The Lowdown on Woollen Bedding and Dustmites

Anyone who suffers from allergies to dust will know that your sleep can be disrupted by a stuffy nose, itchy eyes and even issues with breathing. 

That said; it’s important to find bedding that doesn’t exacerbate this problem. Woollen bedding is known for its hypoallergenic properties, which makes it an ideal choice for anyone with an allergy or for asthmatics. 

But why is woollen bedding so good – and would adding a wool underlay to your bed help you to have a good night’s sleep? Read on to find out more.

Myths Surrounding Woollen Bedding

Let’s start with the most common myth surrounding woollen bedding – that it’s a great home for dust mites. This myth comes from a study carried out way back in the 1970s that suggested that woollen fibres were a great habitat for the dust mite. 

However, to understand the results, it’s necessary to look at the conditions of the study, in that it was conducted on a tropical island where temperatures regularly reached 40^oC, and humidity levels of 80% were experienced on a day to day basis. 

The fact that dust mites love very warm, humid environments meant that they did thrive in the blankets that the study participants were given to use. However, this was down to the conditions rather than the wool itself.

The Truth About Dust Mites

While dust mites love the kind of conditions presented in this study, the truth is that they don’t actually feed on dust or wool. However, as we’ve said they do love hot and sweaty conditions. 

Therefore, if you’re sleeping on and under synthetic fibres – you’re more likely to be sleeping with large colonies of dust mites than you would be if your bedding is made of natural, breathable fibres such as wool.

Sadly, dust mites are a fact of life. However, they themselves are harmless, but they do produce a protein that causes all the wheezing, sneezing and itching.  

So, while there may be dust mites in your woollen underlay, there certainly won’t be as many as there would be if you’d chosen an underlay or topper made with synthetic materials such as polyester and memory foam.

Woollen Bedding = Better Health

And that’s not just down to the reduced populations of dust mites. Wool has the ability to absorb the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in many household items, such as cleaning products, paint, glue and varnish which also cause problems for asthmatics and people prone to allergies. 

If you’re thinking of buying new bedding this spring, look out for items that contain wool and you can look forward to improved sleep and better health.