Conditions
5 Ways to Prevent Mosquito Bites in Your Sleep
Keep those pests away, even when you’re not awake to swat at them.
Wear long pajamas
Less uncovered skin means less space mosquitoes can feed on. Wear long pants, long sleeves, and socks, and make sure they’re tight around the ankles, wrists and collar so mosquitoes can’t sneak underneath. Opt for a baggier fit so the bugs hit air instead of flesh if they make it through your clothes. Here’s why you’re a mosquito target.
Run a fan
Keep a fan by your bed to keep cool, block out sound with some white noise—and keep mosquitoes at bay. Getting a breeze going can protect against mosquitoes in a couple of ways: Mosquitoes are weak fliers, moving about 1 to 1.5 miles per hour, so a strong wind can make it hard for them to get to you. Plus, mosquitoes find their targets through scent and the carbon dioxide you exhale, so the draft will make it harder to find you. Here are other things mosquitoes absolutely hate.
Shower before bed
Mosquitoes are attracted to sweat, which might have to do with the lactic acid in it. Rinse off the day’s sweat in the shower to make yourself less of a target for hungry bugs, then dry off completely before crawling into bed.
Keep your windows closed
A cool breeze from your window might feel nice as you’re drifting off, but the bug bites won’t feel great in the morning. The best way to keep bugs away is to keep them out in the first place. The CDC recommends turning the AC on or making sure windows and doors have screens, especially when traveling. Here’s what to eat to keep mosquitoes away.
Spritz essential oils
A study in the scientific journal PLOS One compared 20 plant extracts and found that lemongrass and cinnamon—which is toxic and irritating to mosquitoes—were the best at repelling the bugs. Dilute essential oil with water and spray it around your bedroom.
