Best Mattress For Allergy Sufferers ( A Mattress Guide For Allergy Sufferers)

 

A good night's rest is so important to your health. If you suffer from allergies, you know how hard it is to settle in with itchy eyes and a runny nose. If you toss and turn more than you sleep, your mattress may be a big part of the problem.

Our Sweet Zzz sleep consultants are often asked about the best mattress for allergies. When we hear your questions, we're ready with answers backed by years of industry experience and independent verification.

Because allergy issues affect so many people, we've put together this guide outlining what goes into making the best mattress for allergy sufferers.

Understanding Common Allergy Causes

Allergies can make life miserable during the day, and they can disrupt your natural sleep cycle too. When you're exposed to different allergens, your immune system produces antibodies. This reaction results in red, itchy eyes, a runny nose and clogged sinuses.

Different foods and medications are often the source of allergic reactions, but most allergies are caused by microscopic organisms and air-borne particles. For example:

• Dust builds up in your home's HVAC ductwork and circulates throughout the house.

• Mold hiding under a bathroom sink fills the air with tiny spores as it grows and spreads.

• Pollen and air pollutants flood into your home every time you open a door or window.

Sharing a Bed With Allergens

The allergens that bother you during the day don't disappear when it's time for bed. Air-borne pollutants and contaminants circulate through the house and settle on every surface. As they permeate porous materials and fabrics, allergens accumulate in levels that can be very harmful to your health.

Think about how this affects the mattress you sleep on every night. When you turn in for the evening, you're snuggling down with microscopic allergens that penetrate under sheets and deep into bedding materials.

These irritants can generate allergies in mattresses and leave you feeling miserable. However, air-borne contaminants aren't the only source of allergy symptoms that keep you from enjoying a good night's sleep. Often, the mattress itself contains chemicals that cause serious allergic reactions.

You can't eliminate pollen from outside air. Mold will always grow somewhere even in the cleanest home. However, you can significantly improve your long-term health by understanding the connections between different allergens and irritants and how they cause allergies in mattresses. 

10 Must-Have Features of an Allergy-Free Mattress

If you've never been bothered by allergies until recently, you might be sleeping on the problem. If your mattress is old and your allergies are becoming worse, it's time to make a change. Beds literally gain weight over the years due to accumulated microscopic debris and allergens. 

How can you be sure a new mattress won't aggravate your allergies over time? You want a bed that ages gracefully, but what other factors should you consider? When you're ready to ease your allergies by sleeping on a new mattress, look for these 10 important features. Look for these 10 important features whether you're looking for the best mattress for side, back or stomach sleepers:

1. Resistance to Dust Mites

We all shed skin cells every day. Scientists estimate the loss at close to one million dead skin cells every 24 hours. Dust mites feed on this organic debris, so they naturally feel right at home in your bed.

Sharing intimate space with these tiny creatures can trigger allergy symptoms. You can't stop your natural shedding process, but you can avoid microscopic bugs in the bed with a dust mite free mattress. Pure latex is one of the most mite-resistant bedding materials available.

2. Mold and Mildew Resistance

Mold and mildew grow inside the cleanest house. It's impossible to completely eliminate common fungi, but it's also hard to live with them if you suffer from allergies. Toxic black mold is a special concern because it releases dangerous mycotoxins that cause serious respiratory problems .

As air-borne mold spores travel throughout your home, they settle into your mattress. Traditional beds are susceptible to unhealthy mold growth, but natural latex is naturally resistant to fungal contamination. The material is an excellent choice for minimizing mold-related allergy problems.

3. Materials That Breathe

When fresh air can't circulate throughout a bed, the mattress traps body heat and moisture. This creates an uncomfortable environment that's especially hard on hot sleepers . It also makes mold, dust mite and off-gassing issues worse. A cool night's sleep lets you wake up feeling refreshed, and it helps minimize allergy symptoms.

Different materials used in mattress production offer a wide range of breathability, but natural latex stands out as the best. This type of bed efficiently dissipates heat and moisture, and that helps controls nighttime allergies. When your mattress breathes, you breathe better.

4. No Harmful Chemicals

The best home sleep remedies can't offset allergy problems caused by harmful chemicals in a mattress. Both innerspring beds and synthetic memory foam mattresses that are not certified can often contain these toxic chemicals.

• Formaldehyde
• Antimony
• Boric acid

The chemicals in some uncertified memory foam mattresses and traditional beds emit gasses that aggravate allergy symptoms. Over time, the compounds can turn existing health issues into serious conditions. However, a mattress made from natural latex eliminates all chemical concerns. You enjoy peaceful slumber in a safe sleep environment that's healthier for you and the planet.

5. Natural Construction

When you look for a bed that can ease allergy problems, don't be confused by different types of latex. Latex can be Dunlop or Talalay and both are natural. Construction is key because many inexpensive latex mattresses are layered with very low density latex.

There are also significant production differences between the two leading types of natural latex. Dunlop and Talalay latex share some similarities, but Talalay latex is considered the best of the two for building a mattress that's allergy-free from base to top layer.

6. Natural Mattress Cover Materials

The top layer of your bed is protected by a mattress cover that can help alleviate allergy symptoms or make them worse. It depends on the materials used in making this important bed component. Synthetic fabrics are popular because they're easy to care for, but they can't provide the long-term comfort you experience with natural fibers.
High-quality wool and cotton are perfect partners for producing mattress covers that promote a cool night's sleep. The materials are resistant to dust mites and mold, and they create a soft fabric that's completely free of harmful chemicals.

7. No Chemical Fire Retardants

All beds sold in the U.S. must meet mattress fire safety standards established by the Consumer Product Safety Commission . Most manufacturers meet these requirements by treating beds with chemical fire retardants. It's a common practice even with mattresses that feature natural fabric covers.

Unfortunately, this approach to mattress fire safety can expose you to a range of harmful chemicals that irritate allergies. The best way to avoid this problem is to make sure your bed's cover is fabricated from untreated, naturally fire-resistant materials like wool and cotton.

8. No Mass Production

The features that make a bed a healthy sleep environment also add to its production cost. Discounted memory foams and innerspring models come with bargain price tags because they're mass-produced. They're usually made fire-resistant with harsh chemicals instead of natural materials.

Beds manufactured in bulk can't offer the same features as quality mattresses that help alleviate allergies. Cheaper models are often imported from overseas and don't meet the health and safety standards you expect. You want to shop wisely for a mattress, but don't be fooled by the low cost of a mass-produced bed.

9. Industry Testing and Certification

The best mattress for allergies is one that earns industry-recognized certification. The international OEKO-TEX Association is considered the world's most trusted organization for certifying textile safety. Before bedding materials can earn OEKO-TEX Class 1 Certification , they must stand up to rigorous, independent testing.

Materials that pass OEKO-TEX Class 1 testing are certified as eco-friendly and free of harmful chemicals. OEKO-TEX Class 1 Certification is your guarantee that a mattress is safe for everyday use with children under the age of 3. It's also your assurance that the bed doesn't contain any materials that can trigger allergies.

10. A Brand You Can Trust

Do you put your allergies to rest on a bed mass-produced by a national manufacturer? Can you count on caring customer service after your purchase? It's important to trust a company before you invest in its products.

Network with others who understand nighttime allergy problems, and learn from their experiences with different mattress brands. Follow online reviews that focus on the health benefits of different bed types. Don't make a final decision until you're confident you're buying a new mattress from a company that truly cares about your health .

Comparing Mattress Types For Allergy Sufferers

While some mattress types offer a few features on our list, their pros are offset by construction and materials that make allergies worse. Be careful when you review health claims made by manufacturers of these mattress models.

 

Traditional Innerspring Beds

The coil systems that support these mattresses are filled with fabric-lined cavities that act as incubators for dust mites. The construction also tends to hold body heat and moisture that contribute to mold and mildew.

Memory Foam Mattresses

Memory foam doesn't dissipate body heat very well, so it isn't an ideal mattress for sleepers with allergies. The foam is usually manufactured with strong chemicals that produce irritating off-gassing.

The Best Mattress for Allergy Sufferers

There is one type of mattress that incorporates all the important features you want in a healthy sleep environment. A bed made entirely from pure latex is an excellent choice for alleviating nighttime allergy symptoms. The Nature's Novel is a perfect example of this special type of bed.

• The Nature's Novel is a dust mite free mattress produced from natural Talalay latex.

• Its breathable, natural materials are impervious mold and mildew.

• The Talalay latex mattress is completely chemical-free, so it can't aggravate allergies.

• The bed's super-soft wool and cotton blend cover is naturally fire-resistant.

• Each mattress is individually crafted, tested and inspected during a 3-day production process.

• The Nature's Novel is certified as OEKO-TEX Class 1 and safe for use with infants.

• You enjoy a no-obligation, 100-night free trial period and a lifetime warranty .

More than 2000 positive reviews document the happy and satisfied experiences of people who love the Nature's Novel . The bed is an outstanding mattress choice for anyone who deals with allergy problems. 

Your Best Source for Sweet Dreams

Whether you're looking for the best mattress for allergy sufferers, comparing bed types or exploring the health benefits of a good night's sleep, we're happy to help. Our Sweet Zzz sleep consultants are always ready to share our years of industry knowledge online or at one of our beautiful showrooms .

Our goal is simple: We want you to find the perfect bed for your personal sleeping style. When you choose a mattress based on solid, verifiable information, you make your decision with confidence. You can trust us as your best source for premium bedding that's sure to make all your sweet dreams come true.