"Is Your Mattress Releasing Toxins While You Sleep?" - Dennis Thompson
Most people consider their bed a safe haven, but new research suggests your body heat might trigger the release of potentially harmful chemicals from your mattress. Mattresses are known to release minute amounts of gaseous chemicals called volatile organic compounds. These VOCs come mainly from the polyurethane used in the mattress, but also from other chemicals used in flame retardants and plastics. According to Sarah Evans, PhD, assistant professor of environmental medicine and public health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai who was not involved in the study, the mattresses had been allowed to air out for at least six months prior to the study. “Often we think, well, if you let something air out for a little while, you can dramatically reduce the level of chemicals that are off-gassed. In this case, even after six months they still saw appreciable levels of off-gassing."
— Sarah F. Evans, PhD, Assistant Professor, Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Additional coverage: U.S. News & World Report; WebMD