LISTEN: Gross reason you should not be sleeping in socks
Your bed might be dirtier than you think...
If asked to guess the dirtiest spot in your house – even if you clean it regularly – you might instinctively point to the sink, toilet, or maybe that grimy area under the fridge.
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But you’d be wrong.
Mattress Next Day recently conducted research that delivered some shocking results.
They started by polling Reddit users with two questions:
Do you sleep in socks?
If you sleep in socks, do you change them before bed?
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Over 1,000 people responded, revealing that 18% sleep in their socks, and only 30% of them change into clean socks before slipping under the covers.
But that wasn’t the most surprising part. The team went a step further by conducting swab tests on eight pairs of socks worn by men and women throughout an entire day – from morning until bedtime.
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These sock swabs were then compared to some of the dirtiest household items, like doormats and TV remotes.
The findings might make you rethink your bedtime routine – and perhaps even reconsider how often you wash your socks.
The human foot has around 250,000 sweat glands, which produce sweat daily – even more so during the warmer months.
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Wearing the same pair of socks for 24 hours or longer creates the perfect environment for moisture and bacteria to thrive, potentially leading to health issues like athlete's foot.
The study uncovered even more unsettling findings: bacteria commonly found in cockroach droppings were detected on worn socks.
If you wear those same socks to bed, you're transferring harmful bacteria straight to your sheets.
Among these bacteria is Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which can cause infections, particularly in the airways and urinary tract in immunocompromised people.
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This bacteria is also found in contaminated water and can cause 'hot tub rash’ (dermatitis), posing an even greater risk for those with dry or cracked heels.
Since P. aeruginosa spreads quickly, be sure to clean your clothing correctly and avoid wearing the same socks for extended periods of time.
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