Any one who suffers from allergies knows exactly how hard it is to get good night's sleep because of the sneezing, runny nose and itching. Spending all night dealing with these problems is an unfortunate part of life. What most people do not know, however, is that their restful haven has become a haven for those same allergens that have been plaguing them. Dust, dust mites and pollen can cause hay fever and other types of allergies.

According to recent studies published in the Textile Research Journal 2009, tightly woven materials, with a thread count of above 250, and a pore size of between 2-10 microns, blocked 99% of dust mite allergens and blocked penetration of 100% of dust mites. In the study, 53 different mite proof covers were tested from 10 different countries. Each sample was composed of tightly woven, film/membrane coated woven, non-woven, membrane-coated non-woven plastic and other fabrics. Three regular cotton sheets were also tested for comparison.

Keep in mind that all of the products tested were specifically marketed to prevent dust mites and their allergens from infiltrating consumer bedding. The study concluded that tightly woven or plastic covers block mite infiltration and prevent allergens while others fail. What does this mean to you? Simply put, materials with a thread count of higher than 250 are sufficient to stop dust mites.

So what is the solution? You can hardly wash your mattress daily. There is a way to at least protect yourself and cut down on the amount of allergens that creep into your bed by using a hypoallergenic mattress cover. Your mattress cover should be of good quality, produced in a sterile environment and made for non-irritating materials. Most importantly it should not be constructed with any holes that let the dust mites pass through. You need to frequently change your bedding, even if you already have allergy mattress covers. When shopping for a hypoallergenic cover keep in mind that the tighter the weave, the better the protection.