Who invented the bed? Sleep trivia advice, Building bedroom design tips, Online property style guide

Who Invented The Bed? Sleep Trivia You Haven’t Heard Before

30 Apr 2021

Have you ever wondered who invented the bed? Sleep trivia is full of interesting and engaging tidbits of history, and it’s one of the best ways to get to know this habit that is so integral to wellbeing. Here are a few tidbits from history that you might not know about sleep, from the long history of the bed to the invention of the comfortable mattresses you sleep on now:

Who Invented The Bed – Sleep Trivia Guide

Trivia #1 – when were beds invented?

The oldest known mattress dates back to more than 77,000 years ago. Discovered in South Africa, in a place called KwaZulu Natal, this massive structure was twelve inches thick and measured about 22 square-foot meaning it was likely whole families slept atop them. They were made with layers of plant material stacked on top of each other.

Evidence of feather-stuffed mattresses dates back as far as Ancient Rome, during which wealthier citizens would get bed frames that were made out of metal, with woven metal supports to hold onto their mattresses, very similar to the modern foundations of today.

In the 18th century, beds and bed frames were status symbols. Wealthier classes had large bed frames embedded with jewels to signify their wealth. Sleep and the comfort you derived from sleep used to be directly related to your status. We’re lucky that it’s easy to find the best mattress online with a simple click of a button – good sleep is a lot easier to find today!

Trivia #2 – who invented sleep?

In ancient times, sleep was described differently depending on your culture. According to the Greeks, sleep was brought on by a lack of blood in the brain, while in Ancient India, sleep was described as brought on by gods who bought sleepers dreams.

We’ve never understood sleep better than we do today, and it’s important to know that we’re still learning new and fascinating information about how this natural instinct is integral and contributes significantly to our wellbeing.

Trivia #3 – what is the longest time someone has gone without sleep?

In 1964, Randy Gardener broke the record for the longest time without sleep by staying awake for eleven days and twenty-five minutes. During this time, Randy experienced problems with concentration, mood regulation, and even short-term memory problems with paranoia.

Trivia #4 – how have mattresses evolved since prehistoric times?

The modern mattress has come a long way since prehistoric times. In the neolithic era, our ancestors used stones, covered with grass, straw, and even animal skin to sleep on. As people began to develop comfier mattresses, a german inventor created the spring bed in 1871, though it only became popular a little over sixty years later.

The memory foam we know today was invented in the 1920s by NASA, invented by scientists who were trying to improve the safety of aircraft cushions. Hybrid mattresses take the benefits of both spring and coil counterparts to provide the support and comfort most of us are familiar with now in our bedrooms.

Trivia #5 – Which living creature spends the most time asleep, and which spends the least?

Armadillos spend 77% of their days asleep – that’s 18.5 hours of sleep in a day! Cats also spend two-thirds of their lives asleep. Migrating birds, on the other hand, only spend an hour a day asleep.

Whether you’re curious about who invented the bed, or you’re just wondering if your cat ever dreams at night, sleep trivia is a strange and wonderful world. Sleep is the cornerstone of your well-being, so it pays to know a little more about this universal habit!

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