The gym in January is an unpleasant place.
It’s crowded and sweaty and nobody really wants to be there. To make matters worse, new research suggests that our unhygienic gym habits could actually be making us ill.
We get it. Sometimes you’re running late and have to dash from the gym to the office without having a shower, and we’ve all forgotten to wash our sports bras occasionally.
But taking a look at these grim stats might persuade you to think a bit more about gym cleanliness in future – and you won’t be skipping a shower anytime soon.
A survey, conducted by Tapwarehouse, has found that 23% of gym-goers wait longer than an hour to shower post-gym – which puts you at risk of fungal infections.
17% of women said they can wait up to three hours before showering, compared to just 11% of men.
Dr Asif Munaf, founder of wellness company Endorance, advises; ‘people should aim to shower within an hour. And most definitely should not sleep without showering.
Our grossest gym habits
22% wait longer than an hour to shower post-gym – making themselves prone to fungal infections
10% never wash their gym clothes
40% don’t clean their water bottle enough
53% never wash their gym bag – making it a haven of germs
13% use the same cloth to wipe their face and the gym equipment – increasing their chances of contracting a staph infection or breakout.
‘Many bacterial, as well as mycotic (fungal) infections, can spread in damp conditions, such as on sweaty clothes and in between the toes, as is the case with athletes foot,’ he adds.
10% of gym members never wash their gym clothes, and 44% wear the same sweaty gym gear more than once, with 7% of Brits waiting five or more times before washing their gym kit.
‘Gym clothes can harbour lots of bacteria due to sweat and because of the interaction between gym apparatus and public changing rooms,’ says Dr Abigail Short, a private doctor from Bark.com.
‘Touching fitness machines, wiping your sweaty head on your t-shirt, or sharing a barbell can transfer germs. So, it’s better to keep things clean in the gym.’
So, even if you don’t feel dirty enough to shower after a workout, your clothes probably are.
13% of Brits use the same cloth to wipe their face and the gym equipment, which increases the chances of contracting a staph infection or breakout.
But you might want to think twice before wiping your face with a germy cloth.
Just 19% of gym users admit to always cleaning gym equipment, and 46% have never sanitised the machinery.
This means the equipment you’re using at the gym is more than likely covered in bacteria, commonly Staphylococcus Aureus bacteria, which can cause staph infections. Especially since ‘bacteria can happily live on equipment for three days,’ according to Dr Short.
How to improve your gym hygiene
- Wash hands – With so many people sharing the same equipment and areas at the gym, you should wash your hands thoroughly before and after. This can cut down your chances of contracting infections.
- Sanitise – Even if you have a home gym, you should still be sanitising the apparatus. Use a disinfectant spray to clean the equipment, and if you’re in a shared gym, it’s good etiquette to wipe down after use.
- Shower – Make sure you get out of those sweaty gym clothes and shower as soon as you can, to avoid the risk of skin infections.
- Wash gym bag and water bottles – Your gym bag and water bottles are perfect breeding grounds for bacteria. So, it’s good to wash them regularly to limit your exposure to germs.
The survey also found that 53% never wash their gym bag. You might not consider your bag to be part of your gym kit, but it’s actually a breeding ground for germs.
‘The likelihood of transferring germs and bacteria in your gym bag is high because of the environment you frequent with it, and the contents you put in it (damp sweaty clothes and trainers most likely),’ says Dr Short.
‘If you can’t wash your bag that often, try not to place it on surfaces that could make you vulnerable to exposure of germs, like kitchen counters or on beds.
‘Remember to always wash your hands after interacting with sweaty gym gear,’ she adds.
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/01/24/gross-habits-gym-causing-illness-breakouts-12111834/
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