Reasons to Replace Your Pillows Often
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Some people tend to develop a sentimental streak towards their pillows and keep them as long as humanly possible. Such move might not be good for the health, as some studies reveal. Keeping the same pillow for a long time might cause body aches, diseases and allergic reactions in the long run. Allergies and asthma Old pillows might be the reason for itches and sneezes for some people. These accumulate dust mites that cause allergic reactions. Some studies also show that these may aggravate asthma and allergies. Researchers from the University of Manchester studied the amount of fungi for every used pillow. They took samples from 10 pillows with between one and a half and 20 years of regular use. They discovered several thousand spores of fungus per gram of pillow. These fungi cause or worsen asthma attacks and allergies.
Causing life-threatening diseases Apart from allergies and asthma, keeping old pillows increases the risk of having life-threatening diseases. The fungi in the study are called aspergillus fumigates, which are not only prevalent in pillows, but also dangerous. Constant exposure to such species may increase the risk of having aspergillosis, a disease that causes widespread organ damage if managed poorly. It is the leading infectious cause of death in leukemia and bone marrow transplant patients.
Pillows and body pains Old pillows might also be the cause of recurring pains in the back, neck and other parts of the body. Using old, worn out pillows may lead to neck stiffness, arm pain and headaches in the morning. Choosing the wrong pillow produces the same results. Studies show that feather pillows are associated with neck pains. Experts recognize the hazards and emphasize that people should replace their pillows from time to time. Nevertheless, when is the right time to replace them? They recommend replacing them between six months to two years. People may also check if their pillows are at the end of their lifespan by folding them in half. The pillow is dead if it does not spring open quickly. Experts also suggest the use of latex, polyester or foam contour pillows because studies show that these produce better quality sleep and reduce pains.
Sources: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/10/051015093046.htm http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/aug/10/should-throw-awaymy-pillows http://www.asthmaandallergycenter.com/article/dust-mites-feather-vssynthetic-pillows/