Allergens can be found everywhere in life, from your pets to essentially everything growing outside. Some experience allergy symptoms from synthetics and materials used every day in the home, and even non-trigger materials can be a warehouse for irritants and allergens.
One area that is often overlooked by people attempting to combat their allergies is the bedroom, despite the fact we generally spend a third of our day in it. Having an allergic reaction to one of the multiple materials used in traditional mattresses is surprisingly common, and the presence of dust mites in older beds can drastically increase allergy symptoms. One of the best ways to reduce this possibility is by investing in a hypoallergenic foam and latex mattress.
The term hypoallergenic is usually thought to mean totally free of all allergy-causing components. In reality, the term only means a reduced number of allergens that would normally be present. Therefore, it’s still possible to have an allergy to a hypoallergenic mattress itself, but because of the makeup of the materials used, the mattress will house fewer allergens than traditional materials.
Both memory foam and latex natural foam are considered hypoallergenic, though it has less to do with their makeup than what they allow into their structures. By virtue of their solid structures, dead skin cells that naturally fall off our bodies at night have a more difficult time getting into the core of a foam mattress. This is important, because skin cells are the food source for dust mites. Mites do not bite humans, but their waste and microscopic bodies after they die cause the respiratory irritation we consider to be an allergic reaction. Therefore, materials that reduce the ability for dust mites to have a significant presence will also reduce the chances of allergy symptoms. There are other methods that help individuals who have severe allergies, such as mattress covers. No matter what steps you take though, know that there are ways to help reduce the irritants present in your home and life.