What if we told you that your mattress is making you sick … that all the fabric glues and cleaners used in the manufacturing process could harm you over the long term use of your mattress? You probably wouldn’t believe us at first, afterall there are government laws and inspection criteria which govern what can be sold to consumers. There are standards in place that are meant to protect our health.
At least that is how it is supposed to work. We now know there are manufacturing loopholes that maximize sales and profitability at the risk of damaging our health. We’re reminded of this any time a North American manufacturer imports products or toys from overseas. Our products and our standards are not their own, and every year consumers spend with the expectation of buying ‘safe’ products, filling their homes instead with toxic chemicals that will have short term discomfort and long term health detriments.
But you don’t have to buy a product from overseas to find one that is laden with toxic chemicals. North American manufacturers are happy to add these toxins to our furnishings, clothing and other consumer goods. And most consumers are not even aware of the risks.
Flame Retardants: Sleeping With the Enemy
Did you know that humans spend about one third of their lives in bed? That means for the average person, we spend twenty five years of our life asleep in our bedroom. That is a significant amount of time when you begin to calculate the cumulative exposure to chemicals in our mattress.
This is going to seem laughable to the present generation. Almost every single mattress on the marketplace offers the option of treating your new bed with a high dose chemical to ensure that it will not catch fire during an accident.Have you ever wondered why it seemed so important to make sure your bed will not catch fire? Do you know why they did it?
Smokers in the past have enjoyed smoking in the bedroom, specifically in bed.The problem with that as you know is the chance that a smoker could fall asleep while smoking and drop the lit cigarette on the linens, igniting a serious house fire. In the 1970’s and 1980’s smoking in the bedroom was common. Most people were smokers and it was not as taboo as it is today. Imagine being a visitor and asking for permission to smoke it bed?
It’s not culturally acceptable any more. When was the last time you visited a house and found an ashtray in every room of the home? It’s not that common any more and few people would smoke in the bedroom thanks to safety education. So why are manufacturers literally bathing our mattresses with a chemical cocktail that is known to cause respiratory irritations, cancers, Alzheimer’s and other chronic diseases?
Profit of course. Claiming that a fire retardant treatment on your mattress can save lives, the traditional manufacturer will charge up to $100 more to treat your mattress, or other soft furnishing with a stain protection chemical and a fire retardant compound. Both are known to provide significant short and long term health risks with the real cost being paid by the consumer in risk to their health from exposure.
A Healthier Alternative
The best place to start is to evaluate manufacturers who can provide a truly organic mattress. Buyer beware when shopping for your next bed as you will have to ask questions and do some investigation to ensure that all the components of any mattress that claims to be ‘organic’ is free of deadly compounds. When shopping, there are a number of tips and information items you need to be aware of before you invest in a bed that is going to be with you for (on average) ten or more years. Think of it as cultivating a long term relationship with a product that will support your rest, relaxation and health and well being and do your research before you buy!
Avoid buying a coil mattress which allows compounds to accumulate in the recesses between the springs and interior structure of the mattress. Opt for a solid foam mattress instead.
Look for alternative materials such as durable natural latex.
Avoid bleached mattresses that emit toxic VOCs as the material breaks down over time.
Pass on special fire retardant coatings, stain protection or other sprayed treatments.
With a little time and extra effort, you can shop for a mattress that will support your good health, wellness and relaxation without providing an extra cost to your health.
About the Author:
Stefanie Gomez is associated with Essentia. She is self-proclaimed internet addict and shopaholic. And she’s an eco lover who writes about healthy living options. Stefanie also contributes on Essentia blog as well as many other platforms.
related: previously on Alternative Consumer - Essential Natural Foam Pillow: A Tried and True Green Product Review
credit: stack of mattresses photo via shutterstock.com