RICHMOND, Va. -- Do you know what's in your pillow? That old reliable pillow that you've lain your head down on every night for years may be hurting you more than it's helping you to get a good night's sleep.

Less than half of Americans replace their pillow each year, despite the fact that after a year of use, the average pillow is filled with allergens like mold, mildew, fungus, dust mites and dust mite feces. That's right, dust mite feces (not exactly the stuff sweet dreams are made of).

Below are a few things everyone should know about dust mites.

-- Dust mites feed on dead skin from humans and dander from animals. This is shed continuously, every day, around the clock.

-- Dust mites produce 200 times their weight in waste.

-- Dust mites are directly associated with three main allergic diseases: asthma, eczema and allergic rhinitis.

Sleeping on a pillow without dust mites can lead to a healthier night's sleep.