Congratulations! Your child got accepted to Harvard University. The bad news is that he/she will have to stay on campus for the first year. Why is that bad? It’s bad because your child will be sleeping in an outdated building with poor air quality which can lead to respiratory, cognitive, emotional, and physical issues.
This is what you envision your child’s room to be like but behind the curtains, underneath the blankets, inside the AC vent, and in the bathroom is a far more scary sight. This has been an ongoing battle for older universities and colleges yet not much news is made to the public. Keep in mind, the older the building the more issues you will have.
When you make the first visit to college, be sure to inspect your child’s dorm room from top to bottom and even the small spaces that everyone forgets about. This is where you will find evidence of mold, bacteria, and a host of other germs waiting to find its next victim. As in most cases, the dorm room will be spotless during the initial visit so you won’t see any evidence. While your child is at orientation, visit another dorm with summer students and ask to check out their rooms. Once inside, look for evidence of humidity, stains, and leaking faucets, and don’t forget the air vents. Keep it quick and simple and if you have the time, visit another dorm building.
College Dorm Room Allergens That Affect Sleep
1.) Dust Mites - These nasty microscopic creepy crawlies are everywhere! However, mattresses are usually people's first concern when it comes to these invisible invaders. A scary fact is that as dorm mattresses are passed from student to student, they are inevitably accumulating a fresh supply of dust mites each year. Dust mites are also present in curtains, bedding, carpeting, closets, shelving, drawers, and underbeds.
2.) Mold - Mold is usually found in dark, dank, and damp conditions. However, it can hide in window sills and frames, bathrooms and shower stalls, and even inside your mini fridge! Mold can trigger all sorts of allergy issues, including breathing problems. It's important to stay vigilant about the cleanliness of your dorm and always notify the building staff of any mold concerns you may have.
3.) Poor Air Quality - In tight quarters with hundreds, even thousands of students, irritants like perfumes, essential oils, candles, hair spray, air sprays, and other airborne pollutants can run rampant. These chemical irritants can cause serious issues for those with allergies and asthma, especially with respiratory or breathing problems.
4.) EMFs - Electromagnetic fields, especially those from wireless devices, can affect sleep quality. And if it’s one thing we know about teenagers, they are always on their devices whether it is cell phones, laptops, gaming consoles, and more. This wireless radiation is amplified in a dorm setting with hundreds of kids all with their devices. EMFs can cause blood cells to cluster which in turn affects the proper flow of oxygen through the body. This is vital for proper sleep cycles which in turn means quality sleep.
Why Dorm Room Mold is a Big Problem
Mold found behind the bed frame in a Hocking College dorm.
We are very familiar with "black mold" and how detrimental it can be to our health. Toxic molds can cause adverse health reactions, but indoor mold growth can also trigger some serious symptoms. Some molds even can create microscopic toxins, called mycotoxins, that they release into the air right along with those spores. Some individuals are better equipped to handle the mold problem and will experience little to no symptoms. Others will quickly develop a laundry list of potential symptoms ranging from mild to severe.
- Respiratory Symptoms – congestion, aggravated asthma or allergies, sinus infections
- Cognitive Issues – foggy thinking, sleep disturbance, frequent headaches
- Emotional Changes – feeling agitated or depressed
- Physical Symptoms – stomach discomfort, muscle aches, fatigue, rashes, sore throat
You are at college to learn and grow, if you are constantly suffering from mold-related brain fog or other symptoms it can affect day-to-day performance and grades.
Top Solutions to Create a Healthy Dorm Room
Students and their parents need to take a proactive approach to clearing the air. Here are a few strategies to consider when moving into a dorm:
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Choose the best air purifier - airborne toxins are likely to be lingering in the air. Make sure to select a unit that has both a medical-grade HEPA filter for particles and a separate activated carbon filter for chemicals, mold mycotoxins, and odors. A HEPA alone can't remove chemicals and odors, it's designed only for particles.
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Invest in an organic mattress topper that is allergy-friendly and impervious to dust mites and bed bugs. Here at Essentia, our Zero Gravity Organic Latex Topper with EMF Protection addresses many of the concerns that you will face while sleeping in a dorm room. This GOLS and GOTS certified organic latex topper offers amazing comfort, is impervious to dust mites as reported by the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, features Essentia’s EMF protection foam that protects the sleeper from the effects of wireless radiation around them, and most importantly has Mold Protection which diminishes the growth and colonization of mold spores.
- Fresh air - open the windows as much as possible, if even just for a few minutes in winter.
- Live plants - a cheap and simple solution is to fill your dorm room with green plants that provide oxygen and help to absorb off-gassing.
- Use a dehumidifier - moist conditions favor mold growth. Try using a dehumidifier, especially in warmer climates.
- Avoid air fresheners and toxic cleaning products - chemical products and artificial scents can trigger allergies and asthma attacks and may lead to long-term health problems.
We hope these tips will help you set up the healthiest dorm room. Now you can check out our list of college dorm room essentials.
