When buying a new bed, it is important to consider what you are actually sleeping on, given you spend one third of your life sleeping. That is an average of 229,961 hours! (Although probably a few less if you’re a mum)
Here are the top three things to consider when buying a new bed:
1. How materials used may impact your health?
Many beds will off-gas toxins, as well as harbouring mould and fungus that you and your family absorb all night without even realising it. It is important to consider the materials that the beds are made of and whether they’re certified to not contain harmful substances.
Certifications like Oeko-Tex 100 means the materials being used have been independently tested for harmful substances. Also, there are international regulations like REACH which have strict guidelines that companies must adhere to to help ensure the safety of our health and the environment. Sadly, NZ doesn’t have this kind of regulation in place.
Less glamourous thing to consider is will the mattress harbour bacteria or mould? Given the amount of time you spend sleeping, naturally sweat, saliva, etc. will be absorbed into your mattress. One recent study found that a seven-year-old mattress tested had 16 million colony-forming units of bacteria per square inch. Yuck! Some of the bacteria found could lead to nasty illness such as pneumonia.
Sweat also creates a lovely environment for things like fungus to thrive. A study showed that 47 types of fungus live in mattresses with the average pillow containing between four and eight species. This is concerning as breathing in mould spores can lead to health problems like allergic reactions, asthma and respiratory problems. So, it is important to look for mattresses that are mildew resistant and antibacterial.
2. Impact on the environment?
I also ask myself are they doing their best to look after our environment by not releasing toxins into it? By looking out for certifications like the ones above you know that the company has this very much at the forefront of their priorities. They have to undergo independent testing to meet the standards that ensure harmful substance aren’t making their way into our environment.
3. Affordability?
With the price of living constantly on the rise you have to be more and more conscious of what you are spending. Not many people can go out and spend thousands on a mattress. For me, it is looking for the best materials that I can buy for my health and the environment that is within budget.
Many low toxin beds are made from 100% latex. While this is a great low-toxin option it is also quite expensive with mattresses costing in the thousands. The Teddy hybrid bed uses a clever combination of layers to achieve a low toxin and comfortable bed at a much more affordable price.
So why Teddy Beds?
Teddy Beds tick all the boxes from striving to look after our health and the environment while remaining affordable. They go above and beyond in doing their part for the environment with every bed made using 50 ocean bound plastic bottles. They also plant a native tree with each bed purchased!
I have been lucky enough to partner with Teddy and get to try out one of their mattresses! We were surprised at how fast it got shipped out, considering that we live on a rural property in the middle of nowhere. It’ll be great to replace our old, worn mattress that probably harbours a lot of the toxins that are not doing our health any good. I’m looking forward to getting it set up in our room and giving you feedback on how it goes!
Check Teddy Beds out here! Use SARAH10 for a discount off any of their mattresses.
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