Beware Of The Toxic Chemicals In Your Mattress
For years we have been taught that a good night's sleep is a healthy habit to have
. A good 7-8 hours of sleep means that one third of our life should be spent in bed. Recent discoveries have found that while sleeping 7-8 hours a night is healthy, sleeping in a bed may not be such a healthy idea. While our faces are plastered into a pillow and sleeping on a new mattress, we may be literally gassing ourselves to death.
Toxic Chemicals in Pillows
Pillows are often made of Styrofoam which contains polystyrene. This petroleum-based chemical has been known to cause symptoms of fatigue, difficulty sleeping, nervous disorders, menstrual cycle problems, alterations in blood cells, chromosome and lymphatic abnormalities and possibly has carcinogenic effects on humans.
It has been shown that in subjects tested for styrene, a full 100% were found to have styrene in their fat cells and they couldn't find a single lactating mother who didn't test positive for these chemicals in her breast milk.
In addition to polystyrene, pillows are known to contain polyurethane foam and polyethylene. These fillers are made by combining some very toxic chemicals to make polyfil, the major component of the pillows we use today.
Recent published information showed that the plastic bottles we are using for baby formula and drinking water are leaching chemicals out into the contents of the bottle. This raises the question as to whether these chemicals are also being released into the air surrounding our pillow and mattress while we sleep.
A company called Chem-Tox has done extensive studies on the effect that petroleum based products have on humans. The number of human ailments such as cancer, asthma, infertility, and neurological problems that have been tied to these chemicals is growing larger and larger. The alarming rise in autism over the last half century raises questions as to the link between these chemicals and this syndrome.
Toxic Chemicals in Mattresses
As of 2007, all mattresses are required to contain enough Fire Retardant to withstand being subjected to a 24 inch blowtorch flame for a total of 70 seconds. It has been estimated that 90% of all mattress manufacturers use a highly toxic brand of fire retardant because it is less expensive to use. In addition, manufacturers have switched from filling mattresses with natural products to using toxic synthetic petroleum based products as fillings in an effort to save money.
Studies are showing that sleeping on these mattresses, night after night, year after year is increasing our risk of developing a host of health problems. By the time a child is 5 years of age they have spent thousands of hours exposed to these chemicals in their mattresses and pillows. It's a scary thought.
Modern foam mattresses are made of a toxic soup of nearly 60 different chemicals. The flame retardant solution used on mattresses contains antimony, boric acid (the stuff used to kill the persistent cockroach) and DECABROMODIPHENYL OXIDE.
Any type of sofa bed, crib, fold-out bed, futon and mattress made of synthetic materials must contain a flame retardant, but nowhere is the safety of these chemicals made readily available to consumers.
Chemical Free Mattresses
A search of the Internet will give you sites that sell chemical free mattresses. If the mattress is made of all natural materials such as cotton or wool, they do not require flame retardant.
Beware of a company that advertises that it produces a "green" mattress. Sometimes they add natural products in addition to the standard toxic foam and call it green. Due diligence is needed before you make a mattress purchase. Do a lot of research to be sure your mattress is safe and free of harmful chemicals.
by: Ryan Round
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