Healthy Home Highlight - Pillows, Sheets and Bedding

A bonus highlight on pillows, sheets and bedding, why traditional products can be so toxic, and what to use instead.

Links: 

Naturepedic Pillows

Avocado Green Pillows

Downtown Company Pillows

Costco Down Pillows

Peacock Alley Wool Mattress Topper

Peacock Alley Cotton Sheets

Cariloha Bamboo Sheets

Cozy Earth Bamboo Sheets

Transcript

Natalie: 0:01

Welcome to another Healthy Home Highlight. We're continuing our topic of sleep and how to create a great sleeping environment. Previously, we touched on mattresses and the hidden toxins in conventional foam. Today, we're going to review sheets, pillows, and fills, breaking down what's inside your bedding, why it matters, and which materials support better sleep and health. I'll share my favorite go to brands and why they stand out. Now, let's start with pillows. Everyone has a different sleeping preference when it comes to pillows. Some like them firm and supportive. Others prefer soft fluffy cloud. No matter your preference, what's inside the pillow is just as important as how it feels. If you remember from our mattress episode, we talked about polycotton. Polycotton is a synthetic blend of petroleum based polyester and cotton. This same material is often used in traditional pillows to keep them fluffy and soft. But it also means that you're resting your head on a petrochemical derived material every single night. Another popular pillow type is memory foam. Now, while it's marketed as a supportive option, memory foam is made from polyurethane and other chemical additives that can off gas and create volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. Now, research by the Environmental Working Group, EWG, has found that memory foam pillows may contain toluene diisocyanate, or TDI. Which is a respiratory toxin. They also can contain methylene chloride, which has been linked to central nervous system depression, and formaldehyde, a known carcinogen that off gases in the air. Now, studies have shown that VOCs emitted from foam products can cause not only headaches, but respiratory irritation, and actually disrupt your sleep quality. If you love the feel of foam, but want a healthier option. Naturepedic and Avocado Green both offer toxin free foam pillows. Now, I personally always choose 100 percent goose down pillows. Some people think they're allergic to down, however, in most cases, it comes down to how well the down is sourced and cleaned. A study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology found that many reported down allergies, are actually reactions to the dust mites and improper cleaning methods, not the down itself. So, when properly sourced and cleaned, hypoallergenic down pillows can be a really great choice, even for sensitive individuals. For down lovers like myself, make sure to choose responsibly sourced down. Down is natural and sustainable. It's a material that geese shed and regrow naturally. It's the fluff that comes underneath their necks. You want to look for brands with the Responsible Down Standard or RDS. This is a certification that ensures ethical harvesting of the down. Down pillows come in a lot of different fill weights, depending on your sleeping position. Soft for stomach sleepers, medium for back sleepers, and firm for side sleepers. Now, one of my favorite brands is from Downtown Company. I use their pillows in clients homes all the time. I've also found some great affordable options at Costco. And, again, Naturepedic and Avocado Green also have down options as well as the natural latex foam options for their pillows. I will link to all of these in the show notes. Now, to refresh and care for your down pillows, it's important to occasionally wash them on a gentle cycle with a really mild detergent. Anything with oils or bleach can be damaging to the down. You want to tumble dry them on low heat with wool dryer balls to prevent clumping and give them a really good shake regularly, which maintains the loft of the down. Now, let's jump from pillows to mattress covers. If you're looking for a great mattress cover, I highly recommend the wool mattress topper from Peacock Alley. Wool naturally adjusts to your body's temperature. It keeps you cool in the summer and warm in the winter. It absorbs any excess moisture without feeling damp, which prevents your night sweats. Wool is also naturally flame resistant, eliminating the need for chemical fire retardants, and it's resistant to dust mites and mold, which makes it great for allergy sufferers. This topper is really thick and plush, and it adds an amazing layer of comfort and protection to your bed before you put on your sheets. Now, let's talk about sheets. Sheets come in many different materials. However, I always opt for organic, natural fibers over synthetic polyblends. My top three favorite sheet fabrics are organic cotton, which is breathable, durable, and soft. Organic linen, which keeps you cool in warm weather and gets softer over time, and organic bamboo, which is naturally moisture wicking and resistant to bacteria. A study in the Journal of Textile Research found that organic fibers contain fewer pesticide residues and are less likely to cause irritation to your skin. Now, many conventional sheets are treated with formaldehyde based wrinkle resistant coatings, which release toxic VOCs over time. Stay away from these. Choose organic, natural linens. When it comes to choosing organic cotton, there's a couple of different types. They have percale and sateen. Now, an organic cotton percale sheet is crisp, cool, and lightweight. It's really great for people who sleep hot. And the organic cotton sateen sheets, are silky, smooth, and slightly heavier, making it ideal for colder climates. Now, some of my favorite brands, again, are Peacock Alley for classic, elegant, organic cotton sheets. Cariloha for eco friendly bamboo sheets that are incredibly soft and Cozy Earth for temperature regulating bamboo sheets. Now, my personal favorite is Cariloha so much so that even my dog loves them, a little too much. She's chewed holes in several sets, so I guess she agrees on the organic quality level of these sheets. Now, when you buy new bedding or towels, you may notice that they feel stiff or coated, and they don't regulate your temperature or dry moisture very well. This is due to residual chemicals from the manufacturing process, and you really need to get rid of these in the wash. If you were to naturally wash these, it would take multiple cycles to finally remove all of this chemical residue from your linens. But if you want to speed this up a little bit, you need to add vinegar. To properly wash and soften all of your new linens, sheets, and towels, use one cup of white vinegar in the rinse cycle to remove the chemical residues. Avoid any fabric softeners. These are just chemicals that coat the fibers of all of your towels and sheets and make them less absorbent. Please use wool dryer balls instead of chemical dryer sheets, which also leave a residue. Your bedroom should be a sanctuary, a place where your body can rest, heal, and rejuvenate. By choosing natural, non toxic materials for your bedding, you're creating a healthier sleep environment that supports deeper, more restorative sleep. I hope this guide helps you in choosing the best bedding for your healthiest, coziest sleep ever. If you try any of these brands or tips, let me know. I'd love to hear about your experience. Thanks for joining me on another Healthy Home Highlight, and I'll see you next time.