Four Ways To Get A Non Toxic Night’s Sleep
We spend at least 8 hours a day in it (or should be, we’ll talk about lack of sleep later), and it could be as toxic as a smog filled sky. We’re talking bedrooms! Our havens of relaxation.
The idea of the bedroom is to create a place for your mind and body to recharge after a day full of productivity, or binging, you do you. This process is meant to be healthy and rejuvenating, but if we’re breathing in a bunch of potentially harmful chemicals that kind of defeats the purpose.
Before your bedtime, let’s dive in to four ways you can get a non toxic night’s sleep!
Digital Detox Zone
You’ve probably seen this tip before, but we’re going to repeat it because we think it’s that important. For most of us, staring at screens is a daily, or even hourly, obligation. And if it’s not part of your job, it’s probably still a large part of your day-to-day. Between our phones, computers, and Netflix binging, our eyes are getting that screen time in.
Besides the potential toxicity of cell phones, screens make it very difficult for your brain to know what time it is. When your brain gets confused it throws off your circadian rhythm and your sleep is less rejuvenating. It also causes you to be more alert when you actually want to wind down, making it harder to fall asleep in a reasonable amount of time. In fact, according to a study by Harvard researchers, not only does it delay falling asleep, but it actually takes you more time to wake up and be alert the next day.
So ditch the night screens and get a real alarm clock because your rest is more important than that text.
We Will Take Bed Frames Minus the Formaldehyde, Thank You!
You read that right, conventional manufacturers use plywood to create bed frames, futons, and cribs, and that composite wood contains formaldehyde, a known carcinogen. Formaldehyde can cause surface level irritations, but long-term exposures have been linked to cancer.
Then the manufacturers finish the wood with a dab of Volatile Organic Compounds, or VOCs. VOCs are used in furniture paints, varnishes, and wax that can lead to serious indoor air pollution. VOCs enter the body through breathing and skin contact and have been linked to irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, nausea, fatigue, loss of coordination, dizziness, damage to the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system and cancer according to the US National Library of Medicine.
We see non toxic furniture as an investment into our health, and luckily there are great (and stylish) choices out there. Our favorite are from The Futon Shop, they are leaders in the non toxic and natural home furnishings space and are a proud partner of Non Toxic Revolution. See more of their non toxic furniture on their site!
Clean Air, Don’t Care!
Obviously we care about clean air or we wouldn't be writing this helpful blog, but once you clean your bedroom air you’re going to basking in the more rest glory.
We talk more extensively about indoor air quality on our blog ‘What’s with Indoor Air Pollution? And How To Keep Your Air at it’s Best!’, but according to the EPA, people spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors. This means for most people, risk of illness due to indoor air pollution is greater than illness due to outdoor air pollution.
A couple ways to keep your bedroom air clean, so you can sleep and breathe at ease, are through purifying that air. Nature has a way of making things awesome and selecting the right indoor plants for your space helps to absorb harmful VOCs.
Other ways to improve your bedroom air is to keep humidity at a healthy level of 30%-50% to help reduce likelihood of mold growing, use an air purifier with a HEPA filter, and open the windows during the day. Find more indoor air tips here!
Lay Your Head and Bundle Up Without the Pesticides
Who else loves to be cold at night just so you can bundle up in your covers? Us too! But make sure that blanket burrito isn’t also full of chemical residue. Conventional bedding often contains toxic residues from pesticides sprayed on cotton or plastics used in polyester.
Major eye roll, right? Beauty rest might be seeming pretty tough right now, but you can get bedding, pillows, and mattresses that are free of chemical residues, flame retardants, and PVC plastics.
Our amazing partner, The Futon Shop has been bringing the non toxic noise to customers since 1976. They know the value of natural furnishings for our health and the planet, and wall the walk every day. We’re obsessed with their toxin-free pillows, mattresses, and bedding, and we bet you will be too!
In conclusion…
We want to remind you that non toxic living is about progress, not perfection. We know some of the solutions are investments, worthy ones, and we want to give you all the options. The Futon Shop has amazing payment plans to make a non toxic night’s sleep a reality for you.
We’re proud to work with 1% for the Planet to find amazing brands like The Futon Shop who are making the world a better place!
Monica Schrock
Monica is a vegan, coffee chugging, non-toxic lifer who has her own cruelty-free body care company, Bare Bones Body Care. When she’s not advocating for public health, animals, or the environment, you will most likely catch her drinking coffee, playing basketball, or reading a comic book.