The Past and Present Of Mattresses

Human beings have placed a lot of importance on getting a good night’s sleep, and that is the reason why the mattress survived the test of time.

In ancient days people like animals used straw to sleep. Later, they invented pillows and slept on padded cloth when the fabrics were developed. Beds in 17th Century England were made with wood frames, with leather or rope supports, and for mattresses they used straw filled bags. The rich had elaborate beds, which were a symbol of prosperity.

The bed room was given special attention amongst the royalty, and was a very public place. There were always people trooping through the royal bedroom until the Victorian period. The bedroom strictly became a private space only with Queen Victoria.

Tutankahmun, the Egyptian king’s bed is known to have been made of pure gold and ebony. While he slept in ultimate luxury his subjects were made to sleep on palm branches.

In the 1930s latex mattresses were developed. Even in olden times waterbeds were in use: for Persian mattresses in the 2nd millennium BCE goat skins filled with water were in use. Mattresses made of rubber built-in with water were developed in the 19th Century. They were developed to manage bed sores. They would often break and release water.

In the late 18th century the first cotton mattress, which was more comfortable than any other mattress invented so far, was developed. The iron bed was also created during the same period. In 1865 the first coil system mattress was developed, and became patented. This laid the foundation for modern mattress.

Soft sprung mattresses have been popular in the past 50 years. They are often accused of being a source of back pain, but doctors say there is no conclusive proof regarding the same.

Mattresses have been around for thousands of years. In order to stay dry and warm humans initially slept on temporary mattresses stuffed with animal hair and leaves. The wealthy often placed their mattress onto bedsteads or wooden frames and raised them above the ground. The idea of a raised bed was uncommon among the middle class until the 1600s. According to Encyclopedia.com, it was in the mid 1800s that the innerspring mattress was developed but until after World War it wasn’t popularized.

Mattresses are available in different sizes but the most commonly purchased are double, twin, king and queen. Twin mattresses are75 inches long and 39 inches broad; double mattresses are 75 inches long and 53 inches wide; queen mattresses are 80 inches long and 60 inches wide; and king size mattresses are 80 inches long and 76 inches wide. From brand to brand the thickness of mattresses varies due to differences in building materials.

In the 1970s foam mattresses were introduced and gained popularity because they were easy to maintain, mould resistant, and hypoallergenic; they are still popular today for the same reasons. A gel-like fabric that adjusts to weight is known as Memory foam. When the weight is released it bounces back. It is an improved version of NASA memory foam technology. A Swedish company introduced it to the general public in the early 1990s.

Our Sunday mattresses are made of latex sourced from the best factory known for it, in Belgium.