Eat organic? Sleep organic!

Back in the day, most mattresses were made of natural materials, and what we ate was much the same: no GMOs, hormones, antibiotics and very little processed foods.

Then, in 1967, everything changed. Polyurethane foam was introduced into our lives, and plastics became more prevalent. We all started sleeping on toxic goo and synthetic materials. Cancer rates and respiratory issues rose exponentially almost overnight. Coincidence?

The last couple of decades have seen a return to natural and organic foods as people realize that good health starts in our kitchens. Unfortunately, we can't stop there. The bedroom is as important to our health. We’ve made great strides with medical advancements, new drugs and technology, yet more and more people are getting sicker per capita—not just because of population growth.

One of the most advertised memory-foam mattress brands in the market introduces the sleeper to more than 61 volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. Twenty per cent of them are known carcinogens, and four of them are benzenes. If that’s not enough, it emits formaldehyde. The memory foam made overseas is even worse. Imagine sleeping seven to eight hours a night, or a third of your life, on a mattress that is slowly poisoning you.

“With good health being one of our main concerns, we see more of our clients looking for greener options,” Sleepy’s manager Carling McLeary says. “Unfortunately, the term ‘organic’ is thrown around loosely. Customers recently visiting our store believed they bought a queen-sized organic mattress for $399 from a large mattress store, just because it had ‘organic cotton’ embossed on the fabric.”

The natural and organic mattress and bedding categories continue to grow in popularity, and Sleepy’s has focused on bringing in only the best in each category for their customers.

“Our latest introduction takes our organic mattress and bed linen offerings to the next level,” Sleepy’s owner Geoff McLeary says. “We have partnered with Organic Mattress Inc., the first global organic textile standard-certified eco-factory in North America and the only organic mattress maker that offers a purity guarantee. OMI is the only company in North America that sanitizes for purity by ozone, uses treated air and is audited randomly four times a year.

“Each mattress is made by hand, offers two-sided variable firmness, and we are backed by a 20-year warranty. We have showcased four of their popular certified organic mattresses in different price points, including the Pinnacle, which they consider to be a lifetime mattress. We are very excited to offer our clients only the best in certified organic.”

Your bed is a very personal space that encases your bodies, much like a cocoon. The bedding that surrounds you should be breathable, acclimatizing to each sleeper, naturally anti-microbial, made with naturally sourced fibres and not treated with any chemicals. The McLearys have hand-picked a beautiful collection of green to organic pillows, sheet sets, natural duvets, mattresses and mattress toppers to complete the cocoon.

If organic options are on your radar, Sleepy’s advises you to do your research and let common sense prevail.