6 creepy ways your bedroom can make you sick

The average adult spends approximately 3,000 hours in their beds every year. But do you know whether or not your bedroom is “healthy?” Most people don’t.

“Your environment is very important for the quality of sleep you get,” says sleep center liaison, Barb Schulze, RRT, CSE, of Mercy Health Saint Mary’s Sleep Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Whether you see it or not, your pillow, sheets, mattress and other bedding, can create a perfect environment for dust mites, allergens and germs. Find out how they can make you sick—plus ways to give your bedroom a clean sweep.

Medically reviewed in January 2020.