10 interesting facts to know about beds, sleep, and mattresses
You’ve slept on a mattress all your life but ever wondered where, when, or how this wonderful product came into existence? Most people today are familiar with the latex, foam, and coil spring versions of this sleep aid. But earlier mattresses dating back thousands of years were made using the simplest yet most effective materials designed to provide a good night’s sleep. Here are some other cool and fun facts about mattresses and their origin.
Oldest origin of mattresses
Archaeologists uncovered the origins of the oldest mattress and estimate it is 77,000 years old. In its most primitive form, this mattress was made using grass, shrubs, and insect-repellent leaves to keep mosquitoes and other critters away.
You’ll spend 26 years sleeping
Fun fact, the average adult is said to have spent almost 26 years sleeping throughout their lifetime. And that’s not the bizarre part; the time spent putting yourself to sleep is estimated to be around 7 years, as not everybody manages to shut off and rest immediately upon lying down.
Your bedding is not as clean
Mattresses harbor up to 10 million dust mites. That’s right! Your bedding isn’t the cleanest place to sleep as these microscopic critters burrow deep into traditional coil spring mattresses. Dust mites are also the biggest triggers of allergic respiratory conditions.
Don’t buy a mattress on Sunday
Nobody knows why but the State of Washington prohibits people from shopping for mattresses on a Sunday. Whether this law is enforced or to what extent is a mystery that remains unsolved.
Water beds are older than you think
Despite widespread belief, water beds were not invented in the 1970s. They were adapted from the oldest origins, made with goat skins filled with water, and designed back in 3600 BCE by the Persians for Royalty.
Mattresses need to withstand fire for a short duration
While most materials used to manufacture mattresses are flammable, Federal law mandates that all mattresses must withstand fire for at least 30 seconds. This is to prevent the risk of flash fires caused by embers that come in contact with the mattress.
The largest ever mattress created
The Dutch infamously created the largest ever mattress measuring approximately 86ft 11in long and 53ft 11in wide in the small village of Hertme, Netherlands. This is a Guinness world record attempt that has never been broken since 2011.
King Louis owned over 400 beds
Surprisingly, King Louis XIV of France loved sleeping so much that he owned 413 beds, that’s one bed for each day of the year, and still, he’d be left with more to spare.
Baby’s day in!
Newborn babies sleep for more than 14-16 hours each day. But that’s definitely not the case for the parents, especially the mother who loses 46% of her sleep while tending to the baby.
Arabic origin
Mattresses get their name from the Arabic word Matrah which is taken from the word ‘taraha’, which literally translates to “throw”.
