A Brief History of Mattresses

Derived from the Arabic word which, loosely translated, means “a place where something is thrown”, the term “mattress” has been a part of our vocabulary in the United States for the past 200-plus years. But what is the story behind the mattress? Where did the mattress originate, and how has it evolved into the technological marvel we all sleep on today?

The following represents a brief of the mattress – giving all you curiosity seekers something to lay their head on at night.

The Early History of the Mattress

The very first mattresses are believed to have appeared during the Neolithic Era. Little more than a collection of leaves and branches, these early mattresses were designed to help the user avoid drafts, insects and sleeping on the cold, cold earth.

Between the years 3600 and 3400 B.C. the mattress became more advanced, with Persian culture crafting their beds out of water-filled goatskins. Thus, the first waterbed was born (not in the swinging 1970’s as many people would have you believe).

Ancient Rome and the Birth of the Modern Mattress

It was around the year 300 B.C. in ancient Rome that we began to see what would become the father of the modern mattress. The Romans, ahead of their time in so many different ways, crafted mattresses that consisted of cloth-stuffed bags that could also be placed in a pile of hay for additional comfort. This would form the blueprint for advances in mattress technology over the next several hundred years.

Additional Comfort Comes to the Mattress World

Sometime in the middle of the 18th Century in England, royalty and wealthy land-owners began to cover their mattresses in silk, linen, cotton and other fine fabrics. These bed linens offered greater comfort than had ever been seen before and led to the 19th Century where we would see the greatest advancement in mattresses yet.

The Invention of the Box Spring

The box spring was introduced in the early 19th century and immediately caused a sensation. The box provided stability and comfort for individuals who lived a society built on hard, physical labor. The box spring was less lumpy than a mattress that rested on the ground and helped those with weary backs find relief at the end of the day.

20th Century Mattress Innovations

In the United States in the 1950’s we were making a lot of products out of foam rubber – and mattresses were no different. Foam rubber mattresses and pillows were inexpensive to produce and offered a new kind of comfort for suddenly prosperous Americans.

In the 1970’s a most unlikely player became involved in the mattress game. NASA had developed specialized materials for the astronauts on missions to the moon. In the consumer market, this substance would be rebranded “memory foam” and would help customize mattresses to the individual needs of the user.

Now Brooklyn mattress stores and Phoenix bed shops alike carry full lines of mattresses to meet every need and specifications. The history of mattresses has evolved to such a point that total comfort and customization can be now be achieved on the smallest of budgets.