This is a post written in collaboration with PlushBeds—an Elephant Mindful Partner. We’re honored to work with PlushBeds—dedicated to giving you the truly healthy sleep you deserve and need. ~ ed.

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“Sleep is the best form of meditation.” ~ The Dalai Lama

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Good sleep is the foundation for the rest of our lives.

If you’ve ever struggled with sleep for whatever reason, from insomnia to having small children in your life, you’ll know that pretty much nothing else works without it.

When we’re not well-rested, everything is harder. And, although most of us can cope alright with a night or two of poor sleep, the knock-on effect on our bodies, minds, and spirits starts to become pretty noticeable after much longer than that.

And it’s not only how many hours we’re getting, it’s also the quality of our sleep that is important. And, small children aside (sorry, parents), there’s a lot we can do to improve that.

Here are five secrets to healthy sleep, from the caring folks at PlushBeds who make it their mission to give us the best shot at a perfect night’s sleep, night after night. Integrate these tips into your life and watch your sleep quality and overall health and well-being improve:

>> Get $100 off PlushBeds Botanical Bliss Organic Latex Mattress with code: Elephant100 <<

1. Practice Gratitude

Practicing gratitude can bring about bigger changes and benefits than you realize. One of the benefits is quality sleep. Start a gratitude journal and write down all of the things you are thankful for, each night before you go to bed. Just taking a few minutes to even write down one or two things before sleep softens our minds and hearts and lets us drift off on a good note. When we practice gratitude, we worry less and sleep more soundly all night.

2. Be Mindful of Diet & Exercise Habits

Eating and/or exercising too close to bedtime can impact our quality of sleep and keep us awake all night. Keep evening meals light and reduce your caffeine and alcohol intake during this time. Also, exercise in the morning or afternoon and allow your body to wind down for a few hours before bedtime. This will help you to get the quality sleep you need and deserve.

3. Detox your Bedroom

Your bedroom should be a comfortable and healthy oasis so that you can rest easy. Here are some ways to detox your sleep sanctuary:

>> Choose cool, soothing colors for walls.

>> Use organic or natural bedding.

>> Keep your bedroom at a cool temperature (60 to 67 degrees).

>> Add plants for natural air purification. (Snake plants, spider plants, bamboo palms, peace lilies, and rubber trees are all great for this.)

>> Remove laptops and mobile phones from your bedroom.

 

4. Sleep on an Organic Mattress

We spend one-third of our lives sleeping on and snuggling up to our mattresses. Sleeping on a chemical free, organic mattress, allows us to get the quality sleep we need and deserve.~

“Organic” Mattress Materials

A latex mattress that is made with truly organic and healthy materials, has both the Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS) and Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certifications:

>> GOLS applies to organic latex.

>> GOTS applies to the organic cotton cover and wool.

>> Both apply rigorous standards to ensure the materials and products are organic.

>> The entire production chain is certified, from the USDA certified organic raw materials, to the manufacturing and final product.

>> GOLS and GOTS also cover fair trade and labor practices, and the environmental impact of the manufacturing process along the way.

An organic latex mattress that has both GOLS and GOTS certifications is truly the healthiest and safest mattress you can buy. PlushBeds Botanical Bliss organic latex mattress has both.

>> Get $100 off PlushBeds Botanical Bliss Organic Latex Mattress with code: Elephant100 <<

“Natural” Mattress Materials

When we think of the word “natural,” we think of something that is healthy and chemical free. This is not always the case in the mattress industry. The FTC doesn’t define the word “natural” for mattresses and it is often used pretty recklessly.

For example, a mattress that’s advertised as “natural” may contain only a small amount of “natural” material and the rest of the mattress may be made up of polyurethane foam, chemical filled adhesives to glue the layers together and/or chemical flame retardants. Not ingredients for a healthy night’s sleep by any stretch of the imagination!

Also some “natural latex” is actually a composite: which is natural latex (made from rubber tree sap) and blended or synthetic latex (made from petrochemicals) mixed together.

If there is “natural” latex in your mattress that is not GOLS certified organic latex, then it is most likely one of these and Oeko-Tex or Eco-Institut certified.

These are not organic certifications.

They are safety and emissions certifications, for chemicals in raw, semi-finished, and finished textiles. They do not cover organic farming and production methods, fair trade and labor practices, or the environmental impact of the manufacturing process, like GOLS and GOTS. They also do not test the complete mattress for harmful substances and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), like the GreenGuard Gold certification.

“Eco-Friendly” or “Green” Mattress Materials

There are also “eco-friendly” or “green” mattress materials. The FTC doesn’t define these terms for mattresses, and they are also used loosely.

“Eco-Friendly” and/or “green” mattresses typically contain unhealthy ingredients. For example, “soy foam” (also known as eco-foam, soy-based foam, plant-based foam, or green foam) is actually petrochemical-based polyurethane foam, with a small amount of plant-based essential oils added.

Most of these mattresses also contain dangerous chemicals, including: polyurethane foam, adhesives, chemical flame retardants, petroleum, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, formaldehyde, polyols, toluene diisocyanates, and more.

The chemicals in your mattress off gas and disperse into the air in your home, which you then breathe in.

The chemicals remain in your body and blood stream for years, which may cause damage to your nervous system, kidneys and liver, as well as developmental problems, cancer, neurological deficits, heart disease, hormonal changes, and reduced fertility. I don’t know about you, but that’s enough to make me lose even more sleep over!

Only a correctly certified organic mattress can give you true peace of mind and total confidence in a natural, healthy night’s sleep, with no chemicals or VOCs to worry about—giving you and your family the truly healthy sleeping experience, that you and they deserve and need.

PlushBeds Botanical Bliss organic latex mattress has GOLS, GOTS, Oeko-Tex Standard 100, and GreenGuard Gold Certifications.

>> Get $100 off PlushBeds Botanical Bliss Organic Latex Mattress with code: Elephant100 <<

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Each PlushBeds Botanical Bliss mattress is handcrafted in the U.S.A., with the finest quality organic materials. This translates to luxurious comfort, cushioned support, soothing pressure relief, and a truly healthy sleeping experience for anyone resting their head on one.

To be 100% clear on what all these certifications mean:

GOLS: PlushBeds Botanical Bliss organic latex mattress is made with the finest quality GOLS certified organic latex. PlushBeds is actually America’s largest distributor of the world’s finest ARPICO certified organic latex. ARPICO’s certified organic latex is made using only organically-grown, milky-white latex sap tapped from the rubber tree, grown on certified organic plantations, without chemicals, fertilizers, or pesticides.

GOTS: PlushBeds Botanical Bliss organic latex mattress cover is made with Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified organic cotton and wool. GOTS is the world’s leading processing standard for textiles made from organic fibers. It defines high-level environmental criteria, along the entire organic textiles supply chain. It requires compliance with social criteria as well.

Oeko-Tex Standard 100: PlushBeds Botanical Bliss organic latex mattress is also Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified. Oeko-Tex Standard 100 is a rigorous, worldwide, consistent, independent testing and certification system for harmful chemicals in raw, semi-finished, and finished textile products at all processing levels.

GreenGuard Gold: All of PlushBeds mattresses are GreenGuard Gold Certified. This is the world’s most rigorous third-party testing and chemical emissions standards for VOCs. The testing includes advanced dynamic environmental chamber tests for VOCs and emissions testing for over 360 chemicals. To maintain GreenGuard Gold certification, all products are tested and re-certified every 90 days.

When you purchase a PlushBeds organic mattress, you’re not just buying a mattress, you’re making an investment in your health and well-being.

5. Create Healthy Bedtime Rituals

When we create consistent and healthy bedtime rituals, our minds and bodies can adapt and learn when it is time to shut down for the night. Our favorite healthy bedtime rituals include:

>> taking a soothing bath
>> listening to relaxing music
>> meditating, even if just for a few minutes
>> doing some gentle stretching or quiet bedtime yoga
>> drinking decaffeinated or herbal tea (chamomile and valerian root are especially sleep-friendly)

Healthy bedtime rituals help to clear our minds before bedtime, so that you can have sweeter dreams and truly nourishing, peaceful night’s sleep.

Try these tips today to get the quality sleep you deserve, wake feeling refreshed, and watch your overall health and well-being improve.

>> Get $100 off PlushBeds Botanical Bliss Organic Latex Mattress with code: Elephant100 <<

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Editor: Khara-Jade Warren
Cover image: WhiteDarkness/DeviantArt

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