One of the biggest complaints by owners of memory foam pillows and mattresses is the unpleasant, and potentially unhealthy chemical smell. Memory foam is manufactured using polyurethane and several other chemicals, so it isn’t surprising that it emits a chemical odor. This “off gassing” of volatile organic compounds is a common and well-documented property of memory foam pillows and mattresses. The fumes are often compared to those experienced in a freshly painted room. If you are experiencing this odor, the good news is you may not have to endure the smell for long. The bad news is that some of the chemicals used in memory foam aren’t entirely benign.Many memory foam mattress owners report that the off gassing period ends after a number of days.(1) Of course there are many factors which influence this including the product, the type of foam, the sensitivity of the person, the room ventilation and more. Even if the initial odor goes away, it is natural to wonder if there are health issues related to off gassing.
Most people do not report any health issues resulting from their memory foam pillow or mattress. However, there are various reports of headaches, nausea, and allergic reactions resulting from the odor produced by memory foam. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you’ll want to avoid sleeping on the foam during the initial off gassing period. You can leave the pillow or mattress in a well-ventilated area for a week or two and see if that helps eliminate or reduce the odor and symptoms. If after several weeks, the issue persists, it is probably time to consider an alternative to memory foam.Many many people use memory foam products without reporting any side effects or related health issues. That said, there are various reports and studies which indicate that memory foam may be somewhat toxic. Reports include carcinogenic chemicals and formaldehyde gas. To manufacture memory foam, chemicals are added to polyurethane to make it more dense and viscous at the same time. Additional chemicals are required to make the polyurethane flame retardant.
One of these, Pentabde (of the polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) family), was used until 2004. Pentabde is now known to be toxic to the liver, thyroid, and nervous system.(2) A study in 2000 specifically found mattress emissions to be toxic to the lungs of labratory mice.The long-term effects of memory foam and its toxicity is not fully understood, but there clearly is some reason for concern. Aproximately one-third of your life is spent in close contact to your sleeping surface, so it is important to consider you and your family’s health when selecting a pillow or mattress.Are you interested in the support and comfort provided by memory foam, but want to avoid that chemical smell? There are several natural pillow options for those looking for a new pillow. Of course, our favorite is our buckwheat hull pillow. Besides being natural and chemical-free, buckwheat pillows are a great alternative to memory foam for a couple of other reasons.Memory foam is not breathable and this can result in a hot and sweaty pillow.
The shape and particulate nature of buckwhat hulls leaves a lot of air space in your pillow between all of the hulls. This airspace allows warm moist air to escape, leaving your pillow cool and dry.While a memory foam pillow conforms to the shape of your head, the overall shape and thickness of the pillow is fixed, making the pillow less adaptable to your sleeping position. The fill in a stuffed pillow can be shifted and adjusted for a wider variety of shapes and sizes.If you’ve decided against a memory foam pillow and a buckwheat pillow isn’t right for you, other natural alternatives to memory foam include pillows filled with down, cotton, wool, latex, kapok or millet hulls.The main reason to invest in a mattress topper is to upgrade the quality of your bed, and hopefully the quality of your sleep along with it. Replacing your mattress can be very expensive, so a mattress topper is a great way to revitalize or change the style of your bed instead. With some careful research, the right one will give you what you need at a fraction of the cost of a brand new mattress.
In this article you’ll find both a list of the key factors which can help inform your decision making, and also a breakdown of the pros and cons of each type of material. By cross-referencing the two sections, you’ll hopefully have a clearer idea about which type will be the right kind for you. You can also find out about some of the more popular brands in these detailed mattress topper reviews. First of all, it’s important to understand that there can be some confusion between mattress pads and mattress toppers. A mattress pad tends to be thinner, and usually serves either to protect the mattress or to provide only a little extra softness. A mattress pad can address specific needs, such as adding a water-proof layer or an anti-allergenic feature. You can also find heated mattress pads for use in the winter, and if you have issues with heat. A mattress topper on the other hand serves to add a much more significant layer of softness, cushioning or support for your body.
And you can if you wish use both at the same time to further improve the quality of your bed. By placing a mattress pad over the topper, you can help protect both the topper and the mattress, as well as helping hold them all together as one unit. Having said that, some companies use the terms interchangeably. They may call their product a topper or pad, but actually it is much thicker or thinner than you would usually associate with that category. So it’s always worth checking how much padding it actually provides. With so many types of mattress topper, it’s perhaps more helpful to first decide what you want or need from a topper. Then you can work out which material will best meet your needs. Personal preference and a gut feeling will probably play a role too. But if you do like to weigh up the pros and cons before making decisions, here are some of the key factors to take into account: The price can vary wildly, from 30 dollars to several thousand.
But a higher price doesn’t necessarily guarantee it would be better for you. It’s about meeting your needs, not simply buying the most expensive you can afford. Plain egg crate foam, polyester and some cotton toppers tend to be the cheapest. With higher quality cotton, feather and down in the middle. Memory foam and wool can be quite expensive, with latex even more so. If it’s extra support for your back and limbs that you need, then memory foam and latex are generally more effective than the other materials. They are better at holding the shape of your body and supporting your natural posture. With such a dizzying range of materials, brands, densities and thicknesses you should be able to find the perfect level of softness and comfort. But your definition of comfort may be different from the next person’s. Would you prefer a topper which molds to your body, such as with latex or memory foam? Or are you more suited to a naturally soft material such as down or cotton?
Toppers tend to fall in the range of between 2 and 8 inches thick. If you need to revitalize an aging mattress, sleep on your side, or if you weigh more than average, you may need to look at thicker options. The materials with the best range of thickness are memory foam and latex. In addition the density of a topper is important in determining how much support it will provide you. Memory foam and latex toppers tend to have the most choice, allowing you to find just the right comfort level you need. Memory foam and latex are good at reducing the transmission of movement from your partner. So if you sleep with someone whose tossing and turning keeps you awake, they are good choices. Memory foam and latex mattress toppers tend to retain body heat more. The thicker and denser they are, the hotter they feel. Wool, down and feather toppers are good all year round, as they provide extra warmth in winter yet reduce heat in summer. Don’t forget that the outside material can also contribute to the temperature by wicking away sweat for example.
Some materials are better for certain allergies, so it’s worth checking the list below. Some are also more resistant to bed-bugs, mites, mildew and mold than others. Remember that you need to remove it from the packaging, get it onto the bed and potentially remove it for cleaning. So do be aware of the overall weight of the mattress topper. Egg crate is the easiest to transport, whilst feather, down and cotton are easier to move than memory foam or latex. Feather and down are the most difficult to clean. The standard warranty time seems to be around 2 years for many mattress toppers. But this can be as short as one year and as long as 5 years. But remember that you won’t get a replacement just because it has compressed under your weight over time. Mattress toppers come in a range of very different styles and materials. So it’s important to know both what you hope to gain from using a topper, and what the pros and cons are of each material. Let’s take a look now at the different types in turn to give you a better idea of what your options are.
Latex toppers can be quite expensive, but like the memory foam styles, can provide excellent support and comfort. Natural latex is made from the liquid in rubber trees. Not all latex toppers are natural though, so be sure to check before buying if it’s important to you to avoid synthetic materials. Memory foam is probably the most popular material people choose. A memory foam mattress can be incredibly expensive, so a topper can in part imitate a more costly mattress. At the opposite end of the material spectrum is the natural material of wool. It can be fairly expensive, but there are some good reasons for this. Bedding made from goose or duck feathers, or softer and more luxurious down, is known for its softness and comforting feel. If you’re an allergy sufferer or need a firmer topper though, it may not be right for you. There is a vast range of mattress toppers and pads made from cotton, and often with a mixture of cotton and polyester and other materials.