Coming home from a holiday can feel a little miserable, especially if you tend to experience the holiday blues.
Cocktails by the pool are replaced by logging onto Teams, the morning buffet replaced by plain ol’ toast and leisurely strolls along a beach are replaced by mental health walks around your neighbourhood.
You get the idea. Chores and life admin bring us rocketing back down to Earth.
However, according to one doctor, one chore we should skip for at least 14 days is unpacking our suitcases.
Needless to say, as somebody that hates doing laundry, I’m already sold.
Physician Dr Jason Singh said in a video posted to his TikTok channel that if you’re travelling home from a holiday, especially if you stayed in a hotel, you shouldn’t unpack your suitcase immediately because of bed bugs.
“That’s because bed bugs typically hatch within six to 10 days, and the nymphs require a blood meal shortly after hatching to continue their development.”
Lovely.
He explained: “If your suitcase remains closed and undisturbed for at least two weeks, any bed bug egg or nymph present will likely die due to starvation or desiccation.”
@drjaysonisfresh How long do you wait to unpack?
♬ original sound - Dr. Jason Singh
HuffPost UK has written previously about the signs that bed bugs are in your hotel room, but one of the biggest, most obvious signs is dark patches on the walls and blood spots on the sheets.
Additionally, a musty room smell can be a big giveaway.
Bed bugs tend to have a strong, musty, unpleasant odour that is hard to ignore and is of course, strongest when there are large amounts of bugs present.
If you notice any smells or stains that are concerning, don’t unpack your suitcase and speak to hotel staff immediately.
