Indoor air quality is often worse than outdoor air quality. Why? Every product used to build, furnish, wash, clean, moisturize, and more have the potential to emit VOCs (volatile organic compounds). According to the EPA,
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids. VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects. Concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher indoors (up to ten times higher) than outdoors. VOCs are emitted by a wide array of products numbering in the thousands. Examples include: paints and lacquers, paint strippers, cleaning supplies, pesticides, building materials and furnishings, office equipment such as copiers and printers, correction fluids and carbonless copy paper, graphics and craft materials including glues and adhesives, permanent markers, and photographic solutions.
Most mattresses are made of chemical foams that emit VOCs and are detrimental for our general health but especially our lungs. Who wants to spend 8 hours a night breathing in toxic chemicals? Not you? Not me either!
We have been sleeping on natural latex mattress since 2008 and LOVE it!
The down sides? It can be more expensive than a cheap mattress but there are plenty of “luxury” foam made mattresses that cost far more. The other downside? These mattresses can be difficult to move because they are heavy and the latex mattresses without coils are floppy and heavy. Rolling-up the mattress then using cinching straps to hold it, along with paid movers, solve this issue.
Below are several resources for finding your perfect healthy mattresses.
Watch out for “eco / healthy” mattresses that include additional layers of foam or the use of bamboo… these aren’t healthy options.
Want a checklist of what to look for? EWG’s Healthy Living Home Guide to mattresses has you covered.
Two Denver stores that sell mattresses for healthier sleeping:
The Natural Sleep Store sells a variety of brands, organic bedding, and offers free delivery within 60 miles of their store!
Naturepedic is a brand of natural mattresses with a retail store in Denver.
Not in Denver? These online mattress companies below will ship a mattress right to your door:
Avocado Green Mattress
* No flame retardants / chemicals
* Vegan option
* Pillow-top option
essential mattresses
* Natural rubber / latex based memory foam
* No off-gassing
woolroom
* ethically sourced wool from the uk
* no latex, synthetics, glues, off-gassing
* made in the uk & south carolina, usa
lifekind
* certified organic and naturally safer sleep
* latex-free versions
Do you have a non-toxic mattress that you love (or don’t)? We’d love to hear from you!
Jen Grauer 