Skip links Skip to primary navigation Skip to content Skip to footer Vibrant health means you can live life to the fullest. Empower yourself with the steps I used to free my life of chronic disease and medications. I’m an author, entrepreneur, and nutritional therapy practitioner (NTP). I began this website at 19, to share the steps that freed my life of chronic disease and medication. Now, Empowered Sustenance has reached 30 million readers with healthy recipes and holistic resources. Essential Oils for Brain FunctionBurn 600 Calories Sitting, and 6 other Infrared Sauna BenefitsThrive Market: The Netflix of FoodMeal Plans, Customized Exactly for YOUHolistic Hair CareUpdate 2016: See my updated article on non-toxic bedding. We spend about one third of our lives in bed. It’s a time when our body regenerates itself. We release about 3 liters of water while we sleep, and our bodies go through cycles of cooling down and heating up. We also absorb substances through our skin and through our lungs.
So keeping one’s bed toxin-free is optimal. To create a non-toxic bed we must ensure that the mattress, pillows and sheets are free of toxins. Unfortunately, in the U.S. it is quite difficult to acquire a non-toxic bed without a lot of searching and expense (a recent article in the New York Times explains the tangled situation). So here’s a guide to finding a inexpensive, chemical-free bed: Specifically, the aim here is to avoid: Most conventional bedding contains many of these contaminants. Unfortunately, some chemicals even put there deliberately, such as the fire-retardant chemical “Polybrominated Diphenal Ether” or PBDE. To buy a mattress in the U.S. that is free of the PDBE, you still need permission from a doctor. This is despite the fact that PBDE has been banned by Europe, Canada, California and Washington. It’s also a good idea to avoid synthetic materials. Natural fibers allow for changes in body temperature, because they do not reflect heat and because they can absorb moisture.
The rationale for choosing chemical-free, organic bedding can be found in book Toxic Bedrooms: Your Guide To A Safe Night’s Sleep (this book is a great source of information). See also the activist website People For Clean Beds. Here’s my recommended bedding materials: The key here is to choose an organic material, free of toxins and able to absorb moisture. Organic mattresses are commonly made with organic cotton, organic wool or 100% natural latex. I think natural latex is the optimal mattress material, in terms of price and durability. Latex has natural antimicrobial properties that resist dust mites and other allergens, and it’s mold and mildew resistant. Unfortunately, the word “latex” has also been used to describe synthetic latex,which is derived from petroleum. Natural latex is the milky sap of the rubber tree. It is mostly harvested in South East Asia, where trees are tapped for latex by cutting a groove in the bark of the tree. It is a renewable process — each tree can produce latex for 20 years.
Latex requires little energy to process and it’s 100% biodegradable. Latex is a yielding but highly resilient material. Latex mattresses do not require flipping or turning, and last around 15 years. The best prices I’ve seen for a natural latex mattress are the ErgoSoft natural latex mattress toppers. You can find a 4″ Latex Mattress Topper for about $510 for a Queen size and $630 for a King Size. ErgoSoft mattress toppers are not certified organic. However, the manufacturer (a company in Sri Lanka) says the mattresses are “100% natural latex, free of glues, petrochemicals, and industrial additives”. You can find organic latex mattress at The Latex Mattress Company (the best prices we’ve found) and LifeKind (this company’s entire operation is certified organic). You can also find good, inexpensive organic cotton mattresses at Soaring Heart — I purchased my first organic mattress from this company. It’s particularly important to find non-toxic sheets since they are in direct contact with your skin while you sleep.
Optimal materials here are: organic cotton, organic flannel or organic linen and hemp. To really minimize chemical exposure, you can opt for undyed sheets, because the “low-impact” dyes commonly used on organic sheets involve some kind of chemical processing. Natural latex is also my recommended material for a pillow. Natural latex pillows are springy and soft — their texture is supple and skin-like. You can expect a natural latex pillow to hold its shape and retain it springiness for 15 years or more. The pillows don’t require cleaning or fluffing like feather pillows. You can find natural latex pillows at Amazon. In my opinion, organic wool is the best filling material for an organic comforter. Organic wool is more hypoallergenic and breathable than down. I also think organic wool has an edge over organic kapok, because it is better at regulating temperature. Organic comforters are available on Amazon.Struggling to get a good night’s sleep? Your synthetic-latex mattress may be to blame.
As comfortable as a memory foam mattresses may be, their chief component is polyurethane, a combustible petrochemical. That means to meet safety standards, companies need to add flame retardants—such as barrier materials made from synthetic fibers, which give off a distinct smell of chemicals. That comes from the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in those fibers giving off gas, or “off-gassing.” (Read more about how your mattress might be making you sick.) While it’s essentially impossible to get rid of synthetic chemicals in mattresses completely, organic latex mattresses are a good, affordable alternative. They’re sourced from responsibly grown rubber trees and cotton, and limit VOC off-gassing for a healthier night’s sleep. Read on for 4 ways to become a savvy organic mattress shopper. (Sign up for our FREE newsletter to get clever kitchen tricks, gardening secrets, and more delivered straight to your inbox!) Know What Mattresses Are Made Of When shopping for a chemical-free mattress, it’s helpful to understand how mattresses are constructed, and what they’re typically made of:
This is the thick, tightly woven fabric that covers your mattress and is the part that’s closest to your body. Look for certified organic and wool blends. Focus on this component when you’re looking for a particular feel in your mattress. This is what you will actually feel when you lay down. Go for a softer foam top layer or a quilted pillow top. Two layers of firmer foam that support the top layer and provide an overall structure for the mattress. You can mix up the firmness of these structural layers to obtain the desired feel. Using a soft foam layer on top, then a medium-firm, and then a firm layer is the “most common configuration for side sleepers,” says Deborah Benton, owner of DIY Natural Bedding. Understand the Difference Between Natural and Synthetic Latex Typically made from natural latex, which comes from rubber trees. It can come in a variety of densities to adjust the firmness. Synthetic latex foam mattresses Made from a compound that’s very similar to natural rubber, styrene-butadiene, but which can cause irritation to the nose, eyes, throat, and lungs.
Related: 11 Everyday Household Items You Aren't Buying Organic—But Should Look for These Labels A lot of companies throw around the terms “green” and “natural”. Look instead for these 3 labels, which are third-party regulated and represent the most stringent standards for organic, non-toxic mattresses. Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) One of the more stringent standards for mattresses, GOTS certification requires that at least 95 percent of the materials in the mattress are certified organic. Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS) In GOLS certification, at least 95 percent of the mattress must be made from certified organic latex materials. This sets limits for chemical emissions such as formaldehyde and VOCs that could cause pollution and health problems. Oeko-Tex Standard 100 also bans certain chemical flame retardants and dyes that could cause allergies. Check Out These Organic Mattress-Makers You can find third-party certified organic mattresses from a range of mattress companies, but may have to sort through a lot of competing, non-organic offerings.