The importance of sleep
Sleep plays an essential role in our well-being, that allows our mind and body to recharge and protect our mental and physical health.
You wouldn’t want to travel without your tech devices being fully charged, would you? We should want the same for your mind and body – to be at 100%.
Research shows that sleep forms new pathways in our brains, which help us process information. When we’ve had inadequate sleep, physical changes occur in our brain that alter its activity and function (almost like blockages), which causes stress, difficulty in decision-making, and controlling our emotions.
Each dose of healthy sleep rejuvenates us to improve important functions such as our immune system and memory. Waking up from a healthy amount of sleep is an essential foundation for having control over the success of not only our health, but a victorious day.
Why is a good quality mattress important?
A good quality mattress is the literal foundation of good quality sleep.
Although our mind may be comfortably drifting in our dream world, if it’s not comfortable, your body can be busy tossing and turning, sweating, and itching – meaning that by the time you’ve opened your eyes, you still feel restless. I’m sure we’ve all experienced that many times.
A quality mattress adds support for proper spinal alignment, and keeps your body posture in the proper place, helping ensure a high quality of sleep for your mind and for your body, so you can wake up feeling fully relaxed and revitalised.
Why are natural and eco-friendly mattresses good for you?
Just as you should be mindful of what goes inside your body, what you allow ON your body is important too.
Natural and eco-friendly mattresses offer healthier and high-quality materials as opposed to the popular memory foam mattress which contains toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde (a pungent gas made by oxidising methanol) and benzene (a liquid used in coal tar and petroleum). YUCK!
Keep in mind that many traditional spring mattresses have a layer of foam to separate the inner coils from the top of your bed. Shopping mindfully will prevent you from inviting unwanted toxic chemicals into your slumber.
What to look for when buying a mattress?
Natural and eco-friendly materials that benefit your health and our planet should be your focal point when searching for a new mattress. Although some individuals may be more in need of health sensitive qualities than others, anyone can benefit from inhaling fewer chemicals. Starting with your mattress is wise, considering that we spend 1/3 of our human lives sleeping on them. As a comparison, would you accept working in a workplace that you knew to be harmful to your health?
Most mattresses contain very unhealthy fire-retardant chemicals. Of course, we agree that your mattress should avoid bursting into flames; but a healthier alternative like organic wool can also be used for flame retardant organic mattresses.
For longevity, you’ll want to make sure it’s mold-resistant, anti-bacterial, and moisture-wicking. For comfort, make sure it keeps you cool in the summer and warm in the winter. As for your carbon footprint, searching for a mattress with sustainable, bio-degradable materials (certified by OEKO-TEX) is always best.
(Our article on conscious & ethical consumerism explains in better detail.)
We’ve done the work for you and sorted out the best of the best sustainable, natural, and eco-friendly bedding and necessities that’ll enhance your sleeping experience.
Sustainable, natural & eco-friendly mattresses
Simba Sleep
With 40 years of experience Simba has created the world’s first ‘perfect mattress’. After 70 prototypes, they’ve invented the innovative Simba hybrid memory foam mattress.
This isn’t your typical chemically induced memory foam either, they’ve designed Simbatex foam which is temperature-controlled, healthier for you & the environment, and 30x more breathable than the standard memory foam. Of course, it’s free from all those toxic pollutants while still exceeding all fire safety regulations.
The truly exciting part is how darn comfortable it is! It has 5 thoughtful layers of comfort, all backed by science and they offer 3 options to choose from. Just in case super comfortable isn’t enough, you can opt to be ‘extremely’ or ‘ridiculously’ comfortable!
They also save you the time and trouble of searching for a bed frame. Simba have got you covered!
Una Mattress
Una Mattress is an acclaimed UK based organic mattress company with several certificates to show for it.
Their organic certified latex foam mattresses are pollutant and chemical-free and are made from extracted Hevea tree sap.
A lot of love goes into one single mattress. This milky sap is carefully collected in small amounts from 1,500 trees in a single day (don’t worry, no trees are harmed during this process) to produce this finely handmade beauty.
They offer customisable comfort by allowing you to rearrange the layers of your mattress and a 7-zone support system that contours your body. You can sleep with a clear conscience and a fully supported back – the best of both worlds.
Natural Home by the Futon Shop
The Futon Shop is a great one-stop-shop for all types of organic bedding goods. Our favorite mattress on their site is the EcoRest Max Latex Mattress. This straightforward, no-nonsense, eco-friendly mattress is made up of cotton, natural virgin wool, certified coconut coir, and Dunlop latex (made from the sap of rubber trees).
Their virgin wool repels moisture and is harvested only from humanely raised sheep. Their hypoallergenic Dunlop latex is a great alternative to memory foam and it’s been designed in an open-cell pattern to allow a comforting air flow.
This mattress is layered with love for the environment, and rest assured you’ll wake up feeling good about yourself and the comfy sleep you’ve experienced.
Sustainable, natural & eco-friendly bed linen and beds
Ok so you’ve picked your new mattress, but it doesn’t stop there. Now let’s find some practical add-ons. Here are our favorite bedroom goodies to complement and elevate your natural, eco-friendly, & sustainable needs.
Bedfolk
Bedfolk is our favourite modern online mom & pop shop for comfy wind-down essentials.
Bedfolk’s founders, Nick and Jo knew how badly we all needed super soft, cozy, high-quality home goods and collaborated with a series of textile geniuses from Portugal, Turkey, & Scotland.
You can find anything from year-round cotton quilts, linen sheets, and plush robes (all Oeko-tex certified making it 100% free of harmful chemicals & synthetics).
Panda Natural Home Essentials
This London-based company is the epitome of eco-friendly. Starting with their clever use of bamboo, they’ve created a wonderful collection of home goods and accessories that’ll keep you worry-free (and guilt-free for animal lovers). It’s all hypoallergenic, antibacterial, anti-microbial, and inhospitable to dust mites & bedbugs.
A huge highlight is their Panda Cloud Duvet which is crafted without the harm of our feathered friends and innovatively stuffed with a fluffy material created from… you guessed it, bamboo! They don’t stop there either, they offer mattress protectors, pillows, and bathroom essentials all made from this wonderful plant.
CBD Pillow
CBD Pillow A.K.A: The world’s most relaxing pillow is a gel memory foam pillow stuffed inside a CBD-infused case. It slowly releases microdoses of calming CBD all night long, rather than the typical oils that’ll wear off within a few hours.
CBD is well known to offset anxiety and depression, relieve unmanageable pain, and alleviate insomnia. They guarantee to improve your sleep experience and create a relaxing and uneventful night of slumber.
Rise & Fall
Rise & Fall have created a line of luxury organic bed linens and other bedroom accessories with the intention of ending the struggle of over-heated & uncomfortable sleep. They put plenty of love into their products as much as they do our environment. During the making of your new luxury bedding, you’ll be contributing to reducing the consumption of water, plastic, and co2.
Other top tips for a great night’s sleep
- Use your new mattress & bedding for intentional sleep. Try not to doze off into elongated naps in the middle of the day. This will disturb your sleep pattern and create chaos with your circadian rhythm, which will defeat the point of resting.
- Become just as mindful about your habits and behavior. Don’t leave all the work for your bedding arrangements. Listening to some positive affirmations or sleep-inducing meditations before and/or during your sleep can be extremely helpful.
Try this video that challenges you to fall asleep in 3 minutes! - Enhance your cozy vibe with a relaxing, steamy bath (or shower) right before your bedtime. This will elp oxygenate your blood flow which helps you breathe deeper and slower; allowing your mind and body to synchronise and relax easily.
