Marilee Nelson, co-founder of natural cleaning supply brand Branch Basics, recently let us in on a little secret: Toxins from your laundry detergent might actually be affecting the way you sleep from breathing in the fragrances on your clothes and sheets. “Toxic, fragranced laundry products can significantly undermine your sleep through increased exposure to harmful chemicals that have been linked to asthma, endocrine disruption, cancer, neurological issues, metabolic disruption, and obesity,” she says. And what you may not realize is that out of all the cleaning products on the market, the chemicals in your detergents, dryer sheets, and fabric softeners are considered the most toxic as they are filled with neurotoxic chemicals that affect your brain. “Chemicals from laundry products that are neurotoxic in the fabric of your pajamas, sheets, and pillowcases enter the body through contact with the skin and also through your lungs,” she says. “These chemicals then go to the limbic system of the brain and ’excite’ your nervous system, which causes some people to feel stressed, anxious, depressed, and agitated resulting in sleep disturbances, nightmares, and insomnia.” If you struggle with easily falling asleep, Nelson suggests that the first step to testing your air quality in your home and bedroom is to remove and replace your cleaning supplies, specifically your laundry products. Because even if they’re stored in a cabinet, the toxins still have a way of seeping into your home’s air during storage and usage. “Think about it, these chemicals accompany you 24/7 through your skin and your lungs as you wear your clothes, dry off after a shower, and sleep in pajamas under your sheets, so using conventional laundry products or even so called ’non-toxic’ laundry detergents with synthetic fragrances are such dangerous health offenders,” Nelson says. In order to make sure your body can fully rest, rejuvenate, and restore the way it’s made to, there are a few natural detergents we suggest you try first. You can easily shop all of our top picks below. To buy: $59; branchbasics.com. To buy: $19; amazon.com. To buy: $13; walmart.com. To buy: $18; amazon.com. To buy: $19; amazon.com. To buy: $14; amazon.com.
