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My 16-month theanine self-experiment

(dynomight.net)
817 points dynm | 15 comments | 09 Mar 25 03:08 UTC | HN request time: 0.208s | source | bottom
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grumpy-de-sre ◴[09 Mar 25 08:49 UTC] No.43307383[source]▶
For anyone looking for a sleep supplement, before you go down the rabbit hole of Theanine, Mg, etc. Try an OTC Azelastine or Fluticasone nasal spray for a month.

Turns out my chronic poor quality, restless sleep was a dust mite allergy that I should have figured out and treated a decade ago. Would wake up with a stuffy nose and very dry mouth but didn't have too many issues during the day. I was allergic to my bed.

Been using antihistamines, and a dehumidifier for several months now and sleeping better than I have in years. Given how extremely common mite allergies are there's got to be a lot of folks with undiagnosed issues here.

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wenc ◴[09 Mar 25 09:15 UTC] No.43307505[source]▶
You should consider a dust mite vacuum with UV. I bought one on Amazon (this one but you can check YouTube reviews for others).

https://www.amazon.com/JIGOO-Vacuum-Cleaner-Dust-Sensor/dp/B...

I was surprised how much dust this thing picked up (my sheets get washed often, but it’s hard to clean the mattress itself). Back in the day people used to sun dry their mattresses but no one does that these days.

This dust mite vacuum picked up half a canister of gunk from my dead skin and environmental dust that has accumulated over the years (and it has a light scattering sensor that tells you how much dust is being sucked up). My nose was clear after sleeping on a vacuumed bed. I now vacuum my bed once a week, and it has really helped.

Vacuuming your bed and other fabric surfaces also feels therapeutic. For me, it’s like watching one of those powerwashing videos. You feel cleansed after.

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seabass-labrax ◴[09 Mar 25 10:17 UTC] No.43307797[source]▶
Vacuuming one's bed makes complete sense to me, but what is special about the model you linked to that makes it specifically a 'mattress' vacuum cleaner? Many canister vacuum cleaners are more powerful and can be used elsewhere in the home too (with a different attachment for hygiene, of course). There's the UV light, but I can't see how this is effective when used only for short periods of time. The dust won't be removed with it and the mites will withstand it too.

Not wanting to make you feel bad about your purchase, but is there something unique about this kind of device that gives it an edge over conventional vacuum cleaners?

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chiefalchemist ◴[09 Mar 25 11:21 UTC] No.43308074[source]▶
I jumped on the idea but then immediately came to the same conclusion. Now I’m thinking I stick with the vac(s) I have, but get a separate UV. And UV the bed while I’m working. Maybe?

Your thoughts?

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1. grumpy-de-sre ◴[09 Mar 25 11:24 UTC] No.43308084[source]▶
Get a mattress encasement, it's like a HEPA filter bag for the mattress (cuts off the mites food supply and preventing allergens becoming airborne).

Skips the whole trying to clean porous foam problem.

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2. pbhjpbhj ◴[09 Mar 25 11:42 UTC] No.43308191[source]▶
I read that mites can't survive temperatures above 60C, and wondered then about just a big plastic bag around the item then fill it from a hot air source (hair dryer, fan heater)?

I think the problem would be temperature control, as you don't want to damage the item, but need to maintain an even, specific air temperature, you'd need turbulence. Then vacuum clean afterwards.

Maybe a wallpaper remover style device with a hot air source instead of steam??

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3. grumpy-de-sre ◴[09 Mar 25 11:47 UTC] No.43308232[source]▶
Yeh I've thought about whether it'd be possible/safe to use something like an "overclocked" electric blanket to sterilize the mattress daily.

They also need humidity (~50% RH), hence why I got the dehumidifer, which has definitely knocked them back.

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4. wenc ◴[09 Mar 25 12:02 UTC] No.43308337[source]▶
Just a data point. I have a mattress encasement which has never been removed (I got it to protect against bedbugs). Dust (dead human skin) still accumulates on the surface. It might not go into the mattress, but it will be on the surface. Since the encasements are never meant to be removed, vacuuming the mattress (with encasement on) still makes sense.
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5. qiine ◴[09 Mar 25 12:54 UTC] No.43308699{3}[source]▶
I got the exact same idea sadly most electric blanket i could find on amazon where kinda small and had disappointingly low heating power...
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6. grumpy-de-sre ◴[09 Mar 25 14:11 UTC] No.43309167{4}[source]▶
Pretty much my conclusion as-well.

I guess they just don't want folks giving themselves burns during sleep.

AliExpress as always is tempting [1], but you'd have to be incredibly careful about regulating temperature [2] and adding safety interlocks that'd make falling asleep with it active, or forgetting to turn it off impossible.

1. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007963462500.html

2. Don't blame me when your house burns down, I warned you.

7. chiefalchemist ◴[09 Mar 25 14:34 UTC] No.43309327[source]▶
Ok. What do you put between the plastic and the sheets? A standard mattress cover? Won’t the mites just go there as that’s where the dead skin, etc will be?

The plastic would also trap heat between me and it.

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8. chiefalchemist ◴[09 Mar 25 14:36 UTC] No.43309352[source]▶
I asked above as well, but since you have direct experience, what do you have between the plastic and you? Aside from the fitted sheet? Wouldn’t a regular mattress cover just attract mites as well?
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9. seabass-labrax ◴[09 Mar 25 20:25 UTC] No.43313378[source]▶
As someone who uses a plastic mattress cover I can answer your question: yes, if you let dust build up, mites can and do start to live on the fitted sheet that you put around the mattress cover. However, it is of course easier to wash just the fitted sheet than to remove dust from within a mattress, so I think that a cover is still beneficial.

I'm not sure what you mean by trapping heat - once there are two normal cotton fitted sheets around it, I don't feel the plastic mattress cover at all.

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10. mkatx ◴[09 Mar 25 21:54 UTC] No.43314299{4}[source]▶
Look into something like flexwatt tape. Maybe run it during the day when your not sleeping. In my mind, they probably use something similar inside heated blankets with some kind of limiter/thermostat.

Do your research though!! I'm not sure if flexwatt tape could ignite your mattress, but you would definitely want to know for sure yourself beforehand!

There are ways to control heat though; I'm familiar with using flexwatt tape with reptile enclosures, hooked up to a thermostat with a probe in the habitat for temp control. Maybe some math, like desired_temp = watts_supplied * feet_of_fw_tape, where the watts_supplied is the independent variable you adjust based on the required feet_of_fw_tape for your mattress to get the dependent variable desired_temp. Probably include a fail safe, but I'm no electrician, proceed at your own risk.

They do sell self contained fire extinguishers you can hang on your ceiling that deploy automatically at a certain temperature, ideally putting out fire sources they are hung above. Nice to have around for things like this.

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11. sizzle ◴[09 Mar 25 22:56 UTC] No.43314811[source]▶
This causes mold on mattresses due to humidity. I had to throw out a latex mattress.
12. sizzle ◴[09 Mar 25 22:58 UTC] No.43314833{3}[source]▶
This causes mold by trapping humidity. Had to throw out a latex mattress be careful with full plastic.
13. wenc ◴[09 Mar 25 23:17 UTC] No.43314957{3}[source]▶
It’s just the fitted sheet.

The encasement I have is actually not a plastic wrap but a zippered tight weave synthetic fabric (polyester).

https://a.co/d/3ut09wO

It’s suppose to prevent bedbugs and others from setting up shop inside the mattress but the surface is fair game. The idea being it’s easier to clean the surface than the insides.

I have had the encasement for years. No problems with humidity but I also live in a less humid area (41-45% rh all year round).

So a dust mite vaccuum still makes sense.

Also interesting fact: dust mites themselves are harmless to humans. It’s their fecal matter (after digesting our dead skin) that are allergens.

14. qiine ◴[10 Mar 25 10:01 UTC] No.43318694{5}[source]▶
nice another project to the pile ;p
15. Suppafly ◴[10 Mar 25 17:02 UTC] No.43322563[source]▶
>I read that mites can't survive temperatures above 60C, and wondered then about just a big plastic bag around the item then fill it from a hot air source (hair dryer, fan heater)?

People do something similar to kill bedbugs, I think they make specialized equipment to do so, but it might just be something like an off the shelf heat gun.