Toxic Mattress Syndrome. Black Friday's the perfect time to remedy that

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I received product and/or compensation for the following post.

 

Photo by Vera Kratochvil

Have you ever woken up with a headache? How about body aches? An unexplained rash? Nosebleed? Perhaps you're currently going through a whole slew of tests to determine what is causing your migraines or the ringing in your ears. Did you ever stop to consider the possibility that your health woes all begin and end with the mattress you're sleeping on?

I'm not talking about a too-hard or too-soft mattress. I'm talking about a toxic mattress full of chemicals, like boric acid, formaldehyde, polyurethane foam, and PBDEs (which are banned in many other countries). Toxic Mattress Syndrome affects many, many more people that we realize. Maybe it affects you. Or your children. Or your parents.

There are so many issues with mattresses these days... so many things to consider. Look at the tag -- does it say "Treated Cotton"? Uh oh. You're most likely looking at boric acid. And unless the cotton is certified organic, you have the whole pesticide issue to consider. After all, of all crops, cotton is the most heavily sprayed with a multitude of toxins. As a matter of fact, approximately one-quarter of all agricultural chemicals are used to grow cotton. Do you really want to spend one-third of your life getting intimate with all those chemicals? Yuck. 

Then there are the flame retardants, mandated by the government. We've all been hearing about sofas loaded with these toxins, but did you ever stop to think about your mattress? Unless it was manufactured before July 1, 2007, your mattress is doing its best to not only protect you from being injured if you fall asleep while smoking in bed, but also to inflict all sorts of off-gassing and potentially serious damage to your system. That's a fact. 

Yikes! What can you do? Well, for one thing, you can buy a new mattress. Of course, certified organic mattresses are a bit costly. And you have to watch out for what the organic labeling means. The regulations are a bit lax here. Some of the materials can be organic, while others, like the cotton used, is not. So, just because it claims to be organic, does not necessarily mean it's safe. 

One thing you can do is get a doctor's excuse. Seriously. Your doctor or chiropractor can write a prescription for a mattress without flame retardants. That's one step toward a healthier night's sleep. Of course, that doesn't eliminate some of the other toxins, but it's certainly a step up.

Natural latex mattresses are another option. Organic latex is made from rubber trees. Of course, you want to steer clear of any synthetic latex, but many sleep experts give green thumbs up to natural latex mattresses.

Memory foam can go either way when it comes to delivering toxic mattress symptoms, so watch out if you're looking to go that route. You want to look for GreenGuard Certification. While that doesn't ensure a chemical-free night's rest, it does guarantee less emissions. 

With Black Friday breathing down our necks, maybe it's time to consider a healthier holiday season, starting with your family's mattresses. Even if you have to switch them one bed at a time, there's nothing like a good Black Friday sale to get you started.

Plushbeds.com has a fantastic Black Friday sale going on this year, with $1200 off all of their 100% organic natural latex mattresses and $600 off their GreenGuard Gold certified memory foam mattresses.

With every purchase of a latex mattress or a memory foam mattress, you'll also receive extras valued at $376:

• 2 free organic latex pillows
• Free Egyptian sheet set
• Free mattress protector

Every adjustable bed purchase includes a free 10 year extended warranty (valued at $349), as well as free white glove delivery (a $299 value).

The reasons for buying a new mattress are countless and the timing couldn't be better. Black Friday... the perfect time to upgrade your sleeping situation. Who knew?

Sleep tight,