Bedroom Blues? 5 Ways a Bad Mattress Can Impact Your Health
When was the last time you replaced your mattress? If it’s been a while, your old mattress could be negatively impacting your health. You might find that choosing a new mattress can reduce chronic pain.
Over time, your mattress wears down and becomes vulnerable to toxins. These toxins amass from body sweat, dust mites, bed bugs, and other pathogens that live in your mattress. Your mattress could be doing more harm than good.
If you think your mattress might be ruining your beauty sleep, read on for five ways a lousy mattress can impact your mental and physical health.
Difficulty breathing and chest tightness
Though your mattress might look okay to the naked eye, you could be counting wolves in sheeps’ clothing. Many of the risks associated with an old mattress are invisible. For example, the sweat from your body helps release airborne pathogens, known as volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, into the air. When you breathe them in, they enter your lungs and might cause health problems. These health risks could even be present with certain memory foam mattresses.
An old mattress can also become dusty, and where there is dust, you’ll likely find dust mites or tiny bugs. Dead skin cells attract dust mites, which live in your mattress. These creepy crawlies are a common cause of allergies and breathing difficulties.
Your eyes may become itchy and watery from the dust in your mattress. If you have asthma, your symptoms may become worse. Does your bed have a musty smell? There might be a strain of mold known as mildew hiding inside your mattress and triggering your respiratory problems.
Like the dust itself, nasty bed-dwelling bugs and their feces are capable of causing respiratory symptoms like shortness of breath, chest pressure, coughing, sneezing, runny nose, and sinus infection.
If you are experiencing any of the above, you may want to consider replacing your mattress with a certified organic mattress from Essentia. These eco-friendly mattresses are made with non-toxic, vegan, organic materials, so they’re sure to leave your lungs in peace while you catch your Zs.
Back/joint pain
Mattresses stretch out and lose their shape over time, decreasing the amount of support under the back. If your mattress wears out and you don’t replace it, you can develop back pain. But how can you tell if your bed is to blame?
If you frequently wake up with back pain that resolves quickly, it’s time to replace your mattress. The mattress you sleep on should support the contour of your spine. A mattress that is too soft or firm can affect the spine’s alignment.
A marshmallow mattress may cause uneven positioning. If your mattress caves in the middle, your body will not align properly, and you may wake up aching and sore. On the other hand, a concrete block of a mattress may put excessive pressure on your joints, causing pain and stiffness.
Lack of sleep
Do you toss and turn all night? That could be another indication your mattress isn’t right for you. An uncomfortable mattress will keep you changing positions from dusk until dawn, costing you REM sleep and zombifying you for the next day.
A bad mattress can also cause your body to tense up. When your body relaxes, you sleep better. When the body is tense, it anticipates a threat. Your muscles seize up, making it difficult to sleep.
Numerous health problems can arise from lack of sleep, such as heart disease, obesity, poor concentration, diabetes, eating disorders, lower immunity, and other ailments. Replacing your mattress will help alleviate poor sleep hygiene.
Skin irritations and night sweats
If you wake up in the morning with itchy bumps or dehydrated skin, your mattress could be at fault. Studies show that sleep deprivation can cause an increase in cortisol levels. As a result, you can develop skin conditions.
How does this pertain to your mattress? If your mattress is keeping you awake at night, it’s responsible for how your body copes with that sleep loss. As far as night sweats go, your body releases extra water at night. Sweating moistens your mattress and eventually leads to mildew, which can further irritate the skin and lungs.
Skin reactions, such as eczema, rashes, and wrinkles, can develop from the old sweat and mildew in your mattress. And if you find little bites on your skin upon waking, you could even have bed bugs. That alone should have you rushing to the nearest bedding supply store.
Depression, mood swings, and lack of concentration
There can be many causes for depression, but did you know your mattress may contribute? A worn-out sagging mattress can cause many restless nights. People who do not sleep well are prone to depression and low self-esteem.
Little to no sleep may also lead to mood swings, memory loss, exhaustion, and lack of motivation. You lose mental clarity when you are sleepy. After all, it’s hard to concentrate when you’re busy fighting to keep your head out of your lunch.
Anxiety is another common side effect of sleep deprivation and often leads to changes in blood pressure, heart rate, digestion, and stress tolerance threshold. It may seem hard to believe, but a bad mattress could be the culprit behind all of these symptoms simultaneously.
Wrap up
Sleeping on an old mattress can be detrimental to your health. Respiratory difficulties, back and joint pain, lack of sleep, and psychological problems are among the most common health issues that result from a spent mattress. Consider replacing your mattress if you’re having sleep troubles. Sleep tight, and don’t let the bedbugs bite.
