The Adverse Health Effects of Traditional Mattresses: Is Your Mattress Negatively Impacting Your Health?

Are you struggling to get a good night’s sleep, despite trying everything? You know what we're talking about: From meditation to sleep aids and everything in between. Well, your traditional mattress could be the culprit.

Traditional mattresses are made with synthetic materials and treated with chemicals that can have adverse health effects, disrupting hormone balance and causing respiratory issues. If you’re sleeping on a traditional mattress, you could expose yourself to many health problems without realizing it. 

Instead of sleeping on a toxic mattress, you can switch to a non-toxic, organic mattress and avoid all the adverse effects of traditional mattresses. Take the time to explore the adverse health effects of traditional mattresses and why switching to an organic mattress is the best choice for your health and well-being.

Why Traditional Mattresses Can Hurt Your Health

We spend one-third of our lives sleeping on a mattress, so the quality of the materials matters. With a non-toxic, organic mattress, you know your sleeping environment is natural and chemical-free.

But that’s not the case with traditional mattresses. Both memory foam and innerspring mattresses contain materials like flame-retardant chemicals and adhesives that can negatively impact your well-being.

As a result, you’re exposed to toxins while you sleep, leading to health problems such as worsening asthma and a higher risk of developing cancer.

But that’s not all: The chemicals found in traditional mattresses can also interrupt your sleep, stopping you from feeling refreshed and experiencing the health benefits of regenerative sleep. 

What’s a Non-Toxic Organic Mattress?

An organic mattress is made from natural materials that are certified organic. Manufacturers can use different materials to make organic mattresses.

• Organic latex mattresses are made from hevea milk, the milky sap harvested from rubber trees. The sap is whipped into a froth and steam baked to form latex foam. 
• Some mattress manufacturers use organic cotton or wool in their mattresses. Like organic latex, organic fibers offer a comfortable bed free from harmful chemicals. 

Honest mattress companies only use organic ingredients, like cotton and latex.

When looking for an organic mattress, look for the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) or Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS) certifications. GOTS and GOLS are the world’s best processing standards for organic textiles and latex.

You also want to verify that a mattress is organic and not simply labeled as “natural.” Here’s why: A mattress labeled as natural might contain natural materials, such as a wool cover to repel dust mites, but it might also be filled with chemicals that could cause harm while you sleep. 

Chemicals in Traditional Mattresses and What They’re Doing to Your Body

With so many chemicals used in the manufacturing process, it can be tough to know what to avoid — but how do you know which ones? Here are the top offenders you should know when looking for a healthy mattress. 

Chemical Flame Retardants

Mattress manufacturers must ensure their products can resist fires and meet strict fire-safety standards. So a lot of traditional mattresses have chemical flame retardants.

These chemicals are cheap and do the job, which may be why 92% of the market uses them in their mattresses.

The problem is they pose a health risk. They can build up in the body over time; studies show they are linked with endocrine disruption. 

You should also be on a look out for wool as a flame retardant, in most cases to pass the flammability test the wool needs to be treated with silicia or other flame retardants. Wool is only naturally flame retardant when used in large quantities. 

Polyurethane Foam

Polyurethane is used to create the foam in synthetic memory foam mattresses. While comfortable to lie on, it’s not something you actually want in your mattress.

Health concerns range from respiratory issues to exposure to cancer-causing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like toluene and benzene through off-gassing.

Polyurethane is a composite of polyols created through a chemical reaction using methyl oxirane and toluene diisocyanate (TDI). TDI is classed as a carcinogen by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and methyl-oxirane is on Canada’s list of toxic substances. 

Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is used as an adhesive in traditional mattresses. (Yes, it's the same stuff used in funeral homes.) As with other toxic chemicals found in mattresses, it’s inexpensive, making it appealing to manufacturers.

One of the main concerns with formaldehyde is its potential to cause respiratory problems. When inhaled, it can irritate the lungs, leading to coughing, wheezing, and other breathing difficulties. There’s also research linking high exposure between formaldehyde and cancer. 

Fiberglass

Fiberglass is a cheap flame retardant made from glass and reinforced plastic. It causes a mattress to melt instead of going up in flames, so some manufacturers use it to meet fire safety standards. 

The problem is if your mattress is old or worn and the fiberglass makes its way out of the mattress, the tiny fibers can be harmful. They can irritate the eyes and lungs and worsen asthma symptoms.

The fiberglass particles are so small that they can get into your HVAC system and circulate throughout the air in your home, making them incredibly difficult to get rid of. If you have an old mattress with fiberglass, be very careful with the cover and consider switching to a new, healthy mattress immediately.

Traditional Mattresses, Dust Mites, and Your Health

It’s not just chemicals that might throw your body’s systems off track and harm your health. Dust mites are also a significant problem for anyone with dust mite allergies. 

Dust mites are the leading cause of in-home allergies. They feed on dead skin cells found in abundance on most mattresses and bedding. They also thrive in the warm, moist environment provided by innerspring mattresses, which have several layers of padding for these microscopic creatures to live in and multiply. 

For those with allergies, dust mites can make it challenging to get a restful sleep because they aggravate symptoms. If you’re waking up sneezing and feeling congested, it might be time for a new, healthier mattress.

You’ll sleep more soundly with a hypoallergenic bed that resists dust mites. Organic wool mattress toppers are proper: Wool doesn’t retain moisture like other materials, creating an arid environment dust mites don’t like. It would be best to opt for a wood or metal bed frame. 

Latex mattresses are naturally inhospitable to dust mites. They’re also the best option if you’re looking for a healthy organic mattress that lets you experience deep, restful sleep each night. 

What Happens When You Switch to a Natural Latex Mattress

Switching to an organic mattress is the way to go if you want to avoid all the nasty effects of formaldehyde, chemical flame retardants, and other toxins. But what kind of organic mattress you buy matters. 

Essentia organic mattress stands apart from the rest, and the patented organic latex foam gives you all the comfort of memory foam but all the health benefits of having a natural organic mattress. Essentia is the only organic latex mattress to not only be comfortable but also meet the seven key elements needed to be present for you to experience a rejuvenating night’s sleep. Essentia’s organic foams are free of chemical flame retardants or polyurethane, offering a nontoxic, clean air environment. 

Essentia  is also a great choice if you suffer from allergies! Tested by Dr. Robert G. Hamilton of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Essentia organic foams are impervious to dust mites. 

Switching to a natural latex mattress protects your body from carcinogens, allergy triggers, and volatile organic compounds.

But what's even more important is that you also sleep better, which can lead to a long list of health benefits ranging from improved memory to faster muscle recovery.

Essentia’s  organic latex mattress stays cooler at night, so feeling too hot won’t disrupt your sleep. There’s also no off-gassing, so your air is cleaner. You can breathe better and bring more oxygen into your body, which improves blood flow and helps you sleep better. You also have pressure support, encouraging a more restful sleep so you wake up feeling restored and ready to seize the day. 

With an Essentia natural latex mattress, you have everything you need for healthy sleep — a comfortable mattress, a clean environment, and protection from toxins.  

Conclusion 

Traditional innerspring and memory foam mattresses are loaded with chemicals that can hurt and negatively impact your health in the short and long term. That’s why choosing a natural, non-toxic mattress is so important.

And when it comes to sleeping toxic-free and sincerely, there’s nothing better than organic latex.

Essentia-certified organic mattresses are handmade in Canada's GOLS and GOTS-certified organic factory. They’re purpose-built to create the perfect sleep environment.