Memory Foam

Memory Foam

Viscoelastic (memory) foam is a chemical product that is not biodegradable and as such, it is not environmentally friendly.
It does not breathe like natural latex, which translates to a more stuffy and sticky sleeping environment.
Memory foam easily retains moisture and is an environment prone to dust mites and molds, leaving allergy sufferers sniffing and congested during what should be the most restful time of the day.
Being far less resilient than natural latex, viscoelastic foam has a lifespan of only about 10 years, meaning it will need to be replaced twice as often.
Memory foam also retains excessive heat and causes a trapping effect that can make it hard to turn or get out of bed.

What is that smell in Memory Foam?

It is the off-gassing of toxic chemicals and is noticeably strong for weeks to months. This has been known to cause headaches and other severe health reactions in people who sleep on them. Get more information on the health effects of memory foam and conventional mattresses: http://www.chem-tox.com/guest/guestbook.html

Hi! I've been researching the toxicity of Tempur-pedic beds. I read in www.chem-tox that OKO Test, a magazine in Germany rated Tempur-pedic as the most toxic of all foam beds. OKO Test threatened to sue the company for using such toxic materials. Because of this Tempur-pedic changed the materials used in their beds sold in Germany but not anywhere else. (According to Wikipedia, OKO Test has only lost one lawsuit ever!) I would like to get a copy of this product test and results but I dont read German. I would like to know the truth about the toxicity of this bed! I slept on this mattress while I was pregnant and co-slept with my baby for almost two years!!!

I've read that researchers are finding high levels of concentrated toxins in breastmilk because of the chemicals used in mattresses. I am upset that this product is being sold to innocent people who have no idea what they are sleeping on. My husband and I splurged on this expensive bed because we thought we were buying a mattress that was healthy for us; our bodies would feel more rested because of the memory foam. And to have the NASA connection to it was a plus! We had no idea NASA does not even endorse it! Through my research, I read that the offgassing was too high to pass their tests. But NASA did do the research on it, so Tempur-pedic uses their name to imply that they endorse it. Tempur-pedic should be sued for using false advertisement!! At the very least, people should be warned of the risks of offgassing chemicals in these mattresses. My research, thus far, leads me to believe pregnant women and infants should not be sleeping on this bed! I would like to get to the bottom of this. If you have any info on Tempur-pedic mattresses, have access to OKO Test issues March and September 2004, or know how to read German, please email me. I want proof that this mattress is unhealthy so I can return it. Most importantly, I'd like to inform pregnant mommies not sleep on these toxic beds. Please help. Thanks so much

Heart Attack Symptoms - Hospital Visit - Strange Dreams & Depression

Outgassing from our new ComfortAir Celenia adjustable air mattress ($1695.00) gave me false symptoms of a heart attack. It came on gradually over a couple days (after going to the hospital). I felt better the next day, until I came home from the hospital. Moving the bed outside did the trick (symptoms gone). I realized a couple days later that I had more than just physical symptoms. The night before my "attack," I had brightly colored strange dreams and that I was depressed for the next couple days (unusual for me), and the depression lifted within twenty-four hours of moving the mattress outside. There is a thorough discussion of "Idiopathic environmental intolerances" at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology web site: http://www.aaaai.org/media/resources/academy_statements/position_statements/ps35.asp.
Orlando, Florida
Email: dhleake@juno.com
January 4, 2006

One cause of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) may be from exposure to toxic chemicals being emitted from crib mattresses.

Crib mattresses off-gas many toxic chemicals similar to adult mattresses (they are made from polyvinyl chloride [pvc], polyurethane, etc.). They also contain phosphorus, arsenic, and antimony compounds as preservatives and fire retardants. Toxic nerve gasses (phosphine, arsine, and stibine) can be emitted because of interactions with these chemicals and cause anticholinesterase poisoning and cardiac failure in infants. These chemicals are linked to SIDS; in fact, Richardson (1994) and Taylor (1996) found high levels of antimony in the blood and livers of babies who died from SIDS. An article in Midwifery Today goes into detail as well as explaining how these chemicals in crib mattress may be related to other SIDS risk factors (Quinn, 2002). To read this article, go to: http://www.midwiferytoday.com/articles/bedding.asp?a=1&r=1&e=1&q=sids+crib+mattress.

However, there has been some revolt against the conclusion that baby mattresses can cause SIDS (see, for example, Mitchell, Fitzpatrick, & Waters, 1998). As with most things, the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle; toxic chemicals in crib mattresses may be one of the many causes of SIDS. Either way, most parents are not willing to risk it.

See also http://www.jeffreywarber.com/hc%20pages/sids.html for more information on SIDS.