Sleep and mold

Sleep and mold

The World Health Organization estimates that 10% to 50% of residential homes and commercial buildings have damp conditions. That means up to 50% of buildings worldwide could provide ripe environments for mold to grow and thrive.

Mold can slowly destroy your home and your belongings. If you have a mold allergy, you can expect uncomfortable symptoms like nasal congestion, watery eyes, and more. Plus, it’s just plain gross to look at.

Of all the rooms in your home, having mold in your bedroom is one of the most high-risk, simply due to the significant amount of time you spend in there asleep, exposing yourself to mold.

Whether you own or rent your home, it’s up to you to protect yourself from mold exposure by preventing mold growth and removing it promptly whenever you find it. Keep reading to learn more about mold, how to prevent and remove it from your bedroom, and how to recognize the symptoms of mold exposure so you can enjoy mold-free sleep.

What is mold?

DEFINITION

Mold is a type of fungus. It can live outdoors or indoors, any time of year, as long as it has a damp, warm environment. All it needs to thrive is humidity.

Due to their high levels of moisture, bathrooms and basements are the most likely rooms in a home to harbor mold, but mold can grow anywhere – including your bedroom.

When mold reproduces, it forms spores that travel through the air, enabling mold to spread throughout the area. These spores can survive even when they’re in a dry area not conducive to growing mold. Once the area develops moisture, the mold will grow.

There are different kinds of mold, but the ones you’re most likely to encounter at homeinclude cladosporium, penicillium, aspergillus, alternaria, and stachybotrys chartarum.