Bed linen for allergy sufferers - Which bed linen is best?

Any allergy sufferer knows the effect that they have on one’s daily life; likewise, they can have a negative impact on our sleep. If you are constantly woken up due to sneezing or sniffing at night, you cannot get a good night's sleep, which in turn puts a strain not only on the body, but also on our mental health and professional performance.

One of the most common allergies that occurs in connection with our bed linens is probably the house dust allergy. In order to reduce the reaction to house dust, the textile and bedding industry have developed a special bed linen. However, bed linen for allergy sufferers cannot only reduce the exposure to house dust, but also reduce the effect of other allergens such as pollen, animal hair or bedbugs.

In this blog entry, we will go into further detail regarding 'bed linen for allergy sufferers' and show which materials are best suited for which particular allergies. If you want to know which bed linen is suitable for allergy sufferers, then read on here.

Pollen allergy

Almost 15% and 20% of the populations of Germany and Switzerland suffer from hay fever, respectively. This makes it the most common allergy in Europe. The discomfort caused by the allergy to pollen is felt most acutely in the early morning and in the evening, because most plants release their pollen in the morning hours, from about 7 to 8 o'clock.

In the evening, the air cools down, leading the pollen in the air to float back down to earth. This affects our sleep and makes it impossible for us to rest for seven to eight hours at a stretch. If we have a hard time breathing due to a stuffed nose, our body doesn’t get the oxygen it needs and our quality of sleep deteriorates.

Common symptoms of a pollen allergy include:

• redness of the eyes
• sneezing
• swollen nasal mucous membranes
• scratching in the throat
• reactions to the skin a runny nose

How can bed linen for allergy sufferers help with hay fever?

Anyone who is allergic to pollen will suffer greatly, even in the bedroom. Our body’s immune system reacts to the presence of pollen, which has the tendency to accumulate in our mattress and bed linen. When you inhale, pollen found in the pillow can irritate the nose’s sensitive mucous membranes throughout the night.

Finely woven bed linen for allergy sufferers can prevent the pollen from accumulating in the mattress. Covers for pillows, blankets and mattresses, so-called encasings, can be put on quickly and washed at temperatures above 60 degrees. They are equipped with a zipper and can be put on and taken off without any problems.

Although the covers form a hygienic shield against pollen, they still allow enough air and moisture to pass through, so sweat and bacteria don’t accumulate. When buying new bed linens, always make sure that they can be washed at a high temperature and are breathable. Bed linens should be washed every two weeks and preferably dried in the dryer (and not outside).

What else can I do?

• Try not to wear your outdoor clothes in the bedroom or even bring them inside your bedroom
• Change your clothes immediately when you get home
• As there is a high concentration of pollen in your hair, you should wash or rinse your hair before going to bed
• Wipe the floor in your apartment as often as possible with a damp cloth
• Use special pollen screens in your bedroom to reduce the amount of pollen that enters it

House dust allergy

Anyone suffering from a house dust allergy does not react directly to allergens in the dust, but rather to the mites, or more precisely their excrement. Mites like to make their home in warm and damp areas, like our mattresses and bedding. These areas not only get damp from the sweat we release at night, but the mites also eat the skin flakes we shed in our bed at night.

In closed rooms, house dust mites are one of the most common allergy triggers. On average, there are about 10 million house dust mites in our mattresses and bed linen.

The most common symptoms of a house dust allergy are:

• Itchy eyes (conjunctivitis)
• Sneezing, irritation and stuffy nose
• Congested cough (bronchitis)
• Allergic asthma
• Skin irritations, such as rashes and hives

How can bed linen help allergy sufferers in the event of a house dust allergy?

The mite bed linen has fine silver stripes sewn into it, which has an antibacterial effect. They also create an electrostatic field that is unpleasant for mites. So, which bed linen for allergy sufferers is suitable instead of the mite bed linen?

Alternatively, you can use bed linens made from microfibre. The fibres are so dense that it is difficult for mites to penetrate them and make their nests. You can also buy encasings for your mattress. Encasings prevent direct skin contact with the mites and thus cut off the mites' food source. Often, your insurance company might even pay for your mite bedding. Again, make sure that the bed linen you choose can be washed in the washing machine at a high temperature.

What else can I do?

• Keep the air humidity and room temperature in your bedroom very low
• Ventilate daily
• Clean your mattress once a year
• Wipe smooth floors regularly
• Use vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters

Allergy to animal hair

People who suffer from an allergy to animal hair usually do not react to the animal hair itself. The pathogens are located in the protein-containing components of saliva, sweat, sebum or urine of animal hair. About 10% of the population suffer from an allergy to animal hair. The allergens are also mostly found in dust and fine dust particles in the house.

Most often people react to allergens in cat hair, because the airborne allergens disperse the fastest, with dog hair in second place. However, even small animals, such as guinea pigs, can cause serious reactions. Reactions to horse hair are somewhat rarer.

The most common symptoms of an allergy to animal hair are:

• red eyes
• tingling or itching in the nose
• difficulty breathing runny nose

How can the bed linen for allergy sufferers help in the case of an allergy to animal hair?

Bed linen for allergy sufferers prevents the allergens from sticking to the mattress. Allergies are usually easier to manage if the triggers can be removed quickly and easily. Ideally, animals should be kept completely out of the bedroom if a family member suffers from an allergy to animal hair.

What else can I do?

• Use a vacuum cleaner with special filters
• Take antihistamines
• Regularly brush the puts outside the home
• Ventilate the home frequently

Which bed linen for allergy sufferers - what do I wear over the encasings?

Along with the appropriate bed linen for allergy sufferers, it is best to use bed linens made from natural materials. Synthetic materials are not able to regulate moisture well and don’t transfer it from the bedding to the air outside. For this reason, you sweat more in synthetic bed linen, which attracts dust mites and bacteria.

Natural materials such as cotton, silk or linen are best suited because they are breathable and regulate moisture. Our bed linen from Zizzz is not only made from 100% pure organic cotton, percale or silk, but is also hypoallergenic and ideal for allergy sufferers. In addition to our pillowcases and duvet covers, we also offer fitted sheets made from the same materials.

Our bed linen is also extremely long lasting and sustainably manufactured. For this reason it has been awarded the GOTS seal. We do not use any chemicals whatsoever when growing our cotton, which further enhances the skin-friendliness of our products.

This is why you are guaranteed to find a relaxed sleep without being plagued by annoying allergies with our bed linen.