Sleep Healthy

Organic on a budget? Start with your child's room

Guest Blogger: Jennifer Thibodeau 07/11/09

Want to go organic in your home but, much like the rest of us these days, are facing a budget crunch? Take it slow and start with one room at a time. Here's where I decided to start: my son's room.

Besides the air purifier and shredded rubber pillow I told you about last week, we also got him an amazing set of COYUCHI Organic Jersey Sheets. And I mean amazing. The quality is fantastic. They've been washed and dried many times over and are still in perfect shape - no stretching or threads hanging. The softness is incredible. It feels like you're slipping into your favorite old t-shirt each time you sink into bed. They're made of 100% organic cotton and colored with low-impact dyes (the natural are undyed).

All good stuff for my little guy.

So, if you're looking for a place to start, and you want to start small, I recommend your child's room. Green up their sleeping environment and you'll no doubt sleep a bit more peacefully yourself. If you need additional ideas, visit our Healthy Kid's Room or Organic Nursery.

Sleep well,

Jennifer

Giving your children a healthy start in life – priceless

Guest Blogger: Jennifer Thibodeau 07/1/09

 

 According to the Action Alliance for Children, children are more vulnerable than adults to environmental health hazards such as pesticides, air pollution, lead, and toxic products because their bodies are still developing.

 

From their food, to their clothes, to their sleeping environment, giving our children a healthy start in life is bound to have positive repercussions we can’t even begin to yet measure. Imagine what damage food treated with pesticides can do. Or the t-shirt that has been whitened with chemical bleach. Or the pillow swarming with dust mites. Just thinking about all of this makes me shudder in fear for my child – and his future. Nevermind the normal everyday worries I face of less-than-honorable strangers, crime, and a multitude of other sins that exist today.

 

Unfortunately, my son, at 8 years old, has already suffered from allergies for a few years. He is on a prescription medication at night and has to use a daily nasal spray, as well. Because of this, I have endeavored to make his bedroom less attractive to allergens. We’re in the process of ripping out his carpet, almost never leave his window open, and are sticklers about washing his sheets once a week in hot water.

 

One of our favorite products is his shredded rubber pillow, which is mite-, water-, and mildew-resistant. Good news for him – and better news for me – it’s machine washable! Another product we added recently has been an air purifier – and what a difference that has made. His nightly coughing has become almost non-existent!

It’s so good to know that healthier products are available (and more are on the horizon) to help combat today’s allergy-related illnesses. I may not be able to keep my son from the evils of the world, but knowing I am providing him with a healthier sleeping environment helps ME sleep at night!

 

 

Want to green up your student's dorm room?

Our Healthy Dorm Room section just went live with lots of new items. We usually feature this section right after graduation so parents/students can get a jump on their decorating before the stores are out of stock.

We've added some wonderful new organic blankets and a whole new organic bath section. Those of you challenged by the TwinXL size of dorm room mattresses, wil be glad to know we've got plenty of TwinXL sheet sets to choose. If you want to replace the dorm mattress with your very own, non-toxic, TwinXL organic mattress, we have the best brands. 

News update on our partnership with TeensTurningGreen.org and their "Project Green Dorm Room": Yesterday's photo shoot for of the boy's and girl's dorm rooms went super well. We're anxiously awaiting the candids. Saturday afternoon they realized they had not placed their order for Coyuchi sheets and duvet covers. One of the teens drove to Point Reyes to shop the Coyuchi store and saved the day. We were told everyone wanted to go; Point Reyes is one special spot.

The older you get, the fewer hours of sleep you need

According to The National Sleep Foundation experts recommend a range of seven to nine hours of sleep for the average adult. However, as anyone over fifty will tell you, older people wake more frequently through the night. Yet our nightly sleep requirement remains the same regardless of age. Night's of interrupted sleep can result in sleep deprivation, which can lead to physical and psychological problems.

Naps planned as part of a regular daily routine can be useful in promoting wakefulness and make up the sleep debt caused by a restless night.

No time for naps? Consider changing your mattress. Sore hips and shoulders, back pain can be caused by an uncomfortable or worn out mattress. A new mattress, perferably an organic mattress made with 100% natural latex can relieve pressure points, help you get more deep REM sleep.

Bargain hunters: save 20% on Amenity organic bedding through 7/15

For those of you who prefer a modern look and want to make a bold statement, our Amenity organic bedding collection is just for you.

The collection is inspired by nature and made with 100% organic cotton, using non-toxic eco-friendly dyes. Truly earth and people friendly.

Best of all, we're offering a huge 20% off until 7/15. These designs are our hottest sellers at the moment, for good reason.

Also, if you become a Facebook fan of The Clean Bedroom, you'll save an additional 10% off.

Got a student bound for college who thinks green? Have I got a resource for you.

It was 6:04 and I usually don’t take calls after 6:00 at the showroom but what the heck, I picked up. Glad I did because it was Judi Shils, head of a non-profit organization Teens Turning Green, looking for donations to their upcoming Project Green Dorm Room.

 

The organization is managed and run by teens with a passion for change, determined to examine the toxic exposure in their lives, and to live in a cleaner, more eco-friendly environment.

 

Check out their website, it’s pretty impressive: www.teensturninggreen.org

 

Project Green Dorm Room will focus on the need to create a clean, green, healthier living/sleeping environment when they're off to school. We donated organic bedding and sleepwear, organic towels and robes. We also requested donations from our vendors.

 

The calls were easy to make. Julia Rosien at Naturaworld immediately saw the value of reaching out to “green teens” and donated a Natura Eco Rest organic mattress, Comfort Plus organic wool mattress topper, and organic wool comforter. Likewise, Austin Air is donating their HEPA/HEGA air purifiers. Rainshow’r Manufacturing happily kicked in a dechlorinating shower filter and water saving shower head.

 

Stay tuned for details.

GoodSearch: A good way to search and support your favorite cause

A friend of mine told me about GoodSearch, a search engine that donates to her favorite non-profit every time she does a search using their web browser.

 

I tried it today for my favorite search term “organic mattress” and it’s pretty cool. GoodSearch served up Yahoo! search results and put a few pennies into the account of a non-profit I support.  

 

GoodSearch lets you see how much money they’ve raised to date, which is encouraging. Mine has only raised a little but if more people like me signed on, they could have a steady stream of much-needed cash. GoodSearch could be a real boon for smaller causes looking to boost their fund-raising efforts.

 

I noticed that every time I bring up the GoodSearch browser my cause is listed and all I have to do is put in my new search term. I can also select a different non-profit each time I search.

 

Big drawback: their web search is powered by Yahoo! Not my favorite by any means. If GoodSearch can get a partnership with Google I’d be more inclined to use it as my default search engine.

 

You can also shop GoodShop and save money, while having a portion of your purchase go to your non-profit. Now that’s a great idea.

 

Hey if enough people decide to take search into their own hands and out of the techno, nameless, Big Brother world of Google, this will be a winner for the good guys.

Insomnia can make you fat? Yep. And, shorten your life.

I came across an article in Body & Soul magazine “Sleep Longer for your Heart” with some interesting advice: Sleep one hour longer and lower your risk of heart disease. The information was found in a recent study by Lawrence Epstein, M.D., author of The Harvard Medical School Guide to a Good Night’s Sleep.

 

His work is helping people sleep their way to better health. Sleeping more is my kind of medical advice.

 

A recent article in M.D. News quotes Dr. Epstein, “Several studies have recently come out showing that those people who sleep less actually have shorter life spans, independent of all other health effects.”

 

According to Dr. Epstein, sleep studies link sleep apnea with hypertension, hearts attacks and stroke. Insomnia correlates with mental health conditions like depression and anxiety.

 

“We spend one-third of our lives asleep, and it shouldn’t be a surprise that things go wrong during it,” Dr. Epstein explains. “Up until recently, people just looked at sleep as a period during which nothing happened, but now we know that’s not the case. Sleep is actually a very dynamic state, during which lots of things occur.”

 

Sleep longer and live longer, I now have an excuse to sleep in and not feel guilty. But wait, it gets better.

 

“If someone is sleep-deprived, their body is actually stimulated to eat,” Dr. Epstein explains. “That could be part of what’s going on with the obesity epidemic that we’re seeing across the country these days.”

 

This is very good news for my husband who is trying desperately to lose weight. Now I can tell him to sleep deeper, and longer. More naps, sleep in every day, what more could he want. Besides, if he’s sleeping he can’t eat.

 

My advice to help you get started on a better night’s sleep

 

Allergists tell their patients a good night’s sleep starts with a clean sleeping environment. Your body’s immune system recovers during the night, allowing you to wake up refreshed and energized for the day ahead.

 

If your lungs can’t breathe properly you have a restless night of sleep. Your immune system has to work harder and you don't wake up as refreshed as you should. Airborne allergens are to blame.

 

The first step in cleaning up your sleeping environment is purchase an HEPA air purifier. There are many air purifiers to choose from but the best overall performance and value is found in models made by Austin Air.

If you toss and turn because your mattress is lumpy or hard, then you don’t get into the proper deep REM sleep either.  That's when your body's immune system does it's best work. Sleep fitfully and you put your health at risk.

If you can, replace your old lumpy mattress with one that is comfortable and free of toxic chemical flame retardants. My recommendation is an organic mattress, preferably a natural latex mattress that conforms to your body’s curves, creating a supportive yet cushy sleep surface. Say good-bye to tossing and turning and hello to deep REM sleep.

Link for more sleep tips from Lawrence J. Epstein, M.D.

Body & Soul Magazine: Lack of Sleep May Hurt Your Health

 

How can a crib mattress be waterproof and organic?

When the Naturepedic waterproof organic crib mattresswas first introduced four years ago, I dismissed them as not being truly organic. After all, they are “plastic-coated” I would tell customers; why would you want to take an organic mattress and coat it with plastic? Doesn’t that compromise the purity of the organic cotton?

 

I was having this argument with a customer recently who insisted I should do more research. She had investigated thoroughly, and concluded the Naturepedic baby mattress was organic, allergy free, and met her primary need: it was waterproof.

 

I countered as I usually do that the waterproofing process compromises the “organic” aspect of the mattress. She didn’t give up; detailed how Naturepedic uses Polyethylene a food-grade safe and non-toxic substance used to make produce bags for grocery stores, we put our kid’s sandwiches in them, and we eat off Polyethylene plates at picnics.

 

Hmm, I was intrigued, enough to do some digging on my own.

 

According to the Naturepedic website, “Polyethylene is an environmentally friendly plastic that is used throughout the food packaging industry for its purity and non-toxic properties. It has a very simple molecular structure that does not require chemical additives (as opposed to vinyl/PVC) and is favored by environmental groups all over the world. Naturepedic uses only polyethylene specially formulated to meet food contact standards. Polyethylene is easy-to-clean and highly stain resistant, and also provides an excellent barrier to dust mites and other allergens.”

 

Yes, but could Naturepedic pass the real test: Asking their competitors what they thought? I made some calls and not one said a negative thing about this waterproofing process. In fact, one mattress distributor said the Polyethylene coating was simple to apply to any fabric, and harmless. In my experience, if a competitor can bash another manufacturer, they will. This time not even the most notorious scaremonger had a bad word to say.

 

Result? We now carry the complete line of Naturepedic waterproof crib mattresses. I’m resting easy about the decision.  

Looking to buy an organic mattress? Don’t get lost in the rhetoric.

If you’re in the market for an organic mattress, you have your work cut out for you.

 

You’re probably surfing the ‘Net slogging through organic mattress jargon and wondering how you’ll ever be sure you’re getting the real deal. Here’s some insider info, hope it helps.

 

Organic food is regulated. The organic mattress industry is not. Most dealers can’t even agree on what the definition of an organic mattress, is. So I’ll take a crack at it.

 

To be truly organic, with the exception of an innerspring coil system, a mattress should be made with materials found in nature, not a chemical plant. These materials usually are produced organically without the use of pesticides or toxic processing treatments: cotton, wool, 100% natural rubber. Some high end models feature horsehair.

 

An organic mattress is free of chemical flame retardants; wool usually serves as the fire protection. To be truly “organic”, a mattress does not contain petrochemical-based synthetics, boron, borate, or boric acid, or other chemical treatments.

 

Here are four questions to ask your sales person:

1. Is the outer cover made with certified organic cotton? Be sure it has not been treated with stain resistant chemicals like formaldehyde.
2. How does the mattress meet the U.S. Fire Resistant Code #1633 that took effect on July 1, 2007? If the mattress is organic, in most cases a layer of organic or untreated wool is placed under the outer cover to pass the burn test. Wool self-extinguishes when exposed to a flame. Some manufacturers use non-chemical flame retardants like corn husks and baking soda; ask how these are processed to be sure they are truly toxin-free.
3. Is the innerspring coil system sprayed with oils or a rust-proof treatment? An organic innerspring mattress system is untreated.
4. Is the inner core of a latex mattress made with 100% natural rubber? If the sales person hedges, the latex core is probably a blend of 60/40 natural rubber and petrochemical-based synthetic. The percentage of natural rubber in the core of an organic mattress should be 90+%.

As you do your homework, keep in mind a .com website offers information to help sell their products. For objective opinions and reliable facts, do your research on sites that end in .org.

 

Look for third party reviews / certifications and buy from a reputable dealer. Steer clear of stores that recently opened, in this economy they could close just as quickly putting your warranty and your deposit at risk.

 

Don’t assume you’re getting an organic mattress when the brochure says it’s all natural, eco-friendly, green, or sustainable (a true organic mattress is all of these things). Remember, unless it’s called organic, it’s just marketing hype.

 

Let me know what you think.