There are plenty of ways to improve your sleep — have an evening routine, exercise, avoid that afternoon cup of coffee and so on. Another one you may have not considered is improving your bed hygiene. 

Can a cleaner bed really help you sleep better? Yes, it can and we explain how in this article. 

The Problems with Dirty Bedding

So what’s the big deal about sheets that have gone a bit too long without a wash, apart from a little funk?

The problem with dirty bedding is that it is actually dirtier than you think. Every time you get in bed, you shed dead skin cells, body oils, skincare products and sweat onto the bedding. Dust, allergens and other debris from the environment also settles onto your bed. 

If you don't change your bedding often, you end up sleeping on a soup of dirt, debris, allergens and bacteria. Mold and mildew can also grow on your bedding, particularly the mattress. 

Dirty bedding can cause a number of health problems including yeast infections, cystic acne and asthma attacks. 

Dirty bedding can also affect your sleep quality. If you have asthma, allergies or some other respiratory problem, having a bed filled with allergens certainly makes sleep harder. And if you are suffering from constant itchiness and other symptoms of a yeast or fungal infection, the discomfort will mess up with your sleep.

Poor sleep is no small matter. The list of health issues you are at risk of if you don't get enough sleep is long, and scary. It includes heart attack, depression, hypertension, Alzheimer's, obesity and more. So even if you don't think having clean sheets is a big deal for your sleep, every little bit you do to improve your sleep matters.  

How Clean Bedding Helps You Sleep Better   

1. Protects Your Health

Keeping your bed clean and hygienic protects you from all the nasty health problems that dirty bedding can cause. When you are not battling a fungal infection, painful cystic acne or itchy eczema, you are more likely to sleep longer and deeper. 

Health problems are a common cause of insomnia, sleep disruptions and chronic sleep deprivation. 

2. Less Discomfort for People with Allergies or Asthma

People with allergies and respiratory conditions are particularly at risk of sleep deprivation caused by dirty bedding. 

If you let pollen, dust, pet hair, dust mites and other allergens build up too much on your bed, you’ll be breathing them in everytime you go to sleep. This leads to issues like a stuffy nose, itchy eyes, sneezing and other problems that keep you awake. 

Keeping your bed clean reduces the risk of a flare up when you go to sleep, allowing you to sleep more deeply. 

3. It Helps You Relax 

You know that feeling you get when you get into bed after you’ve put on fresh sheets? It feels heavenly and you probably sleep better on days when you have clean sheets. 

Clean bedsheets, pillowcase, mattress and duvet make for a more relaxing sleep environment. They feel better and even smell better. This lowers stress levels and helps you fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply. 

In contrast, dirty and smelly bedding can increase your stress levels even if you don't realize it. 

This Extends To Your Bedroom, Too 

As you clean up your bed, do the same for your entire bedroom. A clean and neat bedroom is just as beneficial for your sleep. 

Cleaning your bedroom often reduces allergies build up on the floor and furniture, which is particularly important if you have asthma or allergies.

Keeping your bedroom neat is also important in creating a relaxing sleep environment. A cluttered bedroom has actually been shown to cause higher levels of stress. One of the possible reasons for this is that a cluttered environment keeps the body in a constant fight or flight response, which is both physically and mentally taxing. 

This stress persists even when you sleep, causing you to sleep less deeply and be more likely to suffer from sleep interruptions. 

As a bonus, getting rid of clutter in your bedroom reduces the number of surfaces on which dust and allergens can accumulate.