We know copper makes the best mugs for Moscow mules and serves us well as the one-cent coin, but it’s so much more than that.
As the third-most prevalent trace mineral in the body, copper is crucial for a fully functioning human being. And yet, we often forget about its many health benefits — like how some studies suggest it can play a role in preventing hypertension or in developing unique neural pathways, or its importance in the regulation of melanin production.
While you typically get the copper your body needs from various foods and supplements, there’s another way to incorporate the must-have element into your lifestyle.
As you’ve probably guessed by now — it’s with a copper mattress.
Why Would You Infuse a Mattress with Copper?
Fair question. Now, of course a copper mattress isn’t going to affect your body in the same way a copper supplement would (because you aren’t ingesting your mattress… or at least we hope you aren’t). But there are a handful of mattress manufacturers who use copper-infused textiles or foams for two major reasons:
- Copper is an excellent conductor of heat.
- It’s antimicrobial, as well as antibacterial.
There are some mattresses companies that suggest copper has anti-inflammatory, collagen-building and antiosteo-arthritis properties as well. But there isn’t enough evidence yet to suggest that sleeping on a copper mattress will have a positive impact in these areas.
So for now, let’s stick to its thermal and antimicrobial benefits.
Copper’s Thermal Conductivity and Your Mattress
If you’re thinking, “Ugh, as if I want my mattress to be any hotter,” — just hold your horses.
The incredibly high thermal conductivity of copper does not mean that copper retains heat. Rather, heat passes through the metal quite quickly, thereby dissipating heat away from the source.
So what does that mean when it comes to your mattress?
Well, let’s take a look at Bear’s Hybrid mattress lineup as an example. Some mattresses may weave copper filaments into the textile fibers, whereas other mattresses, like the Elite Hybrid and Bear Hybrid, infuse an entire layer of foam with copper. Either way, you’re going to see a difference in your sleeping temperature.
In both the Elite Hybrid and Bear Hybrid mattresses, the copper-infused foam is also a comfort layer. Given its thermal conductivity properties, the copper in this layer will draw your body heat and whisk it away — helping reduce your body’s temperature for a more comfortable sleep, all night long.
Copper’s Antimicrobial Properties and Your Mattress
There are certain things about mattresses that most of us choose not to think about — like how they can be a breeding ground for dust mites, bacteria and, well, other gross stuff.
It’s unpleasant, but it happens.
Of course, there are measures many of us take to ward off bacteria, allergens and other microbes, such as using a mattress protector. But what if your mattress could also ward off these unwanted microbes, leaving your protector to prevent damage from spills and other mishaps?
Well, that’s just another benefit of copper-infused mattresses. Copper naturally eliminates or repels harmful microbes and bacteria, and when bonded with textiles, copper ions will inhibit the growth of these unwanted tiny beings.
In fact, copper has long been used as lining in ships to prevent the growth of barnacles and mussels, and many copper alloys can kill a wide range of harmful microbes rapidly. In 2008, the EPA registered five copper-containing alloy products, allowing them to be marketed with the label “kills 99.9% of bacteria within two hours.” For this reason, copper is often used in hospitals and doctor’s offices on door handles and other high-contact surfaces to prevent the spread of disease.
So, when used in a mattress, copper creates a naturally antiviral and antibacterial environment — which can be great for people who are allergic or sensitive to chemical antibacterial treatments some mattress and textile manufacturers use.
But whether you’re allergy-prone or not, using a copper-infused mattress is incredibly beneficial when it comes to protecting yourself from harmful viruses and bacteria. (Plus, less icky build-up means a longer lifespan for your mattress!)
Turn to Copper for a Naturally Cool and Clean Sleep
Any chemist or doctor would tell you that copper has fantastic benefits in technology, health, and other industries — and mattresses are just the latest in a long list of products and materials that make the most of its physical and chemical properties.
Specifically, mattresses with copper provide a natural way to create a cooler, cleaner sleeping environment.
And who doesn’t want that?
