Organic Sleeping

Your body needs sleep… Have you ever thought about why you sleep?

The answer is partly that you have to. If you didn’t sleep you would eventually cease to function.

Really though, you go to sleep so that your body can rest and recuperate. It is during sleep that your body is best able to heal itself of the day’s stressful influences.

In order to do that, it needs a sleeping environment that is as free from chemical pollutants as possible.

It is a simple fact that your body responds well to natural substances that have no chemical content or additives. Your body likes to be surrounded by products of Nature, which allow it to heal itself, naturally.

Organic Bedding
We are very fortunate that in the past year or two, locally grown organic cotton and organically scoured wool have been made available to the Australian people, in the form of bedding products.

Blessed Earth have become synonymous with these products and Marketing Manager, Raithe Handiman, describes the situation this way:

"When we first started promoting these products, we were amazed at the public response. So many people came to us looking for relief from various illnesses. Many of them had given up hope of ever finding pure bedding.

More than that, so many others instinctively understood that they needed bedding made from natural fibres that breathe, rather than substances such as polyester, foam and latex, which cause overheating. Proper ventilation is vital to the body’s capacity for healing.

After all, we spend a third of our lives in bed, so it’s essential that we surround ourselves with the healthiest, most natural products we can find, for a natural, healing sleep."

The miracle of Wool Bedding
Wool is an outstanding fibre when used in bedding products such as mattresses, futons, toppers, quilts and pillows.

Some people feel they are allergic to wool, however it is usually the toxic chemicals used to clean wool, including Formaldehyde that they are allergic to.

Blessed Earth have proven that these chemicals are unnecessary and have gone to great lengths to ensure that their wool is cleaned using safe, bio-degradable detergents, at the CSIRO.

Until now, the other problem with wool is that most manufacturers use polyester to fluff up inferior, cheaper wool. Even so called "100% wool, made in Australia" can legally contain up to 10% resin, which is used to stiffen inferior fibres, in much the same way that particle board is made from sawdust held together with glue. These products are cheap and work for a while, however they are toxic and with time, break down, become lumpy and create a haven for dust mites.

Unique technology enables them to use only the finest AAA fleece wool, without any resin or polyester.

Fleece wool offers the following unique qualities:
• Comfort. This is especially important for mattresses, futons, toppers and pillows. High micron fleece wool is very resilient, providing much-needed support, and at the same time giving relief for pressure points.

• House dust mites don’t like it. This is great news for allergy sufferers. It seems the lanoline in wool is a natural deterrent and with no crumbling resinous fibres, there is nowhere for dust mites to accumulate.

• Excellent heat regulator. People often associate wool with overheating. This may be true of cheaper, resinous wool products but not of pure fleece wool, which allows air to flow naturally and is an excellent insulator. Cool in summer, warm in winter…

• Fire resistant. Fleece wool is difficult to ignite and does not char or melt, making it safe for children - without the need for hazardous fire-retardant chemicals.

• Excellent wicking qualities. Wool readily absorbs bodily moisture at night and dissipates it naturally into the atmosphere by day. This quality is especially important for those suffering from rheumatism and arthritis.

• It’s a bio-degradable, renewable resource. Sheep have to be shorn, every year.

Great news for allergy sufferers
Many people suffering from allergies and a wide range of degenerative diseases, have yet to make the connection between their disease and the bedding they are using.

Those who are most in need of healing are often sleeping on bacteria-ridden old mattresses and pillows, and in synthetic (polyester) sheets, blankets and quilts.

Mr. Handiman reports: "These products are a recipe for sickness. As any Kinesiologist will explain, our body simply does not like being around them. They are stressful to our body and long-term stress leads to sickness, in one form or another.

The other problem with synthetic substances is that they "out-gas". The chemicals in them vaporise, especially when exposed to bodily heat. What this means is that while we are trying to rest and heal, we are actually breathing in and absorbing through our skin, traces of chemicals that can make us ill.

Almost every day at Blesses Earth we have someone telling us that they just spent $000’s on a synthetic mattress that they feel agitated on, or are overheating on. Latex, especially, causes overheating. It might be a natural substance when it comes out of the rubber tree, but it then has to be heated at great temperatures, triple-filtered to get the smell out, and then perforated to enable some sort of air flow.

Natural fibres, such as cotton and wool, are what our body loves. Here are the bedding solutions we offer to those seeking an all-natural alternative:"

Mattresses: Wool mattresses are extremely comfortable and when properly constructed, maintain that comfort for many years. Organic cotton mattresses tend to be firmer but are often chosen by those who have extreme chemical sensitivities. The mattress needs to be covered in an organic cotton fabric.

Futons: The American ‘FutonLife’ magazine reports: "If you have ever heard the expression "sleeping on a cloud," and you wanted to actually feel that sensation, then the all-wool futon is for you. The cost of wool is high but the quality of the finished product makes it a viable and superior alternative to other materials."

Toppers: A wool topper is about 4cm thick and is the ideal choice for those who have a tired old mattress they are not ready to throw out. It is luxurious and also protects a new wool or cotton mattress. Wool toppers are easily aired and are great for convalescents.

Pillows: Wool maintains it’s resilience for years, while cotton tends to pack down more. It’s a matter of personal preference.

Quilts: Organic cotton or wool quilts breathe wonderfully well, while providing snugness and warmth.

Protectors: Tightly woven organic cotton covers for mattresses and pillows act as a barrier against house dust mites.

Sheets: Must be 100% organic cotton, as conventional cotton has been treated with so many chemicals. Avoid any polyester content.

With so many wonderful organic cotton and wool products now on the Australian market, there is no excuse for having bedding that is not made from organic, natural fibres.

Good health is our greatest asset.
Organic cotton and wool products might cost a little more, but the extra cost is far outweighed by the wonderful benefits to our health and sense of wellbeing.