You will have spent around 16 years lying on one by the time you are 50 years old. But, how much do you know about your mattress?
Here are ten fantastic facts you never knew about mattresses.
- The word 'mattress' is derived from Arabic words meaning 'to throw', 'place where something is thrown' and 'mat, cushion'. During the Crusades, Europeans adopted the Arabic tradition of sleeping on cushions thrown on the floor. The word 'materas' eventually entered the English vocabulary after being used in Europe.
- Whilst many modern mattresses are made of memory foam, the substance was actually invented by the American space agency, NASA. It was developed in the mid 1960s to improve the safety of cushions in aircraft and in rockets.
- Box springs were invented in the late 19th century to make mattresses less lumpy. The most common of these springs are called 'Bonnell coils'. First adapted from buggy seat springs of the 19th century, they are still prevalent in less expensive mattresses.
- Different mattresses may be more suitable for you depending on how you sleep. In general, firm mattresses are recommended for stomach and some back sleepers, soft mattresses are recommended for side sleepers, and medium mattresses are recommended for the majority of back sleepers.
- Mattresses date back to the Neolithic period. Beds were raised off the ground to avoid dirt and pests. It is thought that the first mattress probably consisted of a pile of leaves, grass, or straw, with animal skins over it.
- The largest standard mattress size in the UK is a 'Super King'. A Super King mattress measures 72 inches by 78 inches, or a massive 182cm by 198cm.
- The most expensive mattress in the world is on sale at Bloomingdales department store in New York for a staggering $33,275. It the Kluft 'Beyond Luxury Palais Royal', a 15.5 inch thick mattress made of wool, cashmere, silk, mohair, latex foam and Jacquard damask. It has 2,000 hand sewn pocket springs and comes with a 20 year warranty - which makes the price just 33p per night.
- Mattresses should be regularly rotated. A new mattress should be rotated once a month for the first six months and once every 2 to 3 months after that. Double sided mattresses should be alternately flipped and rotated. Folding and bending of the mattress should be avoided if possible, as should heavy wear in one spot.
- The twelfth episode of the popular US drama series Glee was called Once Upon a Mattress. In the episode - the most watched of the series in America - the students appear in a TV advertisement for a local mattress and bedding store in an attempt to improve their reputation by becoming local celebrities.
- A quality innerspring mattress will need to be replaced every 7 to 10 years. Memory foam and latex models should last between 10 and 20 years, depending on the manufacturer, the quality of the bedding, and the vigorousness of use.
