Did you know that your mattress and bedding are some of the most important components of your health? Conventional mattresses are often made from petroleum-based polyurethane foam and sprayed with toxic flame retardants. Instead of healing and restoring while we sleep, we can end up breathing in chemicals all night long.

While toxins are an inevitable part of modern life, my family has decided to take steps to mitigate exposure, particularly where we spend one-third of our lives—sleeping.

Starting Small: Switching Our Bedding

Because better-quality, natural products are an investment, we started with small, manageable swaps.

Sheets – We chose organic cotton and linen for everyday use.

Duvet – While I love a down duvet, we splurged on a wool duvet a couple of years ago, and I can’t recommend it enough. It keeps you warm in the winter, cool in the summer, and never loses its shape like down does.

These changes alone created a noticeable difference in comfort and peace of mind.

Healthier Sleep for the Kids

Replacing full mattresses for our kids wasn’t realistic since theirs were still relatively new. But with research, I found a practical solution:

Latex/Wool Mattress Toppers – Adding a topper substantially reduces exposure to harmful chemicals.

Latex Pillows – Free from endocrine disruptors, natural latex and wool are two of the healthiest materials you can sleep on.

We top their beds with linen sheets, and while we’ll eventually upgrade their mattresses, these steps made their sleep environment healthier right away.

Our Mattress Upgrade: Obasan

When it came time to replace our own mattress, I went deep into researching GOTS and GOLS certified organic mattresses. After comparing options, we chose the Obasan Mattress with the Deluxe Wool & Latex Topper—and it’s been life-changing.

-No foam, no coils, no chemicals—just natural latex and wool.

-Incredible joint and pressure relief. (I used to wake up with sore hips—no more!)

-Breathable, supportive, and sustainably made in Canada.

We also switched to their shredded rubber pillows, which I can’t recommend enough. They provide the right amount of support and are a far healthier alternative to foam or petroleum-based pillows.

Ready to Start Your Healthier Sleep Journey?

If you’re thinking of making the switch, here are a few resources we personally use and recommend:

Obasan Mattress, Topper & Shredded Rubber Pillow → Obasan.ca/TURNERFARM
Use code TURNERFARM for 20% off any Obasan pillow.
(Bonus: If you order a custom mattress, they’ll toss in free pillows when you contact them directly.)

Wool Duvet (my four-season favourite – use code TURNERFARM) → Home of Wool

Linen Sheets → Silk & Snow – reasonably priced and good quality

Bed Frame → Wayfair

Cotton Quilt & Shams → West Elm

Linen Curtains → Two Pages Curtains

(Not all affiliate links—just products we love and use in our own home.)