text: With summer well and truly over, it's inevitable allergy and flu season is upon us and there's no escaping the nasty germs in the air. But while we're all well aware of the presence of dust mites lingering in every corner of our house, little do we know just how prevalent they are and how detrimental they are to our health. New research has shown that the average Australian sheds the equivalent of a 50 gram packet of chips every week in dry skin, feeding an army of dust mites into our couches and beds. Sleeping soundly? An army of dust mites use your bed as their incubator and thrive off the warm conditions . What lies in your bed? The oddly-shaped dust mites live for three to four months and live off human and animal skin . Dust mites are the number one cause of allergies in Australian homes and may be the reason why you have a runny nose or watery eyes. The odd shaped critters increase two to three fold during late autumn to winter leading thousands of Australians to suffer from common cold or flu-like symptoms. Putting it into  perspective, more than 1,000 dust mites live in just one metre square of carpet and they produce approximately 2000 droppings in their lifetime. They live for three to four months and feed off animal and human dead skin. Disgustingly, dust mites use your bed as their incubator and thrive off the warm conditions. Where you lay your head: An average bed can have approximately 10,000 dust mites living in it at one time, however it's not the dust mites that cause nasty allergic reactions, but their droppings . An average bed can have approximately 10,000 dust mites living in it at one time, however it's not the dust mites that cause nasty allergic reactions but their droppings. Considering the average Australian breathes 22,000 times a day, draws 12,000 litres of air into their lungs each day and spends 90 per cent of their time indoors, dust mites are a huge problem when it comes to keeping healthy in the colder months. Influenza . Viral respiratory illnesses . Common colds / flu . The revelation comes after experts recently proclaimed that the majority of people aren't doing enough to ensure that their sheets are clean and hygienic. New research by Yahoo, which polled 1,187 readers on their sheet-washing habits, indicates that just 44 per cent of women wash their sheets on a weekly basis - however scientists recommend a weekly wash as the minimum needed to ensure a totally bacteria-free environment. According to Dr Philip Tierno, Jr., the director of clinical microbiology and immunology at New York University’s Langone Medical Center, after just one night of use, your bed sheets can accumulate a horrifying array of dead skin, bacteria, fungus, mites, and even faeces. The harsh reality: Putting it into perspective, more than 1,000 dust mites live in just 1m2 of carpet and they produce approximately 2000 droppings in their lifetime . Research suggests that each and every time you use your bed, you are depositing more dead skin, in addition to any dirt, sweat or grease that may have also built up on your skin throughout the day. And then there are the cosmetic products that you use on your body, each of which deposits its own trace amount of product on the bed every time you get into it. And it's not just your sheets that you need to worry about. In 2013, research by UK-based mattress company Ergoflex determined that going one week without washing your pyjamas could make you susceptible to developing MRSA, cystitis, and a host of other skin infections. According to Dr Penny Adams, a general practitioner in the Sydney suburb of Manly, there is just no way of avoiding the dirty mites but there are ways of managing them. 'It sounds gross there’s a packet of crisps in your bed but there are a lot of measures you can take to decrease dust mites,' she said. 'You can remove carpets and wet mop hard surfaces, you can vacuum with a filter and use allergy protective covers on the mattresses. Talk to the experts: Dr Penny Adams (pictured) told Daily Mail Australia there is just no way of avoiding the dirty mites but there are ways of managing them . 'If you’re allergic to dust mites you basically can’t avoid them, they're everywhere' Dr Adams told Daily Mail Australia. While she said there is no evidence that anything can be done to rid our houses of dust mites, she revealed to Daily Mail Australia that using a vacuum with a HEPA filter can help. 'The National Asthma Council of Australia recommends regular vacuuming of carpets and soft furnishings’ or the removal of carpets in favour of hard floors,' she said. 'Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter to ensure all bacteria is captured within the vacuum, rather than sprayed back into the air' Dr Adams also said that a humidifier can assist with reducing the effects of respiratory viruses such as a cold or flu and allergy sufferers. For allergy sufferers, high concentration of dry air can often lead to breathing problems as well as increase the body’s susceptibility to illnesses such as: chapped lips, dry and dehydrated skin, blocked sinuses and even more regular nosebleeds. 'We know that cold and flu viruses are more prevalent if you have lower temperatures and the humidity is too low,' she said. 'People often ask me: "Should I get a humidifier?".' 'There is no evidence that humidifiers actually cure or shorten the flu. They’re not a treatment for the flu however they can make you feel more comfortable symptomatically.' Dr Adams said she was surprised at the statistic that Australians spend 90 per cent of their time indoors but admitted that in the winter months people are susceptible to illnesses due to spending more time at home. 'In winter we spend more time at home than we do in summer months therefore allergy sufferers come into closer and more regular contact with allergens such as dust mites and pet hair,' she said. Dr Adams also said people can succumb to a cold or flu by being in close contact with, or by touching the unwashed hands of someone suffering from the virus. The top winter allergies to look out for are the influenza, viral respiratory illnesses and the common cold or flu. Weakness . fatigue . Wheezing . Runny nose . Coughing . Fever . Vaccinate . Wash your hands . Use tissues not hankies . Use a humidifier . Get lots of rest . Stock up on fluids . Use over the counter medication . Symptoms can include weakness and fatigue, wheezing, a runny nose, coughing and fever. While you may do everything you can to dodge the cold or flu virus, once you have it there are measures that can be taken to kick it to the curb. 'Get lots of rest and stock up on fluids to avoid dehydration,' Dr Adams said. 'Symptoms of respiratory viruses can be treated with over the counter medication such as Panadol and Nurofen. Adults and children over the age of five can try taking cold and flu medication however, this is not recommended for children younger than six years old.' However she said respiratory illnesses can't be cured with antibiotics. The only exception to this is the influenza, which can be treated with anti-viral medication. Dr Adams said washing hands is extremely important once you contract the flu virus. Distrubing fact: The average Australian shed the equivalent of a 50g packet of chips in dead skin every week, most of it ending up in our beds . 'Wash and dry hands thoroughly and regularly to avoid contamination,' she said. And while it may be nice to have your dog or cat sleeping in your bed, this is one of the main causes of allergy and respiratory infections. 'Dog hair makes your nose tickle but that’s not why you’re sneezing,' Dr Adams said. 'It’s because your dog’s hair has allergens on it – left from your dog licking itself clean and proteins secreted by oil glands. 'Household allergens cling to it too – forming a kind of sneeze induced cocktail. Pets then shed hair around the home, distributing allergens and causing problems for allergy sufferers.' Pet owners should therefore vacuum regularly to protect their home and families from allergens. Dr Penny Adams recommends Dyson's first ever humidifier to relieve symptoms of dry air and their v6 vacuum cleaner, which has a HEPA filter included to capture allergens and dust mites.
target: Our houses are overtaken with dust mites, leading to winter illnesses .
  We shed 50g every week in dead skin, mostly in our bed .
  Dust mites feed off dead human and animal skin and multiply .
  They leave Australians with cold or flu-like symptoms .
  Scientists recommend a weekly wash of our bed sheets .