I am very aware that sleep is an important aspect of healthy living, but for whatever reason I had never really given much thought to the surface we were sleeping on…
Isaac’s parents bought him a Tempur-Pedic mattress in college and when we moved in together it became the master bedroom mattress. Tempur-Pedics are thought to be the crème de la crème of the mattress world so I was excited to have one. It was definitely the firmest mattress I have ever slept on, but I got used to it quickly and we slept pretty well except for a couple issues:
For whatever reason we never thought our issues were related to our mattress or considered the fact that a different mattress might help UNTIL last year when intelliBED reached out to me. They provided a ton of info about how their intelli-GEL reduces pressure, sleeps cool and is made with non-toxic materials. Everything sounded great, but I wasn’t fully sold until I started doing my own research.
I was honestly shocked to learn how regular mattresses are made, the chemicals used to make them flame retardant and the off-gassing. Here’s the short version — most mattresses are made with either memory foam or innerspring technology and both usually include polyurethane foam, a highly flammable product often referred to as “sold gasoline.” Due to this foam and government laws, fire-retardant chemicals are applied to most mattresses. This is why most mattress stink to high heaven when you first open them and companies tell you to let the mattress “air-out” for a couple days before sleeping on it. The smell goes away, but the chemicals are still there. Not only are the chemicals bad for the environment, but we are literally inhaling and absorbing these chemicals into our body every night. Ugh!
Mattress toxicity research has primarily focused on groups of people who require more sleep due to age and/or condition — specifically infants, children and pregnant women. However, the potential harm (from off-gassing from synthetic materials and flame retardants) can affect everyone, no matter what age. Here’s some info from the intelliBED website:
After about six months of doing my own research I agreed to try out an intelliBED mattress. If within 60 days Isaac and I decided we didn’t like it, we were free to return it so there was no pressure.
A company representative recommended we go with the Motion Damping model since it was similar to a Tempur-Pedic in terms of alleviating partner movement and great alignment support. The mattress arrived in March so we’ve been sleeping on it for about four months now.
There was no chemical smell when the mattress arrived and as soon as I tested it out I knew I was going to love it. I still laugh because I remember the text I sent Isaac the day it arrived —> “The new bed is here and it feels like a big cloud.”
Here’s a quick video explaining how the intelli-GEL layer works! It does a much better job than I could. 🙂
The fact that it’s non-toxic is awesome and something I was really excited about BUT the truly amazing aspects came after sleeping on the mattress a few months.
Needless to say, we are firm believers in the intelliBED. Not only does it provide a comfortable, non-toxic surface to sleep on but the fact that it sleeps cool and relieves pressure points has dramatically improved our sleep health. I’m honestly so happy with our choice to try intelliBED and would recommend the mattress to anyone — especially folks dealing with sleep issues, scoliosis, back pain or night sweats.
After learning so much about mattresses and seeing how big of a change a mattress can make, I’ve been telling anyone that will listen about our experience. In general mattresses are pricey and intelliBED mattresses are no different (a queen size mattress will run you around $3,500) but I’m a firm believer in investing in quality items that will last rather than spending less on an item that will break down in a few years and possibly affect your health in a negative way. You actually save yourself money in the long run! Plus, the intelliBED mattresses come with a 30 year warranty and the company offers a 60-day risk-free trial period! I should also note that if a mattress isn’t in your budget right now they also offer intelli-GEL mattress toppers which are really reasonably priced.
Because I liked the mattress so much I asked intelliBED if we could partner together for a special offer. They agreed and I’m now able to offer friends, family and my readers a special deal. Anyone that uses the code EatingBirdFood (or mentions Eating Bird Food when checking out via the phone) a 10% discount on their purchase and a special gift — a free Organic Wool Comforter from Holy Lamb Organics (a $405 value). This special promo will last from today until August 16th.
Have you ever given much thought to the mattress you sleep on? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Full disclosure: I was gifted an intelliBED mattress. I was not required or compensated to write this post, however there are affiliate links within. As always, opinions are my own and I only share products that I LOVE and would recommend to my closest family and friends.
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Looking at a new mattress so very interested in your article. Did you look at Tempur pedic ones/ Natural latex and compare?
I was reading about your mattress and when yuo wrote about the intellibed, I clicked on 2 of the links and there was nothing there. Is this just an error or did you end up finding fault with the bed after all and removed the link?
Nope, the link might just be inactive since this post was from 5 years ago. Here’s the link to their website: https://www.intellibed.com/.
Finally! Someone who gets it…
Ten years ago I had invested in the Tempur-Pedic ‘Grand’ bed. I was in heaven comfort-wise, but in Hades with the off-gassing. I had a couple of conversations with Tempur-Pedic about what they use and what chemicals may be in it. They would divulge nothing, stating proprietary formulation. Fortunately, I had an intelligent representative who heard me about my health concerns and issues. The bed nearly killed me. Even though I was outside the 120 day trial period (I had actually given it a year), they considered the mattress defective because it should not have been smelling any longer. They sent out a replacement free of charge. The smell process started all over again. Tempur-Pedic sent out a truck to pick it up and fully refunded me the cost (about $6k), less $150 for shipping. As a company, I cannot complain about their integrity.
This put me on the hunt for a new, healthy bed option. At the time (2009), I never came across the IntelliBed brand (did it exist back then?). I did find an organic 100% latex mattress and topper. The cost is about the same as IntelliBed, but so worth it. Completely springless, antibacterial and antimicrobial, and lasts for 20-30 years. Unfortunately, it is not for everyone because of it being latex. It did have a rubber type odor that quickly went away. But it is an option.
I am glad I read your article. I have friends who cannot do latex, and now I have something to refer them to….
Can you send me a link where you find the information about what mattresses are made of and how they are toxic or nontoxic? We also have a tempurpedic and I sleep horrible. Achy all the time but just thought it was too firm. Now I’m wondering.
I agree Tempurpedic mattresses can heat up if one person generates too much body heat. I solved this by sleeping under separate sheet and/or blanket.
Tempurpedic toxic? How? I thought it was made of nature rubber latex. My Tempurpedic is now 10 years old and I cannot find any info on the type of foam that is Tempurpedic firm bed.