ALLERGIC REACTION TO BEDDING: IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHERE TO START
If you do not know where to start, your simple course of action is to:
• Take precautions against house dust mites
• Use the Pillow Test to work out what fibres you react to before making any major changes
• Do not replace everything at once. Try out one piece (e.g. a pillowcase or pillow) of a new material to see how you go
• Use anti-dust mite bedding and covers if you tolerate synthetics
• Use pure cotton bedding unless you are allergic to cotton
• Test out bedding in small samples before making any major purchases
Allergy and chemical sensitivity are very idiosyncratic. What works for one member of your family or for a friend may not work for you.
So keep an open mind, stay flexible, take it one step at a time, and with luck you will not waste time and money. Use the Pillow Test to test out materials before deciding what to buy. Borrow bedding from relatives or friends to test them out before replacing yours. Buy one pillowcase, or one pillow rather than a whole set at once.
It is often enough just to replace the bedclothes that immediately surround your head, where you inhale. Some people find, for instance, that if they replace their pillow or pillowcase, or use an anti-mite pillow cover, it can be enough to stop problems. Another trick is to place a piece of fabric which you tolerate over the top of the sheet, duvet or blanket where you breathe in. If this works, you may not need to replace sheets or duvets. It is also a good way of testing out fibres fully before making a major purchase.
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