The bedroom is designed to be our refuge. It’s the place where we can recharge, de-stress from the outside world, and it’s where our bodies do the most of it’s healing (during sleep). Given that we spend roughly 26 years of our lifetime in our beds alone, giving your room a deep clean-out isn’t a horrible idea.
Recent research is showing how our bedrooms host a number of potential health-damaging toxins. Between VOC’s from our beds and furnitures, chemicals in bedding, electromagnetic radiation pollution from our wireless technology, and mold in the air are just a few of the factors that can cause long-term health implications. Since it’s almost impossible to detect these toxins from the naked eye, research is starting to link these toxins to a host of health issues, including fatigue, respiratory conditions, insomnia and more.
No matter how clean your room may seem, a full-bedroom detox is great way to make your bedroom the health sanctuary it’s meant to be. Having a toxin-free bedroom will enable your mind and body to regenerate while sleeping without any disturbances.
Here’s our checklist on how to detox your bedroom room for optimal health.
Detox Your Bedroom Lighting
What kind of lightbulbs are you using? It’s probably a good idea to remove one and take a look if you haven’t already. Traditional, or “old-school,” incandescent light bulbs (like these) are considered the safest to use. The one downside to using incandescent bolts is that they’re not as energy-efficient as LED lights. Although, newer, more energy-efficient bulbs like LED alters the electricity in the house, which unfortunately produces dirty electricity and ultimately EMF radiation.
Unlike incandescent bulbs (which are more yellow/orange in color), LED and CFL bulbs produce blue light, which has been shown to suppress melatonin production – aka, the hormone responsible for regulating quality sleep and wakefulness.
Detox your bedroom’s lighting by swapping LED lights for incandescent bulbs. Open your blinds and use natural light as much as possible to keep your circadian rhythm on point. And when you need to use blue light, make sure to wear blue light blocking glasses when possible. how to detox your room
De-clutter By Sorting Through Everything
Are you the type to have clutter in your room? We’ll re-phrase this question: everyone has clutter in their room, but do you have trouble getting rid of un-useful items? No matter how organized you are, getting rid of clutter will free up space physically and mentally.
More free space = less dust buildup = clean air = mental clarity. It also allows you to practice the thought process of what you truly need and love.
In 2009, researchers at UCLA found that mothers who labeled themselves as having “cluttered” homes showed a stress hormone profile indicative of chronic stress. The moms studied were also more depressed during the day, were tired in the evenings and had difficulty transitioning from work to home.
Use the Four-Box Method to declutter. Get four boxes and label them: trash, give away, keep, or re-locate. Go through every item in your room, no matter how insignificant you may think it is. This may take some time, but it will help you see how many items you really own and you’ll know exactly what to do with each item.how to detox your room
Refresh your bedding
When was the last time you treated yourself to a new set of sheets? If you can’t remember, it might be time to invest in your sleep situation.
If you’re not trying to splurge this month, give our sheets and pillows a good wash with quality, non-toxic detergent to refreshen your bed. But if you’re down to treat yourself, purchase a quality, toxin-free set of sheets to sleep on.
As natural products are on the rise, companies often use the term ‘organic’ when labeling products. But keep in mind, fabric fibers may be grown organically but often are processed with toxic chemicals. ‘Wrinkle free’ and ‘permanent press’ products are usually treated with formaldehyde resin, a known carcinogen. Given that we spend roughly one third of our lifetime on our bed, it’s important that we stay clear of pesticides and harmful chemicals. So what should you look for when buying sheets?
Oeko-Tex is a solid certification system that’s operated by a network of labs that test for harmful substances known to be harmful to our health. They also test for color fading and acidity as a precautionary measure to safeguard health at every stage of production. The intended use of the textiles determines the stringency of the tests – the more prolonged and direct contact the textile will have with skin, the more demanding the requirements. All components of the product are required comply with these standards, including the thread, lining, buttons, etc.
Another label to look out for is the The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). GOTS is the worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibers and is backed up by independent certification of the entire textile supply chain. If you find a GOTS label on a product, it’s typically worth trusting.
If you’re shopping for clean bedding, we 100% recommend Sijo Home as our trusted clean, non-toxic bedding that doesn’t break the bank. hoe to detox your bedroom
Sleep on a healthy mattress
What year did you purchase your mattress? If it’s over 10 years old (or if you’ve been ignoring the sag in the middle of it), it’s probably time you get a new, non-toxic mattress.
If you’re happy with what you got, remove your sheets and bedding, give them a wash, and let your mattress air out for a good portion of the day (the longer, the better.) For a deeper clean, sprinkle some baking soda over your mattress and let it sit for a few hours. Baking soda breaks down acid and absorbs moisture and odor. Open your windows and shine light on the bed – the sun’s UV rays help kill any mold or bacteria on the mattress.
But if you’re in the market for a new bed, don’t pull the trigger on a name-brand mattress until you do your research. The majority of mattresses out there are off-gassing harmful chemicals, such as flame retardants, heavy metals, formaldehyde and more. If you’re ready to take the next step, check out our mattress guide to help navigate what to look – and look out – for.
Here’s our cheat sheet: just splurge on an Avocado Mattress.
Check for dirty electricity
One of the best things you can do to detox your bedroom is to reduce dirty electricity. Also known as High-Frequency Voltage Transients, dirty electric are surges of electricity that are unusable. This unusable dirty electricity spreads through the existing wiring in your home and to other buildings, emitting harmful EMF radiation. While still being studied, EMF radiation has been linked to:
- Fatigue
- insomnia
- Headaches
- Mood Swings
- Heart Arrhythmia
- Ashma
- Fertility Issues
- Memory Problems
Products that produce the most dirty electricity:
- light dimmers
- CFL bulbs
- laptops
- wireless routers
- bluetooth devices
So how do you find out if you have dirty electricity in your home? You get an EMF meter – an invaluable tool for making your home a safe place to live. A good smart meter (like this one) will show you a reading for magnetic fields and electric fields. You’ll be able to tell what kind – and how much – of radiation is coming from the devices in your home. Once you see which outlets produce the most dirty electricity, plug in a filter (such as these Stetzer Filters) to help lower electricity to safe levels.
Other ways to lower dirty electricity in the home:
- turn off wifi at night (or when it’s not in use)
- use battery operated devices over plug-in devices
- limit bluetooth usage in the house and bedroom
- don’t sleep next to your cell phonehow to detox your room
Use a quality air purifier
As often as we may clean our room, it’s inevitable that dust and VOC’s are floating through our bedroom air. And if you’re living in an older home or in a rainy environment, there’s a good chance your house has mold. Given the potential health effects of living in a space with mold and poor air quality, investing in a good air purifier is worth it for your health.
We’re a big fan of Molekule’s air purifiers because they’re 1. good for pet owners, 2. work better than standard HEPA filters (which often leak pollutants back into the air) and 3. Are sleek and stylish. Read our Molekule review here.
Best practices to detox your bedroom
- Keep the bed for bed stuff. And we mean sleep, sex, and relaxation only. By not eating, working, watching TV, or using your electronics in bed, your brain will learn to associate the bedroom with just bed stuff, making it easier to wind down at night.
- Take off your shoes before entering the bedroom (or house, if you can) to keep your space as clean as possible.
- Minimize electronic time in the bedroom. Keep the living room for TV and electronic time to keep as much blue light out of the bedroom as possible.
- Vacuum and dust frequently to keep air fresh and to suck up VOC’s, dust mites and pet dander.
- Use *clean* cleaners. We love Grove’s selection of non-toxic cleaning supplies.
- Use non-toxic detergents for your sheets. (We’re big fans of The Laundress right now.)
- Diffuse refreshing scents. Lavender is a great scent for winding down. But if you’re looking for an uplifting scent, add some sweet orange + lavender to your diffuser.
- Open the windows to let in fresh air and natural light.
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