This airspace allows warm moist air to escape, leaving your pillow cool and dry. The shape and particulate nature of buckwhat hulls leaves a lot of air space in your pillow between all of the hulls. Memory foam is not breathable and this can result in a hot and sweaty pillow. Besides being natural and chemical-free, buckwheat pillows are a great alternative to memory foam for a couple of other reasons. Of course, our favorite is our buckwheat hull pillow. Natural Alternatives to Memory Foam PillowsĪre you interested in the support and comfort provided by memory foam, but want to avoid that chemical smell? There are several natural pillow options for those looking for a new pillow. Aproximately one-third of your life is spent in close contact to your sleeping surface, so it is important to consider you and your family’s health when selecting a pillow or mattress. The long-term effects of memory foam and its toxicity are not fully understood, but there clearly is some reason for concern. Pentabde is now known to be toxic to the liver, thyroid, and nervous system.(1) A study in 2000 specifically found mattress emissions to be toxic to the lungs of labratory mice.(2) One of these, Pentabde (of the polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) family), was used until 2004. Additional chemicals are required to make the polyurethane flame retardant. To manufacture memory foam, chemicals are added to polyurethane to make it more dense and viscous at the same time. Reports include carcinogenic chemicals and formaldehyde gas. That said, there are various reports and studies which indicate that memory foam may be somewhat toxic. Many many people use memory foam products without reporting any side effects or related health issues. If after several weeks, the issue persists, it is probably time to consider an alternative to memory foam. You can leave the pillow or mattress in a well-ventilated area for a week or two and see if that helps eliminate or reduce the odor and symptoms. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you’ll want to avoid sleeping on the foam during the initial off gassing period. However, there are various reports of headaches, nausea, and allergic reactions resulting from the odor produced by memory foam. Most people do not report any health issues resulting from their memory foam pillow or mattress. Health Issues Related to Memory Foam Smell Even if the initial odor goes away, it is natural to wonder if there are health issues related to off gassing. Many memory foam mattress owners report that the off gassing period ends after a number of days. Of course there are many factors which influence this including the product, the type of foam, the sensitivity of the person, the room ventilation and more. The bad news is that some of the chemicals used in memory foam aren’t entirely benign. If you are experiencing this odor, the good news is you may not have to endure the smell for long. The fumes are often compared to those experienced in a freshly painted room. This “off gassing” of volatile organic compounds is a common and well-documented property of memory foam pillows and mattresses. Memory foam is manufactured using polyurethane and several other chemicals, so it isn’t surprising that it emits a chemical odor. One of the biggest complaints by owners of memory foam pillows and mattresses is the unpleasant, and potentially unhealthy chemical smell. Does Your Memory Foam Pillow or Mattress Have an Unpleasant Chemical Smell? Some of the chemicals used in memory foam aren’t entirely benign.
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