Monthly Archives: October 2012

Twelve thousand years ago, before we slept on mattresses, humans slept on the ground covered with animal skins. Mattresses only appeared about 5000 years ago and luxury mattresses appeared in the early roman times. Over the years humans have been very creative in trying to create a comfortable sleeping surface.
Here are some examples of our ingenuity over the years.
Piles of leaves, folded linens, hammocks, woven reed mats, rugs, straw, feathers, wool, horsehair, pea shucks, corn silk, coconut hair and seaweed were all once used to create the perfect sleeping surface. Around 3,000 BC the first organic mattress was developed in Egypt, and you can bet it was 100% organic. Goat skins were filled with water to create the first water bed in Persia 3,600 years ago. The modern water bed was introduced in 1873 in a London hospital; they were great at preventing bed sores.  People using water beds in the 60s and 70s thought they were sleeping on something new.

Many cultures consider the bed a symbol of status. The Romans were the first to build luxury mattresses filling them with wool, feathers, reeds or hay. During the Renaissance period mattresses were filled with straw and feathers and topped with more luxurious fabrics such as silk, velvet or satin. Mattresses were often elevated from the floor to improve circulation and help prevent mold and also to keep them off the often bug infested dirt floors. In the nineteen century a dramatic evolution happened with the invention of steel coil springs. Originally designed for chairs, coil springs became the norm in mattresses in the 1870s.The modern coil spring mattresses were first commercialized in the late nineteen century but after World War II chemical components were introduced into the mattress manufacturing process. The most common material used was and still is polyurethane, used as a cushioning material and is very inexpensive to manufacture. The modern mattress as we know it today is a collection of chemical and synthetic fibres. Unfortunately the safety of these components may be causing significant damage to our health.  Today’s mattress may be more comfortable than its predecessor, but it may cause a serious health risk to the sleeper and risks to our environment.

Listed below are chemicals that may be in your typical coil mattress:

Polyurethane foam
synthetic fibres
volatile organic compounds
formaldehyde
boric acid
adhesives
pesticides herbicides
fungicides
artificial dyes.

At Dormio, you will be sure to find an array of organic bedding, mattresses, pillows, and sheets in Toronto and Mississauga. We have everything you need to truly turn your sleep into a chemical free haven. Compared to the traditional organic cotton bedding, modern day mattresses are as organic but now much more comfortable as well. Today’s organic mattresses are made from organic latex, cotton and wool and combined to create a chemical/toxin free and comfortable sleep experience. Combine this with the organic cotton bedding, pillows and sheets and you are on the path to sleeping healthy, like you were meant to. Dormio offers a wide array of organic bedding in Toronto and Mississauga, drop into our showroom and our mattress experts would love to assist you.

You may think you are leading a relatively healthy lifestyle, you eat right, you exercise and you don’t smoke. Unfortunately chemicals are everywhere in our environment. They enter our bodies through items we touch, the food we eat and the air we breathe.

There are currently over 100,000 chemicals in use today. And only a very small percentage has ever been tested for human health effects. Most people are surprised to learn that their mattress may be one of their most significant daily sources of chemical exposure. Not only does a conventional mattress contain an undisclosed amount of chemicals, but it’s one item in our lives which we have the most daily contact with. Switching to an organic mattress is probably the easiest step toward a healthier lifestyle. It requires a researched but simple purchase and you are on your way to obtaining a healthy sleep. Add organic bedding and organic pillows into the mix and you are all set and ready for a healthy sleep.

To date less than 300 chemicals used today have ever been tested, and the health and environmental effects of many of these substances remain largely untested and unknown. We all want our homes to be a clean and safe place to live, but toxic invaders may lurk inside your home, putting you and your family at risk. Studies show that most of our chemical exposure occurs indoors, from products we choose to use. Health effects of thousands of chemicals used to grow crops or make consumer products are never disclosed to consumers or government agencies; because most businesses claim that the information is confidential business or ‘trade secrets’.

BY NUMBERS:

One study conducted on an individual’s blood and urine found,

• 52 chemicals that have been linked to reproductive and child development damage
• 48 compounds that can cause cancer in animals and are suspected or known to cause cancer in humans,
• 25 chemicals that can have detrimental effects on the nervous system, causing symptoms such as muscle weakness, tremors, dizziness, confusion and memory loss
• 23 chemicals that can be responsible for damage to the gastrointestinal tract, stomach, liver, and gallbladder
• 21 chemicals that are known to interact with the endocrine system and lead to hormone disruption, which in turn may cause diabetes
• 21 chemicals that can effect skin and sense organs, causing symptoms such as a rash, itching, poor vision, and hearing.
• 20 chemicals that may affect the reproductive fertility and pregnancies
• 17 chemicals that have been associate with heart damage,
• 17 chemicals that may potentially toxic to the immune system
• 16 chemicals that could be toxic to urinary system, including the kidneys

You may find this shocking, but this is just one individual that was tested. Are we all carrying similar levels of chemicals in our bodies and more importantly how do these chemicals impact our health?

Changing your toxic mattress to an organic mattress is a good start in trying to eliminate personal chemical exposure. At Dormio, we offer a wide variety of only the best organic mattresses and organic bedding available in the market today. Come visit us today and learn more about how to obtain a healthy sleep.

Organic Cotton Mattresses and Organic Wool Pillows are a healthy and eco-friendly option for Sleep.

Our immune system has its limits. Each night we approach our mattress with minimal or no clothing and lay down for a seemingly restful and restorative night’s sleep. But in reality while resting on a conventional mattress we are breathing in and absorbing through our skin a slew of chemicals from the synthetic fibres in padding, pillows, fillings, bed linens and chemical treatments. The chemicals can disrupt our sleep patterns and negatively affect our health.

Conventional mattresses emit gases from the toxic soup of components and applications used to create them. These mattresses can continue to release dangerous gasses long after their production. Even after the mattress has completely off-gassed, it’s synthetic and chemically based construction provides a hospitable environment for dust mites whose excrement is the number one trigger to asthmatic attacks. What’s worse, chemical exposure from conventional mattresses include chemical additives you will not find disclosed on the law label. These include polyester-cotton blends used for ticking, vinyl for water resistance, Dacron polyester for batting and polyurethane foam, made from polyol and toluene diisocyanate (TDI). TDI is recognized as a human carcinogen and that exposure to this chemical can cause a number of health risks, including respiratory problems such as bronchitis and asthma. After years of knowing this, I still get chills down my spine when I read about the toxins and chemicals in these mattresses. With studies and research done to define the negative effect on health caused by the toxins and chemicals in conventional mattresses, we don’t understand why there is still a market for these types of mattresses. Especially since we have great alternatives, organic cotton mattresses and organic latex mattresses are not only good for our long term health but they are also good for the environment.

In addition to chemical exposure from our mattress, we wrap ourselves in sheets and covers made from synthetic fibres, or pesticide-laden natural fibres that are soaked in chemicals. Some consumers find wrinkle free bedding to be convenient but they are ignoring the negative aspects. While wrinkle free bedding sounds wonderful, we are unnecessarily exposing ourselves to formaldehyde. And since our skin is our largest organ, it’s important to remember that what goes into the skin will also go through the skin.  Organic sheets, pillows and bedding, in addition to organic cotton mattresses or even wool will transform your room into a natural haven for sleep.

For instance, while poly-fill pillows are economical, they have been soaked with undisclosed amounts of chemical, while organic wool pillows are completely natural, eco-friendly and non hazardous to your health. Organic wool is renewable and sustainable and can be shorn from sheep annually. It’s biodegradable and kinder to the environment.  Wool has a build in climate control, naturally breathable to keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Wool is also a natural fire retardant. It can resist flames without the chemical treatment involved in fire proofing, unlike synthetic fibres that can easily burn and melt.

Dormio Organic Beds is proud to provide to consumers with a healthier sleep. Come and visit one of our showrooms, sleep on an organic cotton, wool or latex mattresses. Our expert staff will answer all your questions or concerns to help you in choosing the best organic mattress and bedding for you so you can sleep natural.

Sleep Well,