Since mankind progressed from sleeping on the ground, the quest for the perfect mattress has spanned the length and breadth of history. From feather to hay to sod to wool to water, the mattress has been filled with every imaginable fiber and substance. The dream of a night's relaxation has led our species down a fascinating path to comfort.



Mattresses are thought to have been developed during the Neolithic period (circa 10,000 BCE), when beds were cleverly raised off of the ground to prevent contact with dirt and avoid drafts. By 3600 BCE, the Persians were filling goatskins with water to sleep on, and by 200 BCE, the Romans were stuffing wool and hay into bags of cloth. The Egyptians, curiously, especially given their reputation for opulence, slept on palm boughs piled in the corners of the homes.

The mattresses of Renaissance Europe, on the other hand, were packed with straw or down and placed on timber frames. Rather than enjoying a solid platform or slated bed, these Renaissance beds were held together with a latticework of rope or leather. Interestingly, many of the beds recovered from this era are considerably short, due to the fact that it was common to sleep in a semi-reclined position.

In 1865, the first coil spring bed was patented. Marketed as less lumpy and more comfortable, these steel coil beds swept the industrialized world. They provided uniform support, but it was not until the invention of the box spring, believed to be sometime in the late 19th century, that the modern bed could boast of providing total support. The box spring and mattress combination has become ubiquitous, especially with regards to the four poster bed.

The next truly world-shattering development of the bed came in 1953 with the invention of the adjustable bed. The infamous eccentric and billionaire, Howard Hughes, is credited as the inventor. It seems he was not satisfied with merely lay prone or in a relined position. It seems fitting for a man obsessed with having as many options, and dollar bills, in life as possible.

The course of history and the fruition of today's mattresses run parallel to needs and resources of an era. Understanding how the mattress developed is understanding the struggle of generations to rest well and live well.