Investigating The First Application Of Bedding In Human Beings
In millennia gone by the human brain was not capable of comprehending the benefits of using bedding. As such humans would simply sleep on the floor of a cave. However, as the brain developed and its capacity expanded, humans started to use materials from the world around them to provide comfort whilst they slept. Here we look at the evolution of human bedding and how it came to be similar to the items that we are now familiar with today.
The first steps
The first step in the evolutionary process of bedding was the use of leaves and twigs. In the same way that animals use them to build nests and dens; humans began putting twigs and leaves on the ground to provide comfort on the hard ground.
Adding warmth
The second development in human bedding focussed on providing cover to stay warm during the cold nights. As humans were still hunter-gatherers at this time, they killed a lot of animals for food. Somewhere along the line the penny dropped that animal fur provided great warmth and the skinning of animals became common as pelts were used for blankets as well as clothes.
Introduction of sleeping bags and mattresses
The human brain continued to develop further and this lead to the invention of more complex tools, such as the needle. With the needle, humans were able to sew animal pelts together; which lead to the creation of the first sleeping bags. The concept was then taken further by stuffing it with materials such as feathers, twigs and grass to produce a mattress that provided both warmth and comfort.
Following the lead of animals
The final step in the bedding evolution process saw the creation of bed frames. Studies suggest that humans saw how other animals, such as apes, used trees to stay safe from predators and off the cold ground. By following the lead of animals, humans created bed frames which served to take their mattresses away from the floor, thus keeping them dry.
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