30 Things You Didn't Know About Beds
Thirty Things You Didn’t Know About Beds
The bed is the place that is all yours, the place where you relax away the cares of the day and find the rest that your body has been longing for all day. The bed has come a long way since its humble beginnings. It has been reinvented time and time again with different mattresses and continues to evolve as people demand a higher end of comfort, support, and catering to their needs. Though you may feel that you know your bed, there are many things that you do not know about this piece of furniture that we all rely on to achieve sleep.
The First Bed was not so humble.
1. One of the first beds was not so humble a piece of furniture. It was actually quite huge and much larger than you can even imagine. Measuring in at a whopping 18 feet by 12 feet long, this bed could hold as many as 65 sleepers. Can you imagine sleeping with 65 other people at night?
Tutankahmun’s bed was crafted from gold.
2. How would it feel to sleep in a bed that was made entirely of gold and ebony? This is no twin mattress! Tutankahmun had this bed to sleep in every night. While his subjects were made to sleep on palm branches, he slept in the ultimate in luxury.
King Tut’s bed – Thirty Things You Didn’t Know About Beds, Source: BBC
The first waterbed is older than you might think.
3. You may have thought that the first waterbeds came about in the age of peace and love, but they were actually invented by the Romans. The Romans would lie down in a bed of warm water and as they became drowsy, they were lifted onto a bed and rocked to sleep
The first mattresses used vegetables as their filling.
4. The first mattresses were made of the pods that cover peas. As people began creating their mattresses, they became more and more fancy. Coverings of velvet and expensive silk were common among the wealthy.
A rope box-spring provided the earliest beds with support.
5. The beginnings of the box-spring were fairly humble. Instead of the box-spring that we know today, their was a woven rope that provided a lattice that laid beneath a mattress that was normally stuffed with straw for the poor, and down for the more wealthy.
Cotton soon becomes a part of the mattress.
6. The first cotton mattress appeared on the scene in the late 18th century. This made a more comfortable mattress than ever before. It was during this same period that the iron bed was created.
The first coil system mattress was patented in 1865.
7. In the year of 1865, the first coil system mattress was invented and became patented. This opened the way for the modern mattress that we know today.
The first coil system mattress was patented in 1865. – Thirty Things You Didn’t Know About Beds
The versatile futon is created for those who need space.
8. In the 40s, the futon bed was created. This was a great way for people to save space and they have continued to grow in popularity over the years.
Foam rubber makes its debut in the 50s.
9. It wasn’t until the 1950s that mattresses and pillows were created out of foam rubber. Foam rubber is still a major component of many mattresses today.
The waterbed rocked the 60s.
10. The waterbed that we all know and love was formally introduced in the 60s. With a rubber mattress and a water hose, you could be rockin’ the waves all night long, as you slept.
The airbed makes lofty promises of comfort.
11. It was not until the 1980s that we began seeing the airbed. They were first introduced as a way to take the pressure off of the body. Today they are more used for guests.
The demand for bigger beds soon began to rise.
12. In the 90s, people began demanding larger beds. During this time, queen beds became popular and for once, the twin bed was not at the top for mattress sets.
The pillow top brings extreme comfort to the mattress.
13. In the 2000s, the pillow top mattress became the biggest thing in mattresses. People all over the country clamored to get their own.
The Japanese do not even sleep on beds.
14. The Japanese sleep on a bed called a tatami. This simple mat is spread out on the floor and in the morning, it is rolled up.
Japanese Tatami Bed – Thirty Things You Didn’t Know About Beds, Source: Haiku Designs
The early Egyptians had multipurpose beds.
15. Early Egyptian beds looked more like couches than beds. They were used for sitting, lounging, and sleeping.
This brings the phrase “My pillow is as hard as a rock” to a whole new meaning.
16. The ancient Egyptians did not use pillows on their beds, but instead had a carved headboard that was shaped so that they could lay their neck on it to sleep. Most people would find this very uncomfortable!
Mr. Murphy created his bed in 1900.
17. The Murphy Bed was invented in 1900. This bed was able to be folded up into the wall when it was not in use. Murphy patented his famous bed in 1908.
Murphy Bed – Thirty Things You Didn’t Know About Beds, Source: Murphy Beds
The Mideastern people sleep on their rugs.
18. Most people in the Mideast do not sleep on beds, but rather sleep on piles of rugs.
Tent beds are elaborate beds that are meant to showcase the wealthy Arabs’ wealth.
19. The wealthy Arabs sleep on tent beds that are created from elaborate materials and richly decorated to display their wealth.
Feeling lazy has its privileges sometimes.
20. Making your bed has always been a daily chore, but did you know that it is actually safer to leave your bed unmade? Dust mites thrive on the moist and warm environment of a made bed. Now you have a reason to skip this chore!
The fun of bunk beds makes a childhood better.
21. Bunk beds with twin mattresses are a fun experience for kids to sleep on and make forts out of. It was actually the ancient Egyptians who are credited with first creating this stacked bed.
Bunk Beds – Thirty Things You Didn’t Know About Beds, Source: Wikipedia
How heavy is your mattress?
22. Now this is something to think about: Did you know that the weight of your mattress increases over the years, due to the accumulation of dust?
Ricky and Lucy couldn’t be seen in bed together.
23. Because of censorship laws, married couples could not be featured sleeping in the same bed until the 60s.
Taking too long to fall asleep is a sign of a bad mattress.
24. If it is taking you longer than 10-15 minutes to fall asleep, you may need a better mattress. Studies suggest that most people should be able to easily fall asleep in this time frame, if they are comfortable.
Adjustable beds allow us to read in bed.
25. Did you know that the adjustable bed was invented in the 1960s? Since then, it has evolved in many different ways, allowing for much greater comfort.
One less chore makes our lives easier.
26. We have all heard that we should flip our mattresses on a regular basis, but in the 2000s, the no-flip mattress was introduced.
The king makes its debut.
27. As beds have gotten larger and larger, the California King bed was invented in 1982, but has since become more popular in the last few years.
Cal King Bed – Thirty Things You Didn’t Know About Beds
We spend a lot of time in bed!
28. A person normally spends about a third of their life sleeping in their bed.
A million dollar bed should be made of gold.
29. The most expensive bed in the world has a hefty price tag of $6.3 million. This bed is handcrafted from both ash wood and chestnut wood, with a glass canopy and a 24kt gold inlay design throughout.
A really big bed makes records.
30. The largest bed on record measures in at 86 feet and 11 inches by 53 feet 11 inches. It was created in The Netherlands in 2011 and is in The Guinness Book of World Records.
Now that you have enjoyed these 30 fun facts and trivia information about beds, Sit ‘n Sleep invites you to find the perfect one of your own. For over thirty years, they have been one of the premier mattress stores in Southern California. With over 30 stores and a website featuring all of their great mattresses and more!
30 Things You Didn’t Know About Beds
