Quality sleep is essential for the overall well-being of a person and a good night’s sleep is critical for a productive day. But having bed bugs leads to sleepless nights due to rashes and itches. These parasites sneak out only at night and cannot be seen during the day. They come out when there is no light so that they feed on your body when it is not active. Bed bugs are a serious problem that needs to be addressed immediately even though their bite does not cause any serious illnesses like other parasites. Read below to learn more about these pesky creatures.
Bed bugs come out at night – Why?
It is known that bed bugs come out to feed usually at night and rest during the day. They are present within 8 feet of a human and make a home in the mattresses, bed frames, headboards, cracks and crevices of a wall or furniture. The human blood is their food and once they suck blood, bite marks appear accompanied by an itchy sensation. The reason they attack at night is that unlike other parasites they cannot live full-time on a human body. They cannot cling to the skin or hair and hence when a person walks around it falls off. So they feed while a person is sleeping. At night when a person lies down, they smell the carbon dioxide that is exhaled and come to feed. These are smart creatures that have evolved and learned to link with the human being during the dark. Hence they wait till night to come out of their hiding place.

Another thing to note is that they can bite you even when you are not sleeping. It is a total myth that they bite only when you are asleep. They do not understand if a person is asleep or not, but if you sit still there is a high likelihood that you can get bitten. So if you are sitting on a couch and watching TV intently without moving you are food for these bugs. Moreover, these pests can be present on a home office chair or computer accessories like a mouse pad. They can infest any space in your home which is a safe hiding spot.
Preventing Bed bugs from biting at night
Bed bugs need human blood to survive and they are highly adaptive to the conditions they live in. Their survival capacity is high and hence will reach and feed on you. There are a few ways to prevent them from biting you, but eliminating these pests for good is the best solution. But that is not something that can be done easily, so getting help from professionals is highly recommended. But one can try bed-bug proofing your mattress. It can be done by:
Putting a mattress encasement: Place a mattress in an encasement that resembles a zip-lock bag. They will not have any gaps and hence none of the bugs can escape from the mattress. Eventually, without food, they starve to death.
Bed bug interceptors: Now that the mattress is sealed, place bed bug interceptors on the bed frames, legs, headboards, etc. That will trap the begs and does not allow climbing up and feeding on you.
Move the bed away from walls: Bed bugs hide in the cracks and crevices of walls and windows. So move the bed away from them so that they cannot reach the bed.
Bed bugs do not come out in light
These parasites are nocturnal and are not fond of light. That is proven by the fact that even if your home is infested by them they still are not seen in the day time unless the room is really dark. But that does not mean, light causes any harm to them. Even if exposed to light the bed bugs are not harmed and it only indicated that it is time to rest. One way to confuse these bugs is by keeping the electric lights on. They do not come out as they think it is day time and you may catch some sleep.
Another way to catch these bed bugs prowling is to switch off lights and stay still without moving for some time. When you switch on the lights after an hour or so you will see bed bugs running to their hiding spot. But these parasites are highly adaptive and the trick of sleeping with lights on will not work for long. After some time they will come and feed even if the lights are on so it is not a long-term solution.
Tips to Control Bed bugs
Vacuum your mattress: Inspect your mattress and vacuum it regularly so that there is no buildup of pests. Empty the vacuum bag and dispose of them so that it does not come back again. Use the attachments of the vacuum cleaner to reach the cracks and crevices of furniture. Wash the canister to get rid of any eggs or small bed bugs attached to it.
Remove clutter: Clutter is the best hiding place for these begs. For any bug control program to work removing clutter is essential. Throw away all unwanted stuff and anything that you want to keep should be cleaned and sealed in bags so that the bugs don’t escape.
Don’t store items under the bed: This is another safe place for bugs. Not only can they hide in these items, but it also gives easy access to people sleeping on the mattress.
Laundry bedding regularly: Heat can eliminate bugs and its eggs. When your laundry the sheets at high temperatures it can safely get rid of them. Use the hot water cycle on your washing machine and hot cycle in the dryer.
A bug infestation can become a health issue as some people get distressed and are unable to sleep. Insomnia, stress, and anxiety at the thought of being bitten can even lead to depression. Children who are bitten by these bugs are susceptible to anemia and other problems. Hence bed bugs infestation should be taken seriously. Calling professional pest control to help get rid of them is highly recommended.
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