While most of us love to snuggle into freshly washed sheets, according to a survey conducted by the Mattress Advisory, the average American changes their sheets only every 24 days. Experts say that’s not often enough.

“From a medical and hygienic point of view, it really should be once a week,” advises Dr. Jason Singh, a primary care physician from Ashburn, Virginia. According to USA Today, washing your bedding, including sheets, pillow cases and even mattress covers, should be done regularly to remove dead skin cells, body oils, sebum, and perspiration.

Singh says that failure to adhere to a regular, weekly routine can lead to skin irritations, infections, or even trigger allergic reactions. The expert adds that if you have asthma or other respiratory issues, or have sensitive, acne-prone skin, you should consider swapping out your linens even more frequently than weekly.

“It’s important to regularly clean bedsheets, but most especially our pillowcases, as they are constantly coming in contact with various components of our body and can transfer to delicate areas such as our eyelids, occluding and blocking glands, and lead to irritation and inflammation,” Dr. Rachel Nazarian, tells Real Simple.

If you share your bed with a beloved pet, you may need to launder bedding more frequently to remove their hair, fur, dander, smell and any dirt that can contribute to unsanitary conditions for sheets. Also avoid snacking in bed, as crumbs can contribute to dirty sheets and invite unwanted critters into your bedroom.

To minimize bringing skin slough and oils into your bed, take a shower or bath in the evening to wash off the contaminants that have accumulated during the day. This is especially essential for those who work out in the evening, says Singh.

 “All that sweat can also create an environment that’s conducive to microorganisms proliferating,” he said. Keeping your bedroom cooler can also reduce sweat while you’re sleeping. The ideal temperature for sleeping is between 66 degrees Fahrenheit and 70 degrees Fahrenheit, says Sleep.org.