You may think it is a cold a warning sign of the spread of dust mites!

Dry cough and runny nose are usually attributed to the common cold during the colder months, but these signs could also indicate the presence of little critters in your bed.

Rebecca Swain, from Winstons Beds, revealed the most common warning signs of dust mites that you may be ignoring.

Dust mites are small pests that are attracted to dead skin cells in bedding, and are more likely to appear in bedrooms with high humidity levels.

Swain warned that those who wake up with a dry cough may sleep in a bed “infested with dust mites.”

Sneezing and runny nose are other warning signs to watch out for, as small lesions can cause allergies.

“Although you can't see these creatures without using a microscope, you can tell they're there if you have a dry cough in the morning and itchy eyes,” Swain said.

Aside from cold-like symptoms, other signs of dust mites include “uncontrollable itching,” difficulty breathing, eye redness, and disturbed sleep.

Swain recommended washing all bedding at 60 degrees Celsius, and dusting the entire bedroom if you think you are dealing with dust mites.

Among them is the risk of premature death,Four disturbing situations that can be said by your fist when shaking hands

Many factors can reduce or increase life expectancy, such as genetics, diet and exercise.

However, some research has shown that a simple test with your hands can also reveal whether you will live a long life or not.

According to researchers, a handshake can be a useful indicator of health, as a weak hand grip is linked to the possibility of heart disease, depression, and even dementia.

Experts reported that a weak handshake may reflect the following situations:

Risk of premature death

One study, published in Frontiers Journal in 2023, found that poor hand grip strength was associated with an increased risk of all-cause death in people with high blood pressure.

The results indicated that higher grip strength was associated with lower mortality in patients with three or more comorbidities, suggesting that functional exercises can improve the prognosis of comorbidities.

A separate study, which included data from 1.1 million participants, concluded that those who experience hand grip weakness in middle age have a 20% higher risk of death from heart and respiratory diseases and cancer.

The study said: “Low muscle strength in adolescents is a risk factor for the leading causes of death in young adulthood, such as suicide and cardiovascular disease.”

the heart

Scientists from Queen Mary University of London have found that a weak handshake could be a sign of an increased risk of a heart attack or stroke.

In a study funded by the British Heart Foundation, the team found that those with low grip strength had weaker hearts and were less able to pump blood around the body.

Low hand grip strength has also been linked to heart enlargement and damage.

Professor Stephen Petersen, who led the study from Queen Mary's William Harvey Research Institute, commented: "Our study shows that better handgrip strength is associated with healthier heart structure and function. Handgrip strength is an inexpensive, reproducible and easy-to-implement procedure, and could become a "Easy to identify people at high risk for heart disease and prevent major life-changing events, such as heart attacks."

Depression

A 2023 study found a possible link between hand grip strength and depression. The study, which included more than 51,000 participants, said: “Low handgrip strength was associated with an increased likelihood of depression. Early assessment of handgrip strength may identify populations at risk for depression among middle-aged and older individuals.”

Dementia

A forceful handshake could be a sign of dementia. A review of 15 studies, published in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, suggested that hand grip strength could be used to diagnose this condition of memory theft.

"Low grip strength is associated with an increased risk of developing cognitive decline and dementia. We must be alert for individuals with weak grip strength and identify cognitive dysfunction early," the researchers said.