How the Wrong Mattress Can Compromise Your Health

Nailing the Right Mattress for You

Acquiring the best mattress for your needs can be a bit of a daunting journey since it requires at least some degree of research. That research begins by comparing the different types of mattresses available today. Here are the choices:

There’s the convention innerspring bed that most people are familiar with.

• Then, there’s memory foam, which was developed in 1966 under a contract by NASA's Ames Research Center to make aircraft cushions safer. As a result, an Ames’ scientist named Chiharu Kubokawa and Charles Yostfrom the Stencel Aero Engineering Corporation joined forces to invent memory foam.

• A third option is to consider a The original futonwas invented and perfected by the Japanese, and then a woodworker from Cambridge invented the world's first futon sofa bed. A company called Bedworks then produced the first futon that was layered with foam and cotton.

• Your final option is latex, which is a natural form of rubber and the primary subject of this article.

Consider Your Options Carefully

Three types of latex foam exist in today’s market: 1) Natural latex, 2) Blended latex, and 3) 100% synthetic latex. Natural latex foam is made from Hevea milk that comes from the sap of a rubber tree. Where brand-name companies are concerned, it's unusual to find beds produced from nothing but natural latex because it’s a bit costly. However, a pure latex mattress is worth the money. Its level of durability is so impressive that the average bed--as long as it’s not abused--will last fifteen years or longer. Big box companies never use more than one or two inches of natural latex on the top of the mattress, which allows them to misrepresent the product as “natural”. The fact is, these type of beds consist of more synthetic materials than natural, so look out for those companies that fail to mention the percentages of their products’ constituents, such as latex or other natural materials.

Always Check Under the Bed

Other things to consider are prices, comfort, firmness, durability, negative or positive reviews, and most importantly the orthopedic element and how well a mattress supports the natural curvature of the spinal column. Another big health concern is whether a bed will off-gas dangerous chemicals. As an example, despite the orthopedic value of memory foam and its other health benefits, memory foam is manufactured using several toxic, synthetic ingredients that cause all sorts of unpleasant physical reactions, as well as negative psychological reactions in certain people. So, be wise and wary when purchasing a mattress and consider the merits of supporting local companies and especially those that promote sustainability with eco-friendly practices.

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