Sweet Sleep

Reader Contribution by Staff

“There is a time for many words, and there is also a time for sleep.” Homer

I have given a lot of thought to how to go green between the sheets but have only recent learned how important it is to consider what’s below the sheets.

Think about it. We spend one-third of our lives in bed. A growing number of studies and polls indicate that when we’re well rested, nearly every aspect of our health–including our relationships–improves. Getting too little sleep can throw off our metabolism and make us clumsy, irritable, impatient, and moody. (As any one of my friends can attest.) On the flip side, when we sleep well, we’re happier and healthier: we’re more alert and focused and better able to fend off emotional and physical ailments.

But during this precious sleep, when we’re nestled against our mattresses, comforters, and pillows, we’re also cozying up to a host of harmful chemicals. According to Walter Bader’s 2005 book, Toxic Bedrooms, we’re exposed to toxins including boric acid, formaldehyde, benzene, naphthalene, pesticides, fungicides, and flame-retardants. These nasty substances are embedded in the manufacturing process and may cause a host of problems ranging from skin irritation, to neurological and respiratory problems, and possibly cancer.

I’ve spent most of my 40 years in either a twin bed or a futon. Now, I’ve finally decided to upgrade to what can only be described as a princess bed (pictured at left). Or maybe a “princess and the pea” bed because it isn’t actually a single mattress, but rather, customizable layers of latex made by the company Savvy Rest. Savvy Rest was The Green Guide‘s top pick and mine, too. The mattresses have a core of chemical- and allergen-free natural latex (derived from the Hevea brasiliensis, or “rubber” tree plant) and pesticide-free organic wool batting. Synthetic latex, used in most conventional beds, not only off-gasses chemicals but is petroleum-based.

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