We realise the word natural comes with connotations, and because of environmentalism, there’s a steer towards the purchase of natural products, but we would hate for you to jump to any conclusions. Natural wine, for example, is natural, and it may be healthier than conventional wine, but that doesn’t mean it’s healthy. There are more natural forms of sugar, but sugar is still bad for you. So is your natural mattress actually healthy, or is it just a more natural form of more conventional mattress? And what’s unhealthy about ordinary mattresses anyway? In this article, we’ll tell you as much as we can about the healthy and unhealthy aspects of mattresses on the market.

What makes some mattresses unhealthy?

You spend a lot of time on your mattress, almost a third of your day, to be exact. When you’re spending so much time in close proximity to something, you need to know it’s safe. Unfortunately, with mattresses, this isn’t always the case. It isn’t something you should take for granted. There are lots of stories about products purchased online that turned out to be unsafe, most notably the baby toy scandal of last year.

Some mattresses are toxic. Certain flame retardants commonly used in mattresses have been linked to cancer, infertility, and developmental brain disorders.

If your mattress is emitting harmful gasses, you’re filling your lungs with these every night. It’s really important you’re careful about what you’re buying.

Is memory foam dangerous?

Memory foam mattresses sometimes contain isocyanates, which have health risks associated with them. If you spend too much time near this toxic substance, you may experience sore throat, skin, nose, and eye irritation, difficulty breathing, and tightening of the chest.

Memory foam mattresses contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in their foam and adhesives. Consumers often worry about prolonged exposure to these materials, since they can cause issues after a period of time. Polyurethane, a primary ingredient in most memory foams, can cause respiratory problems and skin irritation.

The safety of your memory foam mattress depends on where you buy it from. Cheap mattresses are never a good idea. Be very careful about buying poor mattresses from large online sellers. Anyone can knock something together and claim to be a specialist in it, so make sure whatever you are buying is coming from a reputable seller.

Are some natural mattresses unhealthy?

You might decide you want to give these chemicals a miss altogether, and opt for an organic or natural mattress. You should still be careful. Make sure the mattress you are buying is actually natural, and not just made with natural materials. Some mattresses labelled as natural are hybrids, and actually contain blended latex.

What’s natural about natural mattresses?

If you’re looking for a natural mattress, you should look for a seller who clearly explains every layer within their product, and every one of those layers should be a natural material. Both the casing and the actual support layers of the mattress should be made from natural materials, such as wool, horse hair, and cotton.

The benefits of a natural mattress

Natural mattresses are made from natural materials, which means there is nothing manmade or icky making them up.

Instead of using foam, most natural mattresses use cotton, which was the number one filler for mattresses until the 1900s, when foam (which is cheaper) replaced it. We’ve already discussed the issues we have with foam further up this article. On the flip-side, cotton is all natural, durable, and we think it’s more comfortable. It’s also resilient and breathable.

Our natural mattresses also include naturally fire retardant materials, such as horsehair and wool. This means there is no need to add potentially toxic substances to the mattress.These two fabulous materials also have natural moisture wicking abilities, which means if you sweat, drool, or spill something, the material will absorb the dampness (to a point – don’t put it in the bath, or anything). This is important because lingering dampness leads to mould and mildew, and spores from mould can cause respiratory problems. Plus, it’s just not very nice.

What about the environment?

Natural mattresses aren’t only healthier for you, they’re better for the environment, too. Every year, millions of mattresses worldwide are tipped into landfill, where they remain for decades. As population increases, we can’t continue to abuse our planet in this way, so it’s important we work towards investing in planet friendly products.

Mattresses made from natural materials and healthier for the planet because they break down quicker, and whatever is healthier for the planet is healthier for humans. There is no planet B.

Ely Mattresses are made from all natural materials and come with a ten year warranty. With Dividebuy, you can split the cost of your new mattress across several months. Our mattresses are also available in baby cot size. For more information on our materials, read about our thirteen layers.