This is a crucial question to ask yourself when shopping for a new mattress. You might assume that all mattresses are good for your health, or as a bare minimum not going to be damaging to your health, right? However, you might be surprised to find out that this is not always the case, especially when it comes to synthetic latex and foams, like memory foam, which can off-gas toxic chemicals (we will explain a bit more about this later). If you want to enjoy the contouring comfort and support benefits of latex, we always recommend that you opt for 100% Natural latex ahead of any synthetic alternatives, and we will explain why it is also the healthiest option too.
ANTI-ALLERGY
Do you suffer from allergies, or want to minimise your risk of developing them? Natural latex is a superb option for as it has an intrinsic open-celled nature that is great at keeping your mattress aerated. This improved airflow creates a dry sterile environment, which is bad news for dust-mites, the leading cause of allergies in the bedroom. Dust-mites will thrive in humid stagnant conditions, which can be created by synthetic materials like memory foam that trap in your body heat (this can also make you overheat and lead to sweaty restless nights), and can cause reactions ranging from skin irritation, sneezing, congestion to respiratory problems such as asthma. All sounds pretty unappealing, so any way you can reduce the chances of having dust-mites is a real plus. By choosing Natural Latex you are taking a simple and effective step towards an allergy free and healthy sleep life.
Chemical Free and no off-gassing
We briefly mentioned off-gassing earlier, but what is it?
Nowadays many mattress brands use synthetic petroleum based materials and synthetic foams and most commonly, memory foams. These layers will not only contain chemical ingredients, but will also be treated or sprayed with chemical based fire retardants to make them legal and compliant with UK fire regulations. Most of the time the brands will not disclose to the public exactly what chemicals they use in their foams and fire retardants, hiding behind fancy technical proprietary names, and they are not legally obliged to provide full details either. This is scary stuff, as you may not have any understanding of the toxic chemicals that are in the mattress you are sleeping on every night. As these materials break down over time they will release the toxic chemicals as gas, which you will inhale as you sleep. This ‘off-gassing’ has been linked to the development of a myriad of health issues ranging from respiratory problems to cancers. 100% Natural latex is completely chemical free, and in the UK it should be blended with a small amount of graphite to make it naturally fire retardant, instead of being sprayed with fire retardant chemicals (it is important to check on this point with the mattress manufacturer). At Snoozel Green we only ever use 100% grade A natural latex blended with graphite, so there are no mystery chemical ingredients or fire retardants, which is the most natural and healthy option for you.