Have You Really Ever Eaten A Spider While Sleeping?

Have you ever heard the saying “the average person swallows 8 spiders a year while sleeping”? Well you can relax because it’s really not very likely. According to an article by Scientific American “The myth flies in the face of both spider and human biology, which makes it highly unlikely that a spider would ever end up in your mouth…” Spiders are generally not out to hunt you, and they probably dislike seeing you about as much as you dislike seeing them. As you breath, sleep and snore this creates vibrations that likely terrify spiders and warn them of danger. It seems unlikely they would crawl into the moist dark cavern of your mouth, the very source of such sounds.

Just in case the deck is stacked against you in some statistical freak of nature that the spiders of the world are out to prove science wrong, or you just have a bad case of Murphy’s law, here are a few thing you can do to increase your odds of not eating a spider while sleeping.

1) Stay away from snacking in bed. Insects look for readily available food and crumbs, and spiders look for places with readily available insects. Stop the cycle.

2) Keep your space clean. Keeping your room clean and clutter free makes a big difference. Many spiders, especially the ones we least want to see (think black widow and brown recluse), look for dark untouched spaces to hide out in. Regular dusting and vacuuming are help a lot, also don’t let laundry piles collect on the floor.
3) Seal cracks and crevices around windows and doors. Because otherwise you may as well roll out a welcome mat. Spiders will happen but there is no need to make it easy for them. Door sweeps at the bottom of doors will help make doorways less accessible.

 

4) Any exterior lighting that is near the home will draw bugs. Spiders go where the bugs are. If there isn’t a reason to keep these exterior lights on at night, turning them off will help decrease the number of bugs drawn to your home.

5) If you really want to decrease the chances of eating a spider while you are sleeping, give us a call. We have monthly, bimonthly, and quarterly plans to suit a variety of needs and budgets. Concerned about chemical usage in your home? Ask us about our organic options available! 405-777-9393