Sleep is one of the greatest healers. So, do you get enough rest? Can you sleep throughout the night without waking up?
The information I have received throughout the years about mattresses is eye-opening. Some patients report smelling fumes throughout the night, experiencing headaches, having brain fog when they wake up, and even feeling off in their hormonal system.
Many of my patients ask what type of mattress is best for them. Research and information on mattresses can be quite overwhelming. There are so many to choose from. There are many mattress choices: box spring, pillow top, memory foam-like tempurpedic, sleep number, memory gel, natural latex, and even synthetic latex.
Many of these options contain different types of petro-chemicals and preservatives to keep the memory foam or latex material from degrading. These chemicals have been shown through research to cause conditions such as thyroid problems, neurological deficits, headaches, and even liver damage.
Why is it that some people can be affected very heavily by chemicals and others can sleep right through the night feeling awesome in the morning?
It can all be narrowed down to the amounts of chemicals in the mattress, and the genetic makeup of the individual.
Having a variant (recessive gene) within your DNA coding that controls and breaks down toxic chemicals such as: ALDH, ALD, or CYP genes can create these symptoms. If a person has a single recessive gene then the gene worked 50% of the time. If you are double homozygous recessive for the gene it will only work 30% of the time.
This means that any time chemicals come into the body from a toxic mattress your body has a small capacity to eliminate the toxins from the fumes or chemicals.
One of the better mattresses that I have seen is Organix by Intellibed-Gel Matrix. It uses mineral oil as a base, it is not classified as organic because it is petroleum based but it is food grade without any known toxic side effects.
Truly the options are many, and the choice is up to you. It really depends on your genetic make up and your health history. But research your mattresses if you are finding issues with your sleep!
