Why We Shouldn’t Sleep on the Same Pillowcase for 2 Days in a Row

Nothing can bring on feelings of comfort quite like fresh, crisp, clean bedding. Apart from the satisfying feeling of laying your head down on a perfectly laundered pillowcase, there are actually more reasons to switch it up more regularly. Your pillowcase has direct contact with your skin, and medical experts recommend changing it 2 to 3 times per week.

Here at Bright Side, we also love sleeping on freshly laundered bedding, and we decided to find out the reasons why we should be swapping our pillowcases out more often.

1. It attracts dust mites.

Every night when you go to bed, you’re transferring sweat, makeup residue, and a whopping 50 million dead skin cells to your linens. Sweat and dead skin cells create a perfect environment for dust mites that feed on them and multiply. If you don’t change your pillowcase often enough, you’re exposing yourself to these nasty mites that might be quite harmful to your health.

2. It may give you acne.

Removing your makeup before sleep is an essential step in achieving clear and beautiful skin. But even if it seems that you got your concealer and mascara off, there might still be some product left on your face that will make its way onto a pillow and remain there until it’s washed. Combined with your sweat and oils, it allows bacteria and yeast to thrive, which can irritate your skin, making it more vulnerable to breakouts.

3. It might damage your hair.

You might be spending lots of money on expensive shampoos and salon treatments, but chances are you don’t really pay attention to the type of pillowcase you sleep on. When you toss and turn in your sleep, rough cotton fabrics can create friction and cause breakage. And if your pillowcase is less than fresh, you might be increasing your risk of irritating the skin on your scalp, which, in turn, can affect the health and beauty of your hair.

4. It may affect your sleep.

If you haven’t changed your pillowcase for quite some time, the gases released by all the germs and dust mites on it may contribute to allergies and difficulty breathing. When you can’t breathe properly, it may affect your sleep, causing you to feel exhausted in the morning.

How often do you wash your pillowcase? What was the longest you have gone without changing it?