To Dry Pillows Without Tennis Balls
Instead of using a tennis ball, other objects can produce the same results. Tie a couple of T-shirts into balls and put them in the dryer with a single pillow. Add in a single clean shoe with multiple pillows. Small stuffed animals without any plastic parts can fluff the pillows and keep the dryer quiet.
What This Study Adds
- ⶠNew feather bedding was not associated with an altered risk of wheeze symptoms lung function or quality of life after 12 months.
- ⶠThis trial does not support recommendations that feather bedding should be avoided for children with asthma.
- ⶠChild sleep position should be taken into account for trials examining the bedding environment and asthma.
Here, we report on an RCT to determine whether, among children not using feather upper bedding, a new feather pillow and quilt reduces asthma severity among HDM sensitised children with asthma over a 1-year period compared with dust mite avoidance advice when all children are also given a new mite-occlusive mattress cover.
Read Also: Allergic Airway Disease
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Manufacturers Of Synthetic Pillows Are Smart
Now, the manufacturers of synthetic pillows are a smart bunch.
They know that the average two year old synthetic pillow harbors far more protein allergens from dust mite feces than the average two year old down and/or feather pillow.
So they developed allergen-avoiding zippered pillow protectors.
The irony is that you now have to buy their allergen-avoiding zippered pillow protectors to protect yourself from their healthier synthetic pillow.
And the result?
The allergen-avoidance market is a multi-billion dollar industry. Told you they were a smart bunch.
Youre not sensitive to the cleanest possible down and/or feathers
Its highly probable that your sensitivity to down and/or feathers has nothing to do with the down and/or feather itself. Youre probably not sensitive at all to what I call the cleanest possible down and/or feathers.
Whats more likely is that youre sensitive to the dirty down and/or feather fill inside your pillows. Your fill could be dirty for any number of reasons, including:
Down and/or down/feather pillows adjusted to your personal preference for softness or firmness have always provided a comfortable sleeping surface that cradles your head in comfort.
Cleaning Can Be Difficult
I have personally destroyed several down pillows and at least one comforter in the wash. Im sure many of you have done the same. Its quite easy to ruin things filled with feathers and down.
Thus, you have to be careful:
- Drying it too hot can scorch the fill.
- Allowing it to sit wet for too long will result in a really foul-smelling mold. Be sure not to forget them in the washer!
- Washing and drying both can cause clumping of the down clusters, which will cause your pillow to become lumpy and flat.
Proper cleaning of down and feather pillows will help them last longer, if you can do so without damaging them in the process.
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Feather And Down Pillows Retain Heat
Feather and down filling is frequently used as insulation in comforters and sleeping bags. It is terrific at keeping the warmth in and the cold out. Unfortunately that isnt ideal in the context of pillows. Feather and down fill types retain body heat, which can make your pillow hot and uncomfortable, particularly during the summer months. The fill can restrict free air flow preventing heat from escaping. Repeatedly having to flip to the cool side of your pillow is not conducive to good sleep. By the way, that mold I mentioned It loves the savory conditions of your sweaty down pillow!
What Kind Of Pillows Are Best For Allergies
If youre looking for a pillow that wont cause any allergic reactions, there are a few different options you can choose from. One is to purchase a pillow made with synthetic materials. These pillows are often filled with polyester fiber or memory foam.
Polyester and memory foam are resistant to dust mites and other allergens, making them a good choice for people with allergies. Another option would be an organic pillow, such as wool or buckwheat hull.
Keep in mind, though, that no matter what type of pillow you use, it will need to be washed periodically to prevent the buildup of indoor allergens, including dust and dander.
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How To Tell If Your Pillow Is Right
Look for one thats as thick as the distance between your ear and outside shoulder. Stomach sleepers may need a soft pillowor no pillow at allunderneath their head. A pillow under your stomach and pelvis may help prevent back pain. Back sleepers may need a flatter pillow, to keep your head and neck in alignment.
Standard Uk Duvet Sizes
- Super King: 260cm x 220cm
- Emperor size: 290cm x 235cm
These all correspond to different mattress sizes. If you tend to feel cold in bed, go for the next size up from your mattress size , so that the duvet flows over the edges to keep warm air in and any draughts out.
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Dustmites In Your Bedding
Dustmite allergen, found within dustmite droppings, is one of the most common triggers for asthma, eczema and rhinitis. Dustmites thrive in dark, humid areas where there is a ready food supply of dead skin scales, so pillows and duvets provide an ideal environment in which they thrive.
If you are sensitised to dustmite allergen and your allergy is triggered by inhaling it when youre in bed, getting rid of them from your bedding is important. But killing dustmites is only half the battle. For complete avoidance you need to denature and eliminate the allergen too.
Allergy Armor Ultra Pillows:
These pillows feature an encasement thats specifically designed to seal out allergens: something that creates an added benefit, as many people find that they need to buy a hypoallergenic pillowcase in addition to their hypoallergenic pillow. The fabric is shrunk through a special heating process that makes the pores between the fibers incredibly tiny, making it extremely difficult for spores and dust mites to get in. It also features an anti-microbial finish and comes in a variety of sizes.
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