As a reader-supported website, we're able to keep it free. Buying something through a link on this page might earn us commissions. Thanks for that.
Mold growth can be a very challenging issue to deal with. It can cause allergies, adverse health effects, and let’s not forget the pungent odor that accompanies it.
In fact, studies suggest that the molds in your bedroom can be a possible cause for a variety of sleep problems, such as insomnia and its related symptoms. In this article, we will be walking through what molds are and how they get inside your bedroom.
We will also be diving into how mold in the bedroom might be more harmful than you think it is, and how it impacts sleep. Let us get started!
Mold grows in warm and wet environments as they require sufficient moisture to thrive. They are formed by a type of fungi that can develop either outdoors or indoors and can be a horrible sight to look at.
Furthermore, molds are known for releasing microscopic spores that travel from one region to another as the air flows. As such, mold spores have the potential to spread across a wide area even if they are not present in a suitable environment that allows them to thrive. This fungus starts developing as soon as the environment becomes hot and wet, covering the region it is located at.
The most commonly caused mold illness is an allergic reaction. Many people are allergic to mold, and as a result, they can exhibit the symptoms, which include a rash, itchy skin, irritated eyes, cough, runny nose, and so on.
Mold can also be found in places that are more prone to dust and dirt buildup. Hence, objects like paper, wood, and other surfaces can be affected by a mold attack. It even grows on wallpapers, furniture, damp clothing, ceiling tiles, and pretty much in any damp environment.
While mold is not an extremely toxic substance, there are a few types that release toxins. For instance, black mold is believed to release toxins called mycotoxins, which are said to be quite harmful to your respiratory health and may lead to a weakened immune system.
Moreover, mold can also cause significant damages to your home appliances. Hence, it is best to get rid of it as soon as you identify the source to prevent issues, such as drywall mold growth, mold odors, black mold, mold strains, and so on.
While it is a common misconception that mold spores mostly develop outdoors or in the outer regions of the house, they can wreak havoc inside your bedroom too. For instance, if you live in a hot and humid environment then there is a high chance that you will have to deal with molds on your walls, ceiling tiles, and so on.
Another way through which mold can get into your bedroom is its location in your house. The bedrooms that are located in areas, such as basements are much more likely to develop molds than the ones located in a cooler and more ventilated region.
It is common for molds to enter your house through openings, such as windows. They can grow and slowly spread through the walls where your window is located. Further, they may enter your premises by getting stuck on your clothes when you enter the house after returning from outside.
Molds need not necessarily pollute your bedroom by entering it from outside. They can also grow on objects such as mattresses. If you are someone who sweats a lot, there is a high chance that your mattress will end up absorbing the sweat. This creates the perfect warm environment for mold to breed in.
Several studies imply the connection between sleep problems with the presence of molds in bedrooms. For instance, research conducted in the year 2015 concluded how household mold exposure and odor impacted the sleep patterns of children as well as senior citizens.
Additionally, a study conducted in the year 2005 concluded that more than 16,000 adults who admitted that they were struggling with insomnia were living in a damp environment and sleeping in a moldy bedroom. Here are a few ways through which mold can cause sleep health issues:
As mentioned before, mold allergy can make your eyes irritated and your nose runny. With such issues, it is obvious that it will be difficult for you to fall asleep. Not being able to sleep properly for a long period is referred to as insomnia, and it can occur in people who stay in a region with prolonged mold exposure.
Studies suggest that people who sleep in a moldy bedroom face difficulty breathing. This can potentially cause them to snore at night. While snoring does not have a medical consequence on its own, it may make falling asleep difficult for the person you share a room with.
A much worse form of disordered breathing is obstructive sleep apnea. It refers to the condition in which a person stops breathing in the middle of their sleep, and then suddenly starts breathing again. This sudden intake of breath causes them to gasp.
Obstructive apnea can occur due to blockage of your airway. You may suffer from issues, such as nasal congestion in case of toxic mold exposure. Prolonged mold exposure may also cause inflammation in your airways, which can make it difficult for you to breathe orderly during the night.
The respiratory issues and triggered allergies, which are also caused due to long-term exposure to a moldy room, may also contribute to the worsening of your sleep apnea.
If you miss out on an entire night’s sleep, there is a high chance that you will end up being sleep deprived. This state causes people to get irritated easily, hampers their physical and mental productivity, and makes them less focused.
Sleep deprivation may occur on either a temporary or permanent basis. A prolonged form of such deprivation can lead to medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.
However, staying up all night is not the only way to be sleep deprived. Even if you fall asleep, if the quality of your sleep is not good then you will not benefit from the rest. As a result, you will still end up suffering from all the consequences of sleep deprivation.
If your bedroom is prone to toxic mold exposure, then it might be causing issues such as snoring, restless sleep, or sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea. As a result, you may not be able to get good quality sleep or any sleep at all in a room with mold.
People with allergies find it harder to sleep. Hence, if there is something in your bedroom that is triggering your allergy, falling asleep will become even tougher. As a result, you might end up feeling fatigued throughout the day since you will not have slept the entire night. This may compromise your overall productivity at work. As such, you should avoid sleeping in a room with mold spores.
To prevent mold exposure, it is very important to keep the environment of your bedroom clean and dry. For instance, if water accidentally spills on the floor of your room, clean it as soon as possible.
Additionally, you should keep things like your carpets and wallpapers clean. You can vacuum them regularly to prevent any form of condensation molds on them.
People who live in humid areas commonly face the issue of mold toxicity in their rooms. This mostly happens due to poor ventilation. To prevent this, you should switch on your ceiling fans as frequently as possible and ensure that the humidity level is always below 50%.
If your bathroom and bedroom are located near each other, you might need to take a few extra precautions to ensure that there is no mold growth in either space. Here are a few ways through which you can ensure proper ventilation in your bedroom in this case:
Run the exhaust fan or open the window of your bathroom right after you shower for about half an hour. This will allow the moisture trapped in the space to escape without leaving any scope for mold growth.
Dry out your towels by hanging them out in the sun. While it may seem convenient to throw the wet towels on the floor or simply hang them in the room, doing so can promote mold growth.
Nothing works better in preventing the mold growing process than maintaining your home as much as possible. You can do so by routinely inspecting areas and objects that are more prone to a mold attack, such as plants, floors, and sinks.
Another way to maintain your home is to get regular inspections done by professionals. This will help you figure out whether or not there is any structural water leaks or plumbing damage. Mold spreads quickly, and such damages act as a catalyst for this. Hence, it is best to identify these problems in their early stages itself.
If you identify indoor molds across a small area in your bedroom, it is best to get them removed as soon as possible. However, the method that you choose for removing mold depends on the kind of surface that it is present on.
For instance, if the mold in question is spread across a hard surface such as your bedroom floor - you should scrub it off. Simply make a paste using one cup of borax and about a gallon of warm water. You can then scrub the affected portion using this cleaning solution until the mold comes off.
However, if the mold is spread across a soft surface such as your bedroom carpet, you should not waste your time cleaning it. Throwing it away is a much better alternative since you can always buy a new one as a replacement. .
Large areas are defined as a space of about 10 square feet or more. If you identify mold in its later stages, i.e., when it has already spread across a large area - it is best to ask professionals to help. They can help you figure out the best solution and also identify any other place where the indoor molds might be developing in your home.
Household molds can spread in your bedroom due to a variety of reasons, such as open windows, through your clothes when you enter your house from outside, and so on. They not only degrade the overall look of your home but can also alter your physical health for the worse .
One of the worst ways in which the presence of molds in your bedroom can affect you is by compromising your sleep schedule. In fact, people who come across mold growth in their bedroom are more likely to suffer from sleep disorders, such as insomnia and sleep apnea.
Many people are allergic to molds, which is why their presence can trigger symptoms such as a runny nose, skin redness, and difficulty breathing. All of these make sleeping a difficult task.
However, it is fairly easy to get rid of such molds from your bedroom. If it is spread across a small hard surface, then you can scrub it off. But in case it occurs on larger surfaces, it is best to contact a professional for assistance.
That’s all for today. Hopefully, this guide will help you tackle your mold problem and get a good night’s sleep!
.png)
