Many people are afraid of cockroaches — there is actually a term for the fear of cockroaches, katsaridaphobia — and there is a good reason for being afraid of these resilient little creatures. Cockroaches can be carriers of disease-causing bacteria. They are also very filthy because of their unhygienic habits. It’s not uncommon for people to find it hard to sleep after seeing a cockroach — especially if the cockroach has been seen in the bedroom. How can you possibly go to sleep knowing that there is a cockroach is hiding somewhere in your bedroom?
There are two ways to deal with this situation — you can change your mindset about cockroaches and/or get rid of the cockroach itself.
Change your mindset if you want to sleep after seeing a cockroach
1. Understand that cockroaches don’t want you around too
Have you noticed that cockroaches seem to scurry away after you turn the lights on or when you see them? This is because the feeling is mutual — cockroaches don’t want you around as much as you don’t want them around.
You are a danger to them because you can hurt or kill them. As much as possible, they want to stay away from you. If you are finding it hard to sleep after seeing a cockroach, remember that it is very unlikely that the cockroach will hurt you.
2. Still be aware of the potential dangers of cockroaches
Even though cockroaches don’t want anything to do with you, remember that they can still be dangerous. Cockroaches don’t just spread disease-causing bacteria. They can also bite. And people are afraid that cockroaches can get into your mouth or ears, and these thoughts will send chills up your spine and make it hard for you to fall asleep.
Some of the most common disease-causing bacteria cockroaches carry include salmonella, staphylococcus, and streptococcus. The poliovirus can also thrive in cockroaches.
Although cockroaches can potentially bite or crawl into your mouth or ears, this is highly unlikely. They only do these things when they are desperate for resources. If you only have a single cockroach hiding in your bedroom, you are not likely to encounter these problems.
3. Reading a book or writing down your thoughts will help you to sleep after seeing a cockroach
People can’t sleep after seeing a cockroach because they become anxious about the potential dangers. Knowing that cockroaches don’t want to be around you either is a good way to calm your mind. But you can complement this by doing activities that can calm you even more.
Reading a book is a good start. It diverts your thoughts away from the cockroach and its potential dangers. It will also help you fall asleep, especially if what you are reading is not particularly exciting.
Writing down your thoughts is another great way to divert your attention. You can write a list of how you are going to get rid of the cockroach and prevent cockroaches from coming back to your bedroom. This will help calm you down because you tell yourself that you have a plan. You are not at the mercy of the cockroach hiding in your bedroom.
4. Talk to someone…
Another great way to divert your attention is to talk, either to someone else or to yourself — or the cockroach… Talking to someone gives you an outlet. If you call a friend to talk about your cockroach, you may even end up having a good laugh with them; and this helps to reduce anxiety.
Talking to yourself can give you courage. You can become stronger psychologically by telling yourself that the cockroach can’t hurt you — that it is more afraid of you than you are of it.. However, this method may not be for everyone. Some people are just no good at talking themselves down… But it is worth a try.
5. Drinking something warm should help you sleep after seeing a cockroach
Calming yourself down is not always a psychological thing. There are foods and drinks that have natural ingredients with calming effects. Milk is a good option to help you sleep. But if you want something warmer, you can try tea.
There are different kinds of teas that can calm you and help you sleep, such as chamomile tea, lavender tea, and decaffinated green tea. There are also mixed blends of calming teas on the market to reduce stress and anxiety…
Get rid of the cockroach
1. First try the natural approach
If you want a more natural approach, you can try essential oils. They have ingredients that naturally repel cockroaches. Some of the most common essential oils used against cockroaches are eucalyptus, lavender, and peppermint. Simply dilute your chosen essential oil in water and spray the solution around your bedroom. It’s not likely to kill the hiding cockroach, but it can drive the pest away.
If you want to actually kill the cockroach, there are more effective natural approaches, such as the use of baking soda, boric acid, or diatomaceous earth. But take note that these can be toxic to humans too. Be careful in sprinkling these around your bedroom, especially if you have children and household pets.
2. Spray an insecticide in your bedroom
There are a lot of commercial products you can use to get rid of a cockroach, such as baits, insecticides, and traps. But the most fool-proof among them all is the insecticide. You just spray away and wait for results.
However, take note that insecticides have ingredients that can be harmful to you as well. Make sure to follow the instructions on the label to ensure the effectiveness and safety of the product. Usually, you will also have to leave your bedroom for a while after spraying an insecticide.
3. Cockroaches are very resilient
You can also kill a cockroach with blunt force, like hitting it with a hard object or stepping on it. But this approach can be tricky. Cockroaches have very strong exoskeletons. They are also experts in playing dead. Make sure you use extreme force to penetrate through their strong bodies and squash their insides.
Before you can do any of this, you first have to know where they are hiding in your bedroom first. The most common hiding spots are those areas that are often dark and undisturbed, like the insides of appliances and cabinets, the ignored corners of furniture, cracks, crevices, and clutter.
It may be hard to sleep after seeing a cockroach
Cockroaches are dangerous because they can spread disease-causing bacteria, bite, and get into your mouth and ears (this is very unlikley though). These potential dangers can make you anxious, and that’s why you can’t sleep after seeing a cockroach in your bedroom.
But remember that cockroaches are more afraid of you than you are of them… You are not likely to get harmed by that single cockroach hiding in your bedroom. With that said, you still don’t want cockroaches around you. And seeing even just one cockroach may already be a sign of a full-scale cockroach infestation.
If you can get rid of the cockroach with natural products like essential oils, then you should. Sweet dreams…