Your bedroom is the sanctuary of your home. It’s where you can get away from it all and truly relax. Or is it a confinement that’s affecting your health?
There are many toxins, pollutants and allergens floating around in homes. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that there are 2-5 times more air pollutants indoors than outdoors. Why? Because we have a lot of things inside our homes that emit toxins and the air circulation isn’t always the best.
If you want a cleaner environment for your home the best place to start is the bedroom. A few simple changes will help you sleep better and wake up healthier.
Invest in a New Mattress
Mattresses are made to improve our sleep, and they’re quite effective. But too often people put them on the box spring then completely forget about them. Over the years as you log thousands of hours of sleep on your mattress it’s essentially taking in a lot of debris, dust, bacteria and sweat.
The experts at Jerome’s Mattresses have a few suggestions that can help you avoid mattress mishaps:
- Replace your mattress about every seven years. Most mattresses will begin to lose their supportive structure in this time frame. Not to mention the amount of dust and particles that may be trapped inside.
- Use a washable mattress protector. This will help to create a barrier on the surface so that less gunk gets absorbed by the mattress over time.
- Get the highest quality mattress possible. Higher quality mattresses have a better longevity so you’ll be able to use them a year or two longer.
Go Organic With Your Bedding
What do you wrap yourself up in every night? Is it a synthetic material made with petroleum? Or do you have cotton sheets that might be full of pesticide residue?
Now that you have a nice, new mattress it’s time to replace the bedding as well so you aren’t sleeping in a pool of chemicals every night. Organic bedding has the same standards as food products. The fibers come from plants that have been organically grown. That means they are free of pesticides, chemicals and unnatural components.
Many people also note that organic sheets and pillow cases tend to be softer and more comfortable than non-organic options. They may be a little more expensive, but organic sheets and bedding will make your bedroom a healthy haven.
Use Low and No VOC Paints
Are you planning on remodeling your bedroom? Then you’re probably trying to select the best paint color as you read this. The hue of the paint won’t affect the air quality in the bedroom, but what it’s composed of certainly will.
You may have heard of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Yes, they are as scary as they sound. VOCs are toxic gasses that are emitted by certain liquids and solids. They are known to create health problems in people and have even been linked to cancer.
Unfortunately, many of the products in our homes produce VOCs, and paints are one of the worst offenders. Luckily, paint makers understand the health risks VOCs pose, and they are now making low and no-VOC options. The VOC level is printed on the paint can label. The limit set by the federal government is 250 grams per liter for flat paints and 380 g/l for other types of paint. When you see “low” VOC that means the paint contains 50 g/l or less. No-VOC paints have 5 g/l or less.
Other top VOC offenders are stains and household cleaners. If you’re refinishing wood floors in your bedroom be aware of the VOC level in the stains and finishes.
Add a Few Indoor Plants
There’s a natural, effective and attractive way to clean up the air in your bedroom – indoor plants. Years ago NASA began studying plants to see which ones cleaned pollutants out of the air the best. Astronauts were spending more time in outer space at space stations, and NASA wanted to find ways to improve the air quality these valuable employees breathed.
NASA experts discovered there are a number of plants that are excellent at clearing pollutants and carbon dioxide out of the air. Plus, they also help regulate humidity.
There are dozens of houseplants that can help keep your home clean, but orchids are one of the best options for the bedroom. In addition to absorbing pollutants, they also release more oxygen at night than other plants.
There you have it! You can sleep and breathe a little easier after taking these four simple steps towards creating a cleaner bedroom.
