You Could Be Transferring Bacteria to Your Bed, Report Warns – Best Life

Many of us shower before bed, trying to glide between sheets fresh and clean after a day of work or study. But even if you make sure to shower before bed, it’s not just your body that can bring in unwanted bacteria. According to report from MattressNextDay, phones and smartwatches may bring in a lot more germs than you think.

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MattressNextDay wiped down a small number of phones, smartwatches (10 in total) and toilet seats “to reveal what bacteria is growing on our technology – which we then take into the bedroom and transfer to the bed – and what this could mean for our health and wellness.” . and then sleep.” The results were a little alarming as the researchers found traces Pseudomonas aeruginosa on phones and smart watches. (If we talk about chests of drawers, previous studies found that our phones contain about 10 times more bacteria than most toilet seats.)

Ready to get really angry? Pseudomonas aeruginosa Bacteria can be found in cockroach droppingsand this can also cause infections in different parts of the body.

“With remotes once considered the dirtiest item in the house, our latest research suggests our phones have earned that title and we should think twice before putting them under our pillow or taking them to bed,” the report said. MattressNextDay. .

The researchers also asked 575 respondents about their phone and smartwatch cleaning habits. Once again, the results were a little discouraging. More than 50 percent of people said they never cleaned their phones with antibacterial products, and 10 percent said they only clean their phones once a year. As a result, researchers note that bacteria can live on your phone, making its way into your bed and creating a health risk.

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“While these bacteria can get on your pillowcase (if you put your phone under your pillow) and bedding, they can also harm your skin. The more bacteria you have on your phone, the more likely it is that it will transfer to your phone. skin when you bring it to your face,” the report says. “These bacteria can cause blemishes and clogged pores. This may be even more obvious if you sleep on a pillowcase that has accumulated bacteria from your phone.”

When it comes to smartwatches, 70 percent of those surveyed said they never cleaned their device, and only 10 percent said they cleaned their smartwatch once a month.

The American Cleaning Institute (ACI) recommends wiping your smartphone screen daily with a microfiber cloth and removing the case weekly to disinfect it. You should probably wipe down your smartwatch after working out—MattressNextDay suggests doing this when you put your workout clothes in the laundry basket.

But whether or not you regularly bring your devices to bed, you’ll need to maintain a routine for cleaning your sheets. According to the Sleep Foundation, your sheets and pillowcases should be washed “every week.” If you have pets who sleep in your bed, you should increase your washing frequency to once every three to four days, and you should also wash your laundry more often if you tend to sweat on your sheets.

Duvet covers can be left in for a little longer (every two weeks or month), but duvets and blankets should be washed every two to three months. If your pillows are washable, they should also be machine washed every four to six months, as recommended by the Sleep Foundation.