What if I slept in a bed with bed bugs?

If you slept in a bed with bed bugs, you likely have been bitten overnight, though some people do not react to bites, and you should take steps to check for bites, prevent spreading bugs, and treat infestation promptly. What happens is bed bugs are nocturnal and come out between 2 AM and 5 AM to feed on exposed skin for 5 to 10 minutes, injecting saliva that causes itchy, red welts often in a line or zigzag pattern on arms, shoulders, neck, and legs, though reactions vary from no reaction to severe itching. After feeding, they return to hiding in mattress seams, box spring cracks, and headboard crevices. If you slept in infested bed, inspect your skin for bites, wash bedding and clothing you wore on high heat for 30 minutes as heat above 120 degrees kills all stages including eggs, and shower to wash off any bugs crawling on you, though bed bugs do not live on body. Do not bring luggage, bags, or clothing from infested bed into your home without heat treatment, as bed bugs hitchhike and spread. Vacuum your suitcase and wash clothes immediately if you were traveling. Monitor for signs like rust-colored stains on sheets, dark fecal spots like ink dots on mattress seams, and live bugs. If bites are itchy, use anti-itch cream and antihistamine, and contact doctor if severe reaction. Most importantly, contact professional pest control for inspection and heat treatment, as infestation can grow from few to hundreds in months.