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Between the Sheets: Eco-Friendly Bedroom Basics

We put great care and concern into the products we use on our skin and hair—not to mention the foods we eat—but what about our bedroom? Considering we spend a third of our lives sleeping, shouldn’t we give our bodies the same care at night that we do during the day? “Toxins and carcinogens have become ubiquitous in our everyday environment. [However, we can limit] our exposure to these chemicals,” says Chip Huckaby from European Sleep Design (sleepdesign.com). Changing how we furnish our bedroom can improve our quality of sleep and give our planet a little boost, too!

Quality sleep is the key to a healthy life.

 

“Quality sleep is the key to a healthy life,” says Brandy Alvis from Sage Sleep Organics (sagesleeporganics.com). Going green in the bedroom is great for overall health, hygiene, and the environment. When we sleep, our body works hard to detox. Our livers and guts come to life, and our pores begin to open. This also means we’re pulling things into our body, so it’s important to think about what’s touching our skin. In other words, when materials and products touch us for hours, our system absorbs them. According to Huckaby, many manufacturers tend to use harmful ingredients wrapped in synthetic fibers, which are then treated with flame-retardant chemicals—ingredients that oxidize and become the unhealthy dust that we breathe in for 7-8 hours every night. So, remember: The right pillow and some sheets can be just as much a part of self-care as a face mask or spa day!

The right pillow and some sheets can be just as much a part of self-care as a face mask or spa day!

 

When thinking about making eco-friendly choices in the bedroom, a great place to start is with a mattress. Since landfills are often filled with plastic from them, switching to natural materials (think natural latex foam, organic cotton, and merino wool) help reduce our carbon footprint. Huckaby explains that wool acts as a natural fire barrier and reduces the number of harsh chemicals we come into contact with at night. Another benefit from switching over to an organic mattress? The ingredients are renewable, biodegradable, and last longer than synthetic materials, so we’re taking care of ourselves, the planet, and making a solid financial investment! Huckaby suggests that people looking to decorate their bedroom opt for “American-made, solid hardwood furniture that has a Greenguard and FCS certification.”

Changing how we furnish our bedroom can improve our quality of sleep

 

If looking to pick and choose, swapping out bedding is a good place to start, advises Alvis. Sleeping in breathable, natural fibers helps with temperature control, uninterrupted rest, and are more hygienic than synthetic fibers that trap moistures. Not only will your skin benefit, but so will the environment! And should organic sheets or mattresses end up in a landfill, they will disintegrate and go back to the earth in which they came, explains Alvis. It’s a win-win! Alvis recommends Sage Sleep’s side sleeper pillow, which can be used in any sleeping position, or any of their other customizable, 100% natural, and long-lasting pillows.

They’re made using [entirely] organic materials, which supports soil health and by extension, a healthy planet.

 

Alvis also encourages consumers to think about “good, all-natural fiber sheets, [which] are a tremendous investment” but well worth it. Take a moment to assess yours. Are they cotton or made of natural materials? “Conventional cotton accounts for 25% of all pesticides used worldwide,” says Ashley Angello, public relations and communications consultant at Coyuchi (coyuchi.com) whose eco-friendly products begin with 100% organic fibers and are sold at various retailers throughout the region. Angello recommends the brand’s signature sheets, 300-thread count percale, which have a crisp and cool feel, or their super soft relaxed sateen sheets. Both are made to last, which keeps them out of landfills and are especially eco-friendly, “since they’re made using [entirely] organic materials, which supports soil health and by extension, a healthy planet.”

by BELLA NOLAN

Top photo ©Joanne Dale - stock.adobe.com. Bottom photo ©Katarzyna Bialasiewicz Photographee.eu. Pillow photos courtesy of Sage Sleep Organics and taken by Permanent Glimpse Photography.