When we think about the quality of our sleep, most of us don’t realize the downside of sleeping on a mattress that doesn’t provide the combination of support and comfort that our bodies need. The wrong mattress, or a mattress that has broken and needs to be replaced, can actually make you sick in a number of different and important ways to consider:
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Is your mattress making you sick? 7 signs you should recognize.
Many times, we wake up with discomforts that make us think that they are due to other external causes without having an idea that the mattress may be responsible. These are 7 signs that your mattress is wreaking havoc on your health.
Weaken your spine.
When our mattress doesn’t push our hips up into proper alignment, it collapses us during sleep. This strains our back muscles as it tries to keep our spine up. This stress leads to daytime pain and a general weakening of our spine.
Our brain will tell us that we can lift something and the back goes suddenly. We tend to blame this on age or our physical condition, but very often it is a function of our weakened spinal support system.
Causes chronic muscle pain.
Many people wake up with muscle pain. When a mattress does not relieve pressure points, it leads to muscle pain and it is this pain that eventually wakes us up earlier than desired.
Cut off circulation to the skin.
These pressure points actually cut off the circulation of blood and oxygen to the skin. Our central nervous system detects this and sends a signal to move. This leads to “spinning.”
Toxic fumes-gas.
Today’s mattresses all contain flame retardant chemicals that are required by Federal Regulations, and contain petrochemical-based synthetic foams. As they wear down, they constantly release chemical vapor gases. Since our repair system and our brainstem are in direct contact with this material for up to 8 hours a night, we have to carefully consider the effect they have on our general health and well-being.
Almost every mattress sold today contains polyurethane foam that is known to have 3 carcinogens in its composition. Many people report having a reaction to allergic attacks from their new mattress, chronic pain, hives, and skin rashes.
Sleep fragments.
When we move during sleep, we break out of levels 3 and 4 (known as deep restorative sleep because that is the level where the brain is engaged in healing our body) and move to level 1 (close to wakefulness). This fragments our quality of sleep and contributes to many serious sleep disorders.
Traps allergens and bacteria.
An unprotected mattress becomes a receptacle for the moisture we lose during sleep, for dead skin and allergens that our pets or children bring from outside. It is estimated that a mattress will double in weight over 5 years from these materials and bacteria, becoming an allergy pit that encourages snoring and other respiratory illnesses.
Leads to serious illness.
Recent studies have linked the sleep problem to a growing number of diseases in the US, including: stroke, obesity, diabetes, and many of the autoimmune diseases.
It is reported that we are sleeping 30% less than our parents did, and that more than 100 million people complain of having difficulty sleeping and getting the kind of restful sleep they want. We consider the role that deep down sleep healing has on our overall health and well-being, because in the natural scheme of things that is the time when our brain actually repairs and nourishes our body.
4 Solutions to avoid a toxic mattress.
- When buying a mattress, ask your supplier if it is organic, non-toxic, and hypoallergenic. Ask what types of chemicals or flame retardants are used inside the mattress and if it does not emit gases.
- Trade in your toxic mattress for an organic mattress, especially if you have a weak immune system, cancer, hormonal imbalance, or chronic pain.
- Getting a few inches of distance between you and the toxic mattress can make a difference. Ideally, we don’t have to worry about these things at all, however, since it is a concern, you can take small steps towards detoxing your sleep.
- Start using organic sheets and pillows. Your face is in direct contact with your pillows or your mattress throughout the night. Having safe bedding is just as important as what you consume. Imagine the number of hours we spend sleeping, now imagine all that time inhaling toxic fumes gassing the bedding. Smart sleepers will want to improve the quality of their sleep and their health by changing what they sleep on.