Natural Organic Mattress Buyer's Guide


By Jesse Cannone, CFT, CPRS

Organic Mattresses and Pillows
In the market for a mattress? Maybe you should be.

You already know you’re going to spend roughly a third of your life in bed. And I’m sure you’ve heard about the importance of getting a good night’s sleep.

Clearly, selecting a comfortable mattress is crucial. But what you may not have realized is how dangerous buying the wrong mattress can be to both your health and the environment.

That’s why I’ve put together this buyer’s guide to explain why you may want to replace your standard spring or memory foam mattress with a natural latex mattress. I’ve also taken the liberty to recommend some of my favorite companies and products in the natural bedding arena to help you find the best organic mattress for you.

Your bed as a giant medicine patch

You’ve probably seen those nicotine patches you wear on your skin to help you stop smoking. How do they help? Very simply your skin absorbs the nicotine released from the patch straight through your skin.

The same type of patch technology is used to deliver medicines to your body. Many chemicals are absorbed the same way.

According to Jack Dell’Accio, founder and CEO of natural mattress maker Essentia, sleeping on your mattress is just like applying a giant patch to your body. The question then is what chemicals are coming out of your mattress?

Ever try the new mattress sniff test? Buy just about any new mattress, open the plastic bag, and take a big whiff. Instant nausea.

Don’t believe the lie that it’s “just the plastic wrapping.” What you’re breathing in is the off-gassing of noxious chemicals found inside the mattress. Chemicals used as flame retardants, pesticides, and to make the mattress itself are continually released into the air around your bed.

Even memory foam mattresses, touted as hypoallergenic, are made completely out of chemicals which constantly off-gas leading to frequent complaints of headaches and other ailments.

So if you’re lying on a polyurethane foam, memory foam or typical spring mattress, congratulations, you’re breathing in and directly absorbing a nightly 8 hour dose of toxic and carcinogenic chemicals. Some of these poisons are never expelled. Instead, they accumulate in your body night after night. If you wake up with a headache every morning it’s definitely time for a change.

A few days or weeks of airing out your mattress will reduce the smell. But these mattresses will continue to off-gas harmful chemicals and volatile organic compounds for months and years to come.

Is there really a certified organic latex mattress?

Most rubber tree plantations do not produce certified organic latex. That’s not to say there aren’t plenty of rubber trees grown to organic standards. It’s just that to be certified organic requires a cumbersome verification process that most rubber tree plantation owners and processors have not been willing or able to comply with. So until recently, you simply couldn’t find a company manufacturing mattresses with certified organic latex.

A couple months ago, Savvy Rest became the first organic mattress company in the United States to use certified organic latex with certifications and independent test results posted on its website. Again, there are other companies with natural latex mattresses using strictly organic materials. But it is nice to have the peace of mind independent verification offers.

Shamefully, some companies use marketing trickery to make you think you’re getting something you’re not. I’m not talking about using the word organic when it’s not certified… but much worse.

For example, watch out for little “gotchas” like claims of mattresses containing 100% natural latex. Every latex mattress has at least some real latex in it because even highly synthesized blends require some amount of actual plant-derived latex. The small amount of natural latex they throw in their synthetic blend may be 100% latex, but the real stuff may account for as little as 20% of the total latex used in the mattress.

On the other hand, and you may be surprised by this, there are no mattresses made with 100% pure natural latex. In fact, there never will be. That’s because for a mattress to have the elastic characteristics of foam, whether natural latex or synthetic, there are always going to be additives. It’s a necessary part of the process.

The difference between the best latex mattresses and the harmful ones is how much and what kind of additives are used. What you’re looking for are mattresses with an extremely high percentage of the mattress material being latex and all latex used being 100% natural. The best latex mattresses are made of over 95% pure natural latex and greatly restrict the types of additives used in their processing.

That’s why you’ll want to choose a reputable natural mattress manufacturer which details both the specific materials used in their mattresses and their mattress making process when selecting a latex mattress. There’s a good reason why you can find so many cheap latex mattresses — they invariably use an inferior blend mixed into polyurethane full of the chemicals you’re trying to avoid in the first place. Buyer beware.

Green mattresses — the most comfortable way to sleep

When you sleep on organic materials you can sleep better knowing you aren’t compromising the environment to get a good night’s rest.

Most organic mattresses use a combination of natural latex, organic cotton and organic wool. Together they provide a uniquely comfortable sleeping experience.

Did You Know?
  • 16% of the world’s insecticides are used on cotton plants
  • The 2nd most common pesticide applied to cotton, aldicarb, can kill a grown man with a single drop absorbed through the skin
  • Cotton represents less than 3% of farmland use worldwide
  • Purchasing mattresses and other products made with organic cotton is one of the easiest ways to protect both the environment and your health.

Hevea milk, the milky white liquid latex collected from rubber trees, is harvested with a tap similar to how sap is collected from maple trees to make maple syrup. Since a rubber tree can mature enough to begin latex sap harvesting in as little as five years it is an easily renewable resource.

Same with organic cotton and wool. These can be renewably harvested year after year. But whether you are environmentally conscious or not, there’s no denying the pure comfort of natural bedding.

Benefits of natural latex

  • Natural latex breathes to promote good air circulation allowing moisture to escape and maintaining a consistent sleeping temperature.
  • Natural latex is highly durable retaining its shape, firmness and elasticity for decades — like a natural memory foam mattress without the chemical dangers.
  • Mattresses made from natural latex can be formed in varying degrees of firmness to give exactly the right amount of mattress firmness for your normal sleeping position and comfort.

Benefits of organic cotton

  • Organic cotton means you don’t have to worry about synthetic fertilizers, dangerous pesticides, or other unsafe processing additives added.
  • Cotton is very soft and comfortable to sleep upon — though it tends to compress heavily and is not a good primary mattress material in and of itself.

Benefits of organic wool

  • Organic wool keeps the natural lanolin found in wool which helps wick away moisture.
  • Wool is soft like cotton but more resilient and durable allowing it to retain its shape longer.
  • Air pockets throughout wool trap air helping maintain a constant comfortable sleeping temperature.

If you’ve even been to your local dump you’ve probably seen high mounds of discarded mattresses there. That’s another benefit of buying natural organic mattresses. When the time comes to finally dispose of it, they are safely biodegradable.

What about latex allergies?

Reported latex allergies are often contact allergies to the chemicals found in synthetic blends rather than a reaction to the latex itself. That’s why latex rubber gloves, which are usually synthetic blends, cause problems for so many people.

Real organic latex is much less commonly allergenic than synthetic latex. However, a very small minority of individuals (less than 1% of the U.S. population) do have some type of reaction to natural latex.

Virtually any quality latex mattress company will be happy to send you a sample of the mattress material on request to help you determine if you have any sensitivity. But if you have a concern in this area you should always seek medical advice from your doctor first.

Two types of natural latex mattresses

There are two types of processes used in the creation of natural rubber mattresses: Dunlop and Talalay.

There seems to be a huge debate about which is better. My recommendation is to go with the material that provides the most comfortable sleep as long as the manufacturer’s process uses only natural latex.

Dunlop latex

Dunlop latex has been processed the same way for over 80 years. Basically the latex mixture is poured into a mold, steam heated, washed in warm water to remove impurities, squeezed to remove water then dried.

The mold shape helps control the latex foam density allowing for a softer or firmer mattress. Dunlop latex remains firm yet resilient providing excellent stability for your spine. It’s slightly more dense making it firmer and more supportive than Talalay latex.

Talalay latex

Talalay latex mattresses are created almost identically to Dunlop latex mattresses except for two additional steps during the manufacturing process.

First, the latex mixture is vacuum sealed as soon as it is poured into the mold with the remainder of the process completed in that vacuum environment. Secondly, the latex mold is flash-frozen directly before the baking process.

The end result is a mattress with a softer, bouncier, even spongier feel than an equivalent Dunlop mattress. Being softer and more cushy, the Talalay latex is more pressure-relieving than Dunlop latex. The extra cost of manufacturing does result in a pricier mattress though.

How firm should my latex mattress be?

Let me start with a bit of a cop-out. Go with whatever helps you sleep better. Seriously. It’s your back and your health after all. And good sleep starts with personal comfort.

That said, here are some general guidelines that’ll help you select the perfect mattress. Choose Talalay latex for a softer, more luxurious feel or Dunlop latex for a firmer, more supportive feel. Remember, both types of latex mattresses come in varying degrees of softness or firmness.

Select a firmer organic mattress if:

  • You tend to sleep on your back
  • You tend to sleep on your stomach
  • You are heavier in weight
  • You have lower back pain or sciatica

Select a softer organic mattress if:

  • You tend to sleep on your side
  • You tend to toss and turn a lot when you sleep
  • You have trouble falling asleep
  • You are lighter in weight
  • You have spinal stenosis

My favorite organic mattress companies

Once again, let me start by saying that choosing a mattress is a very personal decision. That’s why I’m providing some information on a couple of my favorite organic mattress companies. Each of these companies provide very high quality natural latex mattresses with organic materials. I’m confident that at least one of them has the perfect mattress for you.

Savvy Rest

I personally love the flexibility of the Savvy Rest Serenity organic mattress. Each Serenity latex organic mattress is composed of three 3″ layers of natural latex foam. But here’s what’s really cool: you get to mix & match soft, medium, and firm Dunlop or Talalay latex layers when you order your mattress.

Want luxurious soft? Extra firm? No problem. Just pick any combination of the six available latex layers to get exactly the comfort you want. Savvy Rest has a great video demonstrating how to pick the layers for your own customized organic mattress.

Their Serenity organic latex mattress is covered by a sturdy organic cotton casing lined with organic wool batting for a cool, dry, comfortable night’s rest.

Learn more about Savvy Rest natural organic latex mattresses

Essentia

Essentia is another top notch company with a strong “commitment to comfort and quality, without compromise.” I agree.

They have designed an excellent natural memory foam mattress.

As you’d expect from a proven green company, their memory foam mattress is just as comfortable and durable as the synthetic leading brand (no names, cough, Tempur-pedic, cough) without the morning headache.

Wait a minute, I lied. The Essentia memory foam is not just as comfortable, it’s more comfortable. It’s proven 80% more breathable, recovers much faster, and works well in a much broader temperature range than any other memory foam mattress on the market. And like I said, it does it all naturally without the toxic chemical materials and adhesives.

Learn more about Essentia natural memory foam mattresses

Bed bugs and dust mites

Bed BugsNo discussion of mattresses would be complete without mentioning the critters most likely to live in them.

Bed bugs have hit the news in a big way again in recent months. Houses and hotels in areas where these pests were practically eradicated have gotten a foothold once again.

Growing to around a quarter inch in length, bed bugs must feed at least five times to grow to adult size. And their favorite meal is you. Or, more specifically, your blood.

While many people bit by bed bugs experience an itchy rash or welt, at least the bites aren’t known to transmit any disease. However, some do have allergic reactions and severe bed bug infestations have even been known to cause anemia due to blood loss after hosting too many late-night bed bug parties.

Bed bug infestations can be murder getting rid of too. Just one more good reason to always buy mattresses new instead of accepting hand-me-downs or purchasing used, especially from unknown sleeping environments.

Dust MitesBed bugs aren’t the only pest to be concerned with in your mattress. If you’ve moved around an old mattress lately it might seem a bit heavier than you remembered. Before you chalk it up to falling out of shape there’s a chance you might have an even better, though creepy, legitimate reason.

According to a fact sheet on house dust mites published by Ohio State University, a full 10 percent of the weight of a two-year-old pillow may actually be the feces and carcasses of the little critters.

Feces? Yep, that tiny house dust mite can produce 200 times its weight in waste in its short little two to four month lifespan. By some reports a used mattress can double in weight within a decade from all the accumulated dust, dead skin, dust mites, and their waste. With as many as 10 million mites taking up residence inside your bed that’s a lot of bugs… and a lot of bug poo.

The good news? Dust mites feed on dead skin instead of gorging themselves on your blood like bed bugs. The bad… all of that dust mite feces is highly allergenic and can trigger asthma attacks, hay fever, and increase the severity of eczema.

Natural latex mattresses with organic wool coverings can help prevent infestations. Organic wool with its natural lanolin repels moisture, dust mites, and bed bugs. And dust mites simply don’t thrive in natural latex like they do in a standard mattress.

So if creepy critters give you the creepy-crawlies, that’s just one more reason to consider a natural organic latex and organic wool mattress. Sleep tight.





References

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). An Introduction to Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Cotton and the Environment. Organic Trade Association. 2009

Lyon L. House Dust Mites. Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet. HYG-2157-97.

Pritchard MJ, Hwang S. Severe anemia from bedbugs. Canadian Medical Association Journal. 2009 Sep 1;181(5):287-8.

Filed Under: Sleep
Written By:  Updated:
my avatar

Jesse Cannone, CFT, CPRS, MFT

Jesse is the co-founder and visionary CEO of The Healthy Back Institute®, the world-leading source of natural back pain solutions. His mission as a former back pain sufferer is to help others live pain free without surgery and pharmaceuticals.

Sign Up Now For LESS PAIN, MORE LIFE Our FREE E-Newsletter…

Kiss your pain goodbye when you sign up to receive our free, LIVE PAIN FREE email newsletter, which is always full of the latest and most powerful, pain relieving information from the world’s leading pain relief experts.



Sign Me Up!

We are 100% Anti-Spam Compliant



52 thoughts on “Natural Organic Mattress Buyer's Guide”

  1. GALE says:

    We got a Tempurpedic when I had back trouble. What an amazing wonderful difference.

  2. ROGER EVANS says:

    I HAVE BEEN USING MY PRESENT BED FOR OVER 5 YEARS WITH NO TROUBLE. I SUFFERED A BACK INJURY RECENTLY.
    I PURCHACED THREE ITEMS FROM YOUR ORGANIZATION THIS PASSED MONTH. THEY HAVE NOT HELPED.
    IF MY PRESENT BED HAS NOT CAUSED TROUBLE FOR OVER 5 YEARS, WHY BUY A DIFFERENT MATTRESS?
    YOUR COMMENTS WELCOME

    1. Karen says:

      For one, HealNSoothe may take weeks to work away at the pain, before the relief can be felt. Took 3 weeks for me, but now it helps so much! Not every product works on every body. Just hang in there! Keep taking and soon you’ll be doing better.

  3. Kory Dykstra says:

    My wife and I got a tempurpedic mattress approx a year ago. I have a torn lumbar disc, and three herniated lumbar discs. I lived with pain everyday, until two things happened. (1) We got the Tempurpedic mattress and (2) I got my inversion table from your website. Since using both, I have been pain free! Who’s better than me?

  4. kathy nickerson says:

    question…does an organic mattress cover and organic pillow covers offer the same kind of protection as an organic mattress?

    1. Karen says:

      In a word, NO! Mattress covers are excellent, but nothing works better than an organic mattress

  5. Jan says:

    what about water beds?

    How do they compare?

  6. Brian Pekrul says:

    Great article, well researched!. Of course my next mattress purchase will be an Organic, natural one. Hope some company has mattresses for RV’s….
    i know first hand what chemicals like pesticides can do to one’s health. Of course you get what you pay for generally, so choice and where to save money are options that are individual decisions. Thank you.

  7. Kenneth says:

    As mentioned in the article, for latex to become a mattress, additives (read: chemicals) are needed. And the difference between a good latex mattress and a bad latex mattress is the quality of the chemical used and how much of it. A lot of very toxic or little bit of less toxic chemicals.
    In my opinion, the truly natural and organic mattresses are the ones made with natural FIBERS. I am sleeping on a mattress made with camel wool, horsehair, organic cotton and springs.
    It is so easy to miss-inform the consumer by not telling the whole story, why take the risk buying ‘natural’ latex? Buy a 100% natural bed instead!

  8. Robert says:

    I vote for the Sleep Number Bed by Select Comfort. While each side of the bed is individually adjustable, my wife and I choose similar Sleep Numbers. What I =really= like is the ability to have a much softer mattress than is usually available… and I can change it from soft(er) to firm(er) at the touch of a button.

  9. shannie says:

    Water beds or sleep number beds, they are all a rubber bag filled with water or air. I don’t think these type of beds can air at all. All the humidity trapped between the sheets, who knows what bugs and mites grow in there….Jak!

    1. Karen says:

      My Sleep Number unzips, for vacuuming-out the interior. Allergists consider it better for allergy sufferers than a standard mattress.

  10. Desma Russo says:

    What do you think of Wennetex mattresses? I have been tempted to purchase one.

  11. Nancy Harris says:

    I recently purchased a Englander mattress. Thought this would be a good mattress. WRONG. Never had a back ache as bad as I do now. Don’t have the money to purchase another mattress so now am looking for a topper to put on the mattress to help my back. Any suggestions?

  12. Jesse Cannone says:

    Great comments all… obviously, everyone has to find what works best for them…

    KENNETH: can you tell us more about your 100% natural fiber bed… I’d love to learn more about it.

    JAN: we’ll update this post soon with info about other types of mattresses like water beds, natural fiber beds like Kenneth mentioned, select Comfort, etc

  13. Eddy says:

    When ever i have back pain, I lie flat on my back on a straw mat made from grass. this gives me relief. I believe that this coupled with acupressure and yoga will give cheap and effective cure for back pain too.

  14. jan says:

    We purchased 2 king single latex beds (talalay) just over a year ago due to my husband having slept on a doona on a timber floor for 3 months due to back pain. I loved mine from day 1. My husband took a bit longer and now loves it. The great thing about it is that when you first get in, it is lovely soft and squishy, but after a short while it firms up and gives wonderful support all night. When I wake up during the night, I always say a prayer of thanks for having chosen talalay latex.

  15. Jesse Cannone says:

    Jan: we too have been using latex/rubber mattresses here in our home for several years now… my wife and I can hardly sleep anytime we travel 🙂

    Most people really underestimate how important your mattress is…

    Glad you all found this article helpful.

  16. brian says:

    Sinse i have been sleeping on a hard foam mattress i very seldom have back pain. Sometimes i sleep on a latex foam mattress at a friends place and experience back pain. Anybody sleep on a hard foam mattress and experience no back pain?

  17. Hanne Iversen says:

    Hi I wrote a comment yesterday night(Norway) and i saw it on this site, but oday it has vanished. Are you afraid of competition???? Hanne Iversen

  18. E. Campbell says:

    I was wondering what you think of the Nexus mattresses? I went from an old water bed mattress to one one of the Nexus’ and I don’t experience any back pain now.

  19. Jesse Cannone says:

    HANNE: afraid of competition no, but we do not allow blatant sales pitches in the comments… if you want to do that, go build your own blog.

  20. kathy nickerson says:

    Hello , still wondering if an organic mattress cover and organic pillow coverings will offer the same kind of protection as a organic mattress from the mites etc.?

  21. Audrey says:

    Thank you for your advice on mattresses. It came
    just in time.I was planning to buy one this month.

    Audrey Frank

  22. Jesse Cannone says:

    KATHY N: I don’t know for sure if the mattress cover alone provides the same protection… I believe the answer is no as my understanding is, the dust mites do not like the latex/rubber like they do the materials used in traditional mattresses…

    But please know that I am NOT the mattress expert… back pain yes, but not mattresses 🙂

    We’ll research this some more and if we find more info we’ll update this post.

  23. Kenneth Bell says:

    My wife and I have been using a latex foam mattress with a standard foam base in lieu of box spring base for the past 13+ years. The manufacturer/seller, Euroflex, in San Diego produces these units on a custom basis to fit each buyer’s firmness specifications including separate firmness selections for each side of queen and king mattresses. Now all of our adult children and one grandson have similar beds. Everyone is much healthier as the result of improved quality of sleep.

  24. Jesse Cannone says:

    KENNETH: our experience has been the same… we have slowly replaced nearly every mattress in the house with the latex and everyone loves it…

    Now even the young kids will say “Dad, I don’t want to sleep on that “old mattress” – it’s not comfortable”… so funny 🙂

  25. Kacey says:

    My wife’s dad (who is 79) sleeps on a twin that is probably from the 70’s and wonders why he can’t sleep…

  26. Jeremy Reeves says:

    Wow, what an amazing article! I’ve been thinking about natural organic mattresses lately b/c I’ve heard about breathing in the toxins, etc… but this one def. topped the cake 🙂

    I love the Essentia mattresses. Can’t believe they even have them for babies and dogs – that’s awesome!

    Jeremy

  27. Dennis says:

    good article. Lots of good information there. I’m sold on the fact that the organic mattresses and pillows are the way to go. Thanks

  28. heather says:

    great article thanks for all of the good info, my husband and I are going to go with the Serenity Mattress from Savvy Rest! Super excited for it to come in! Thanks.

  29. Albert loves memory foam mattress says:

    First I’d like to say thanks to Jesse. I have a few doubts about beds before reading this article. After reading this article I found answers to my questions. Thanks a lot.

  30. Marie says:

    Is temperpedic considered a latex foam mattress??
    I am torn between this one and a sleep number bed.
    I have both lower back and neck pain & have been using the temperpedic neck pillow for years.

  31. Robert says:

    Our next mattress is definitely going to be an organic rubber one. Years ago we made the mistake of buying Tempurpedic. Still regret it every morning when I wake up. Aside from the toxic material (learned about this too late…) it has absolutely done nothing to alleviate chronic back pain. If anything, it has done the reverse. A company in Northern California I like is called Lifekind, but I will check out the companies mentioned in this article as well and compare. Thanks for this article.

  32. Tony Burns says:

    What is the cost for these mattresses? I would want a king which would be for husband and wife. I do (husband)suffer from back pain? Which brands are recommend? where can they be purchased or do they have to be shipped? I am in western Colorado.

    Thank you.

  33. Ken Viva says:

    I highly recommend the Sleep Number bed! After trying everything under the sun–I mean everything–the Sleep Number bed was the only thing that allowed me to sleep comfortably.

    I had to adjust the firmness setting the first few nights but once I found the right setting I slept like a charm. I even started having dreams again.
    And, the fact that my wife has a different firmness setting than me makes this bed that much better-her side is adjustable as well.

    I have a bulging disk(L5) as well as bone spurs on my spine.

  34. Steve says:

    Try looking at the Isleep bed. It has the best of all types. Each side is adjustable like the Sleep number bed; It is made from natural latex; It has temperature control like a waterbed which minimizes dust mite populations due to lowering the humidity in the bed; AND it is very comfortable. I love it!

  35. Jason says:

    I am thinking of getting a new bed, I currently have a latex mattress, Natures Rest. It is 7 years old and it has a deep impression on each side of our bed. We are both nowhere near overweight to cause this. I have really bad back and sciatica pain and have not found any relief for this pain. I am not sure what type of bed would be best. About the only thing that I have not tried is the Lose The Back Pain System, for relief. Does this system really work? I have tried other similar programs before finding this one and have not had any success. I have read all the testimonials, but I guess I am more afraid of another thing not working for this life changing pain. Any thoughts or comments. Also I have done almost everything except surgery for this pain. Chiro, PT, Accupuncture, RFS, Epidoral, to name the most common. This has been going on for a year.

    1. Karen says:

      Nothing works for every person, but yes, “Lose The Back Pain” truly works. I especially respond to “HealNSoothe” though it took 3 weeks of use before it took my pain away. It was busy working, it just took that long to get the pains out!.

      1. Admin says:

        Hi Karen,

        We just wanted to Thank You for taking the time to leave your comment . We are very glad to hear that you had great results with our Lose The Back Pain and Heal-n-Soothe! We love to hear how our customers are doing and appreciate you letting us know.

        Thankyou , Our Best wishes
        Admin
        (The Healthy Back Institute)

  36. Sean B. says:

    Well, I can say that after you have tried all of the above, I would heed Jesse’s comments and information about muscle imbalances in his book. Also, I would read what the book has to say about the other sources of back pain… some seem insignificant but others can be the “ah-ha” moment.

    One thing I didn’t see him touch on is SMR or self myofascial release. My “PT” as it where is a strength trainer… truly fantastic! My imbalances where assessed, and I was given “rolling” exercises to perform with stretching and activation exercises. Combine this with chiropractic care and tips from the book and you will see how to get relief (fast!).

  37. corinne says:

    In reply to Jason it seems to be working for me. I bought the lose the back pain system about 6 weeks ago after trying various things like chiropracter, massage and acupuncture. My problem was tense muscles in my shoulder and neck leading to recurrent headaches lasting from 3-10 days. I have been doing the exercises every day and since I started have had only one headache which lasted 24 hours. When I feel one coming on I start doing the neck exercises and I certainly have more movement now in my neck though my bones still crunch when I turn my head. But at least now I am not getting headaches every 4-5 days.

  38. Ken Benoit says:

    I have a 20 year old matress that sags in the middle, but at least is sin’t saoked in chemicals (fire retardent, anit microbial etc.)

    I started looking for a new mattress over a year ago adn was shocked when I learned about the new legislation concerning fire retardents for matresses (they have to be aable to withstand a blow torch fro 45 minutes)! The smell in matress stores makes me sick.

    The problem with latex matresses, even if organic is that the 3 layers are glued together so you get off gasing form the glue.

    I too have been thinking of getting a sleep number bed as they are rubber chambers filled with air so should have few chemicals. Problem is I live in Canada and they are made in Minisota, so duty problesms.

    Any comments appreciated.

  39. Liz Friend says:

    Are you familiar with natural beds and pillows from European Sleep Design?

  40. Jesse Cannone says:

    KEN:

    The Savvy Sleep ones are NOT glued together… you simply stack them on top of each other and then enclose them in the organic wool cover…

    This also makes it easier to move if you need to 🙂

    Jesse

  41. Steve Coombes says:

    Ken, like Jesse said the Savvy Rest mattress layers are not glued together. Which actually brings up another real benefit of the Savvy Rest mattresses.

    When you buy a Savvy Rest mattress you select multiple layers of latex type and firmness (Dunlop and/or Talalay, each of which come in firm, medium, or soft). This helps you get exactly the firmness you want.

    Watch their “How to Choose – Introduction” video on the Organic Mattress page (ltbp.wpengine.com/mattresses/) to see how to choose the right combination.

    Now here’s what’s really cool, and not brought out in that video… you can always rearrange the order of your layers later to adjust the firmness.

    For example, if you bought a Firm-Medium-Soft configuration but wanted to make the bed slightly firmer down the road, all you have to do is simply reverse the Medium and Soft layers and presto-chango you have a firmer bed without buying anything new. Like getting a new mattress for free!

  42. Graham says:

    No mention of my favourite bed for relieving back pain – the water bed. Infinitely adjustable from soft to hard – just add water. Set the temperature to suit and you have the perfect bed. I have the best sleep every night and have for the last 30 years since I first slept on one.

  43. Maggie says:

    We have had a Select Comfort for over 16 years and are starting to not sleep well; wonder if they lose their “comfort”? What is the research concerning Select Comfort beds?

  44. Rachel R. says:

    I have been thinking about getting a new mattress, very good information. Thanks a lot for making the time to put this together, excellent blog post.

  45. Sherri C. says:

    After reading all the posts on this site about mattress’ I just had to put in my two cents about our current bed, which we could have purchased a used car with the amount we spent on it.
    It is a Select Comfort and we have had it now for almost 5 years. I hate it and my back has hurt almost from day one. It never keeps it’s “number” and as much as I have tried no particular number helps my low back pain. Unfortunately after spending so much on it we feel…or should I say my husband feels, we cannot go out and buy something else now. I will take all the info I am learning and hopefully we will replace our mattress with one of the ones discussed here in the not too distant future. Thanks for all your input.

  46. Dr. B.I. Pettersson says:

    I have used both the sleep no & Tempurpedic the clinic since cam out in 1985 or so. Both deliver excellent sleep. Over 6000 bed sores have been cured by a combination of my wound care products and these mattresses! Believe me I have had people so allergic that they are allergic to themselves!
    I have been one of them! I am now cured of CFS, MPS,FMLA. I had before recognized as a medical problem.
    One thing has to be remembered a bed cannot cure a disease. Proper medical treatment can.
    Prolo-therapy with own stem cells in micro- surgical procedure will work wonders. The actual incession is only 5mm sometimes less. IF an inch or more surgeon not up to date. Also, proper immune function is important. IT is our first line of not only defense but our first line of repair. So it is out patient surgery.
    As far as the gases which are given off when new can be removed by using a common vacuum cleaner and use the upholstery attachment place the mattress inside bag and apply suction for about an hour. repeat once a week for about 4-6 weeks. You can speed up if have an ozone air purifier put the mattress in the bag and allow mattress to fill with ozone for about 4-6 hrs. The fumes from the mattress are oxidized and you can forget noxious odors! MAIN POINT if the small amount of fumes bother you – you need to address the real problem! your immune system in not functioning!
    That has to be addressed before any repair can proceed. Believe me I know what i am talking about.
    Also, the issue of latex allergy – is not the latex but the junk which is used to cure the product to provide the properties the consumer desires – includes the surgeon.That is why gloves are now regulated and people believe it is the Playtex proteins – buy natives who harvest Remember in last 200+ yrs never got sick and still do not. Look up history of latex in World Book!
    I am not against this mattress but it just does not give the support while healing!
    Unfortunately, 2 people who have endured the pain I have had took their lives could not take it. Another sweet lady made fun of my disabling pain when she got cervical cancer she kept asking had she reached my constant pain level? 1 week before she died she did.! She said she did not know how I stood it. My answer find the solution so others would not have to live through it themselves! Bottom line get which ever mattress seems to work for you and get proper medical care. It is out there NOW. Do not settle for patch drugs. repair your immune function and repair the injury. OH the idea that the nerves from spine come out from cartledge are is bogus. Gray’s anatomy has been vindicated nerves emanate from transverse processes! Fusions will only solve problem for 10% or less of people. People who were hurt at same time as my self may not have to take as much medicine to start but after average of 6 surgeries later no hope; they now take more if still alive.

  47. Frances harris says:

    Do any of the “healthy” beds come with an adjustable frame? I’d love to be able to elevate my upper body and also my knees.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.