As the weather gets cooler, it’s time to consider that keeping your bedroom clean can help prevent cold and flu or other respiratory illnesses. As soon as the wind blows, we get ready for winter by wearing warm clothing or changing some routines to do indoor activities.
“During winter months, people spend more time inside and in close contact with each other, such as in stores, malls, and restaurants. This means that the flu, coughs, and colds are more easily spread,” explains Dr. Suzanne Salamon, an instructor at Harvard Medical School. Additionally, a scientific paper released in December 2020 demonstrated that nasal temperature drops significantly when exposed to cold, which diminishes the human capacity to defend against certain viruses, says co-author Dr. Benjamin Bleier, director of otolaryngology translational research at Massachusetts Eye and Ear (Time.com).
Cold, flu, and other viruses are a risk for us if we don’t take the proper measures of care. Besides prevention, control is also possible by changing some simple habits. One of the lessons we learned after the COVID-19 crisis was the importance of hygiene in preventing and controlling illness.
Influenza (the flu) and COVID-19 circulate all year round, but winter is particularly bad for the spread of illness. The Better Health Channel of Victoria State gives some recommendations for the prevention of viruses, especially COVID-19. Some recommendations include getting your flu and COVID-19 vaccinations as soon as possible, keeping social distance, use of hand sanitizer, wearing a mask if you have symptoms, and ventilating the house.
As you can see, cleanliness is key to keeping viruses away. Every corner of your house is important to help you prevent illness. If you spend one-third or more of your life in your bedroom, you must seriously consider following these 5 rules to keep it clean and prevent cold and flu:
- Clean surfaces and ventilate: The Health Department of NSW recommends cleaning regularly touched surfaces and less-touched surfaces with adequate products. Frequently touched surfaces such as phones, tablets, touch screens, desks, side tables, or light switches must be cleaned with a household detergent followed by a disinfectant. Another recommendation is ventilating bedrooms of the house regularly.
- Wash your sheets once a week: As a preventive measure, and even more so when someone is sick and spends a long time in a bedroom, the sheets must be washed once a week. The market offers a variety of products to clean and disinfect in the washing machine.
- Change your pillowcase twice a week: The pillowcase is in close contact with your face, so it is very important to wash it frequently, especially if you are experiencing respiratory sickness.
- Wash your mattress protector every two months: A mattress protector prevents stains on your mattress but does not necessarily stop the spread of viruses and bacteria. You must wash the protector regularly and use a disinfectant spray between washings.
- Wash your duvet at least twice a year: Besides stains, bacteria, viruses, and allergens can live on your bedding. To prevent illness and allergies, wash your duvet at least twice a year in the washing machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions or at a laundry service.
Now you know how to take care of the most intimate space of your house to prevent cold and flu, common illness and also COVID-19. Take care of yourself and your family this cold season.
As a brand, we want you to enjoy winter with our products in the little paradise that is your bedroom, specially your bed. Check our products on the websites of Chiropedic, Yinahla, and Sleep Republic to have sweet dreams all year long.