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58-461: Mattresses are usually placed on top of a bed base which may be solid, as in the case of a platform bed , or elastic , such as an upholstered wood and wire box spring or a slatted foundation. Popular in Europe, a divan incorporates both mattress and foundation in a single upholstered, footed unit. Divans have at least one innerspring layer as well as cushioning materials. They may be supplied with

116-477: A foundation , is the part of a bed that supports the mattress . The bed base can itself be held in place and framed by the bedstead ( bed frame ). In the United States, box-spring bed bases are very common (to the point where 'bed base' and 'box spring' may be used synonymously, and the term "platform bed" is used for any other type of bed base). In Europe, sprung slats are much more common. Typically

174-422: A mattress protector /mattress pad/mattress cover (a thin, generally unpadded layer not designed to improve comfort), mattress toppers can be used to protect the mattress from the sleeper or vice versa. Some mattress toppers are machine-washable; covers and fillings are made from a range of materials. A tick mattress is a bag made of ticking (a type of cloth), filled with some suitable material. A paillasse or

232-418: A systematic review of studies concluded that medium-firm, custom-inflated mattresses were best for pain and neutral spinal alignment. The term mattress lifespan refers to the duration in which all types of mattress can retain their original support and comfort. Mattresses deteriorate over time, and the lifespan of a mattress depends on a variety of factors, notably materials, manufacturing quality, care, and

290-476: A featherbed is a tick mattress, as are most futons . They are simply constructed and were traditionally homemade. Because they are fairly thin and light, they are layered to form a bed. Innerspring mattresses commonly consist of just the spring core, and the top and bottom upholstery layers. The core of the mattress supports the sleeper's body. Modern spring mattress cores, often called "innersprings" are made up of steel coil springs , or "coils". The gauge of

348-489: A major decline in the bedding industry in the 2000s. The International Sleep Products Association was founded in 1915 and releases a report on U.S. mattress sales. Another association, Specialty Sleep Association, represents companies such as Innomax and Boyd Specialty focused on latex, waterbeds, and airbeds. However, Select Comfort , which produces airbeds (a specialty bed), is a member of the ISPA. Originally founded in 1881,

406-414: A mattress pad or protector. Some symptoms of a broken or worn-out mattress include springs which can be felt poking through the upholstery layer, visible permanent sagging or deformity, lumpiness, and excessive squeaking. Mattresses require a solid foundation which does not itself sag – a sagging foundation, such as by weak slats on a wide bed, will in turn cause the mattress to sag. Consistently sleeping in

464-451: A particular type of mattress, such as innerspring, latex, and airbed, although as latex and airbeds have become more popular, they have become more common. Mattresses which are mostly the same are often sold under different brand names; two of the largest brands, Serta and Simmons , became owned by the same company after a private equity buyout. Simmons, founded in the late 1800s, was bought and sold multiple times and faced bankruptcy after

522-452: A portion of plant-based content. All-foam mattresses are often paired with platform bases . Mattresses can also be made from bladders of some fluid, notably water or air. These date to antiquity – goatskin bladders filled with water were used in Persia at least as early as 3600 BCE – and gained increased popularity in the 20th century with improved manufacturing. Many parameters determine

580-579: A secondary mattress or a removable "topper". Mattresses may also be filled with air or water, or a variety of natural fibers , such as in futons . Kapok is a common mattress material in Southeast Asia, and coir in South Asia. A third-century BCE papyrus mentions a man named Krotos who is "waiting in Jaffa for an opportunity of exporting... and mattresses." The word mattress derives from

638-414: A stack of mattresses of this size). But "mattress topper"s are usually sold for use on top of boxsprings (secured with straps or elasticated cloth corners). They are used to extend the life of the more-expensive boxspring, make a bed warmer or cooler (with airflow, or heat-conductive materials), make a firm bed softer, and for travel and dorms, as they are portable, especially if they are low-density. Like

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696-407: A standard look on both innerspring and foam beds. Most ticking is made with polyester yarns. More expensive mattress fabrics may contain a combination of polyester with rayon, cotton, silk, wool or other natural yarns. Up until the early 2000s, beds were normally upholstered with a single fabric. This was usually a damask ticking or, for inexpensive bedsets, a non-woven fabric covering all surfaces of

754-501: A yellow stain), seminal (or Cowper ) stains which are darker, menstrual fluids which are dark red, and other bodily fluids in addition to accidental spills. These visibly stain the ticking and seep through into lower layers. In addition to being unhygienic, hard to launder, and unsightly, such stains typically void a warranty. Thus a mattress protector is suggested to protect the mattress; this can be removed and cleaned separately, and replaced if damaged. Companies often specialize in

812-569: Is a key driver of income and profits for the mattress industry – a five-year replacement cycle yields double the sales of a 10-year replacement cycle, for instance – so the mattress industry has a financial incentive to shorten the replacement cycle. Notably, the International Sleep Products Association (ISPA) established the Better Sleep Council (BSC) in 1979 with the stated goal to "shorten

870-440: Is from South Africa, which consisted of layers of twigs and leaves, notably including the leaves from Cryptocarya woodii which serves as a natural insect repellent and is believed to have served the additional purpose of repelling mosquitos . Preventing or reducing the number of mosquito bites would have reduced the chance malaria , which continues to be spread by mosquitos throughout Africa to this day and has been estimated to be

928-483: Is monthly for the first six months and every two or three months thereafter. Foundations should also be rotated, if possible, though less frequently – rotating box springs twice a year is recommended. While sagging is undesirable, some level of indentation (about 8 cm (3.1 in)) is natural if natural materials are used in a comfort layer. Excessive wear on mattresses can occur when folding and bending takes place, placing heavy objects in one spot, or excess force on

986-577: Is not soft, a masonry platform can elevate a sleeper above the floor. Mud-brick platforms, covered in mats, were used as furniture by poor people in Ancient Egypt. Stove beds are masonry stoves with a built-in bench, heated by the fire in the stove. In cold climates, these were often used for sleeping. The Korean ondol , the Chinese kang , many European cocklestoves , and Russian stoves are all variants of this technology. Where people slept on

1044-456: Is recommended for natural materials, in which case leaving the mattress "naked" after stripping sheets (for example while laundering) is recommended. If a mattress is allowed to become damp, for example by wet cleaning , mildew may develop inside the upholstery; cleaning with a vacuum cleaner or mild surface cleanser and a slightly damp cloth avoids this. Mattresses absorb fluids and stains readily, notably from nightly sweating (which results in

1102-442: Is replaceable without replacing the entire mattress. The majority of high-end mattresses have a lifespan of between 7–10 years but it can last beyond 10 years and more depending on the level of care. In the United States, mattress warranties are typically for 10 years or 20 years, sometimes 25 years, though this specifically addresses manufacturing defects and faster-than-normal deterioration, not expected deterioration with time. In

1160-503: Is sufficiently flexible not to need padding. In cold climates, a woven bed base would be topped with insulation. Traditionally, in Europe and the Americas, this was one or more insulating mattresses: cloth bags stuffed with a variety of materials (see above), and possibly also a canopy hung with warm curtains. Modernly, it might be topped by a thin futon or other roll-up mattress. Many traditional European rope beds are woven with

1218-410: Is the protective fabric cover used to encase mattresses and foundations. It is usually designed to coordinate with the foundation border fabric and comes in a wide variety of colors and styles. Mattress fabrics can be knits, damask or printed wovens, or inexpensive non-wovens. During the past decade, along with the rise in popularity of all-foam beds, stretchy knit ticking on the bed's top panel has become

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1276-758: The Arabic مَطْرَحٌ ( maṭraḥ ) which means "something thrown down" or "place where something is thrown down" and hence "mat, cushion". During the Crusades , Europeans adopted one of the Middle Eastern methods of sleeping on cushions on the floor since sleeping on beds in the Middle East was for the wealthy. The word materas eventually descended into Middle English through the Romance languages . The oldest known mattress dates to around 77,000 years ago and

1334-526: The Sealy Corporation was purchased by Tempur-Pedic in 2012, which had introduced an all foam (TEMPUR-Material) brand into the United States in 1992. Adjustable beds have become a trend and are more compatible with certain types of mattresses such as latex or memory foam. These are particularly popular in Europe, and for one business accounted for 25% of beds in Sweden in 2010 and 70% of beds in

1392-466: The Netherlands. In the 2010s, affiliate marketing became a major part of the business model for direct-to-consumer online mattress companies such as Amerisleep . Later, companies like Casper and Purple, with venture capital and funding followed and helped grow the global mattress industry to $ 28.5 billion dollar in 2018. According to experts, there are over 175 bed-in-a-box mattress companies in

1450-442: The U.S., have become increasingly prevalent as U.S. mattress makers shifted to super-thick, one-sided mattresses (as of 2012 ). A grid-top foundation is a combination of steel and wood. A traditional box spring consists of a rigid frame containing extra heavy duty springs. This foundation is often paired with an innerspring mattress, as it extends the life of the spring unit at the mattress's core. Legs may be attached directly to

1508-468: The United States, as of 2008 there is a general expectation that mattresses should last about 10 years, and this is the average number of years Americans keep mattresses, though this varies by age group. This expectation is based on a number of factors, including sales pitches; the expectation that mattresses will last the length of their warranty, hence 10 years or 20 years, accordingly; and comparison with other household items. The mattress replacement cycle

1566-462: The United States. Mattress suggestion methods are emerging in response to the crowded retail marketplace. Another large company, Spring Air , went bankrupt in 2009 and was purchased by one of its former executives. Comfortaire, founded in 1981, was the first to specialize in airbeds. It was later bought by Select Comfort. Pikolin , founded in 1948, is one of the largest manufacturers of mattresses. Bed base A bed base , sometimes called

1624-461: The bed, but was not considered part of it. The futon widely used in Japan is a floorbed, stored in a cupboard during the day. The futons are thin enough to be washed and dried. Futons are traditionally laid on plank floors covered with tatami mats. Masonry box frames, thought to have been filled with bedding, have been identified at Skara Brae (occupied 3180 BC to about 2500 BC). While masonry

1682-481: The cloth was sometimes attached to the frame by lashings or springs. Air mattresses are recorded in the 1400s; Louis XI , king of France, had one made of leather. An all-wood foundation usually has seven or eight support slats, long laths of wood laid across the frame. The Ancient Egyptians used slatted beds, and the Ancient Greeks may have used them. In Europe, bedslats were at one point nailed to

1740-463: The coils help the mattress retain its shape. Most coils are connected by interconnecting wires; encased coils are not connected, but the fabric encasement helps preserve the mattress shape. There are four types of mattress coils : Upholstery layers cover the mattress and provide cushioning and comfort. Some manufacturers call the mattress core the "support layer" and the upholstery layer the "comfort layer". The upholstery layer consists of three parts:

1798-429: The coils is one factor which determines firmness and support. Coils are measured in quarter increments. The lower the number, the thicker the spring. In general, higher-quality mattress coils have a 14-gauge (1.63 mm) diameter. Coils of 14 to 15.5-gauge (1.63 to 1.37 mm) give more easily under pressure, while a 12.5-gauge (1.94 mm) coil, the thickest typically available, feels quite firm. Connections between

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1856-523: The coils that prevent the bed's upholstery layers from cupping down into the innerspring, as well as polyester fiberfill in the bed's top upholstery layers. In 1899 James Marshall introduced the first individually wrapped pocketed spring coil mattress now commonly known as Marshall coils . In North America, the typical mattress sold today is an innerspring; however, there is increasing interest in all-foam beds and hybrid beds, which include both an innerspring and high-end foams such as viscoelastic or latex in

1914-476: The comfort layers. In Europe, polyurethane foam cores and latex cores have long been popular. These make up a much larger proportion of the mattresses sold in the continent. A conventional mattress consists of two primary sections – a core or "support layer" and the upholstery or "comfort layer" – wrapped in a thick fabric called the ticking . Upholstery layers cover the mattress and provide cushioning and comfort. The upholstery layer consists of three parts:

1972-458: The day. In Europe, straw mattresses are still used, but they also came to be topped by more mattresses; these could be stuffed with chaff, animal hair (for instance horsehair , used for its resilience), or coarse wool, or down feathers . This pile of mattresses, softest topmost, and the sheets, blanket, and pillows, was what early Europeans called a "bed" (a sense which survives in words like featherbed ). The bedframe , even when present, supported

2030-431: The disassembled bedframe. Such slat bases are still in widespread use today. More modernly, the slats may be topped by a sheet of paperboard or beaverboard , often with holes in it to ventilate the mattress. This foundation, variously called a "no-flex", "low-flex" or zero-deflection unit, as well as an "ortho box", provides support similar to a platform foundation . All-wood slat foundations, initially rare in

2088-504: The earliest surviving beds are from Ancient Egyptian tombs. These beds have wooden frames, glued and lashed together. In some cases the woven bed support survives. Some Ancient Egyptian beds were made with reeds or plaited string. Tutankhamen 's tomb contained beds (one of gilded ebony). Studies of ancient hieroglyphs suggest that the platform beds were revered in Egyptian culture. While common people slept on simpler constructions,

2146-410: The floor, glorias and other hypocausts provided both underfloor heating by day and heated beds by night. A dol bed is a modern equivalent. Plank beds raised above the floor on trestles were used in Europe, but use declined in the 1600s. Rope beds support the mattress or sleeper with a lattice of rope. Other woven bases use braid, straps, rushes, cloth or other weaving materials. Some of

2204-543: The foundation and reverse side of the mattress; and a non-woven dust cover on the under side of the foundation. Some North American mattress producers are beginning to use furniture upholstery fabrics on the bed's borders giving beds a more European, home furnishings look. All-foam mattresses use different weights and densities of petrochemical-based flexible polyurethane foams and viscoelastic foams or memory foam, and latex rubber foams. A number of mattress manufacturers have incorporated polyurethane and visco-elastic foams with

2262-421: The frame, but that made disassembling a bed very difficult. In the 1400s, the slats were all attached to two lengthwise straps, and their ends laid loosely on ledges built on both sides; the ledge held them up, and the straps stopped them from sliding along and bunching up (which would leave holes the mattress could slide through). This assemblage of loosely-linked slats could easily be rolled up and transported with

2320-442: The frame, with the fourth side lashed to the end of the bed (see image). This means that to retension the bed, only the lashing has to be tightened; the whole bed does not need to be restrung. Charpais , widely used in modern India, are usually made ont this pattern. Charpai are quite light and easy to move. With cheap mass-produced cloth, it became increasingly practical to use cloth as a bed support. Retensioning issues remained, so

2378-400: The handles, will also cause more rapid deterioration. Care should particularly be taken during transport or storage. Mattresses require ventilation to remain dry and prevent mildew, and thus should not be placed directly on the floor or on a solid surface – slats or a box spring provide space for airflow, while solid wood or plywood (as in cheap bunkie boards ) does not. Additional ventilation

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2436-415: The heat loss to the ground is desirable. Bedrolls are generally made to be portable. Plant stems and leaves can also be stuffed into cloth bags (made from a type of fabric called ticking ), forming a palliasse or straw tick; a few stitches to hold the straw in place would make a straw tick into a mattress, but complicate swapping out the straw. A mattress can be lifted, aired , and packed away during

2494-562: The insulator, the middle upholstery, and the quilt. Mattresses are typically made to conform to bed sizing standards that vary by market. The size of mattress varies between national standards in width and height and depth. Many countries use non-numeric labels such as "King", "Queen", "Double", "Full" or "Single" to represent these dimensions. A mattress topper is a thin mattress, usually 5–10 centimetres (2–4 in) thick. Stand-alone mattresses of this size exist (see futon and Bed base#Floor beds ; traditional European beds were made of

2552-723: The insulator, the middle upholstery, and the quilt. The insulator separates the mattress core from the middle upholstery. It is usually made of fiber or mesh and is intended to keep the middle upholstery in place. The middle upholstery comprises all the material between the insulator and the quilt. It is usually made from materials which are intended to provide comfort to the sleeper, including flexible polyurethane foam (which includes convoluted "egg-crate" foam), viscoelastic foam, latex foam, felt, polyester fiber, cotton fiber, wool fiber and non-woven fiber pads. In Europe and North America, mattress makers have begun incorporating gel-infused foams, soft-solid gels layered over foam, and poured gels in

2610-588: The majority of back sleepers. Double mattresses are available with a softer and a firmer part, or with adjustable firmness levels, to accommodate sleepers with different preferences who share a bed. In 2003, a randomized-controlled trial found that medium-firm mattresses assessed using the Hs scale from the European Committee for Standardization were associated with less pain; this study has been cited by clinical practice guidelines on lower back pain. In 2015,

2668-399: The mattress and foundation. Today's bedsets are covered with up to six different fabrics: A better quality circular knit or woven damask on the top panel—the bed's sleeping surface; a matching or contrasting (usually woven) fabric on the border of the mattress; a matching or contrasting (usually woven) fabric on the foundation side panels; a 'non-skid' woven or non-woven fabric on the surface of

2726-495: The mattress replacement cycle", in addition to encouraging people to "invest in better bedding". An industry-funded 2006 study by researchers at Oklahoma State University (funded by the BSC) of 59 people with poor sleep who received free new replacement mattresses for their existing mattresses 5 years or older (average age 9.5 years) found improved sleep, particularly when the existing mattresses were cheap. A follow-up paper by some of

2784-414: The mattress. The grid-top design also allows for better weight distribution and can reduce pressure points, which can be beneficial for people with back pain or joint issues. Additionally, the open design of the foundation can make it easier to move and store compared to bulkier box springs. Typically the measurements of a foundation will be about 1–2″ shorter than the measurement of a mattress. Ticking

2842-536: The measurements of a foundation will be about 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm) shorter than the measurements of a mattress. In hot climates, mattress may be omitted. Floor beds have no bedframe; the mattresses are laid straight on the floor. The oldest known human beds are 77,000 years old; they were found in the Sibudu Cave in South Africa. They are made of layers of sedges, rushes and grasses, collected from

2900-628: The quality of a mattress. Laboratory test methods have been established for some of these parameters, such as pressure distribution, skin microclimate, hygiene, edge support, and long-term stability. Some of these have been developed by Duncan Bain, working on behalf of the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency . Other parameters, such as firmness, are more specific to the sleeper. 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

2958-434: The rigorousness of use. A poor quality foam comfort layer can deteriorate noticeably in 1 year, while a quality latex core can last 20 years or more; innerspring cores typically last around 10 years. The comfort layer is almost invariably the first area to fail, which is why mattresses are often double-sided, to extend the lifespan. A separate topper may be used instead of or in addition to a comfort layer, which reduces wear and

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3016-509: The ropes parallel to the ends and sides of the bed. They need to be tightened regularly (with a bed key (UK) or bed wrench(US), and sometimes with wedges) as they sag. They must also be re-strung occasionally; re-stringing reduces sag and evens out wear. When fully or partly unstrung, they can be packed flat for transport. Some rope beds are bias-woven ; other bias-woven beds are made with braided cord, straps, rushes, and similar. These lattices are often directly attached to only three side of

3074-620: The same authors with additional statistical analysis reinforced these conclusions. The BSC has subsequently cited this study in the ISPA-published news magazine for mattress manufacturers, BedTimes , to advocate a more frequent replacement cycle, specifically to "consider replacing a mattress every five to seven years"; the recommendation is based largely on this study. Wear problems occur with most mattresses and can include sagging, mildew , and staining. These are prevented by proper support, rotation and flipping, keeping it dry, and using

3132-463: The same place and body position causes excessive wear, and thus rotating or flipping mattresses is used to reduce this: double-sided mattresses can be alternately flipped width-wise (about the long axis) and length-wise (about the shorter axis), or alternately flipped and rotated; while single-sided mattresses are only rotated, which is simpler but less effective. Flipping/rotation schedules vary between materials and manufacturers, but typically recommended

3190-673: The single most common cause of death among humans historically, estimated to have caused the death of roughly half of humans that have ever lived throughout history . Early mattresses contained a variety of natural materials including straw, feathers or horsehair . In the first half of the 20th century, a typical mattress sold in North America had an innerspring core and cotton batting or fiberfill . Modern mattresses usually contain either an inner spring core or materials such as latex , viscoelastic or other flexible polyurethane foams . Other fill components include insulator pads over

3248-572: The top comfort layer of the bed. The quilt is the top layer of the mattress. Made of light foam or fibers stitched to the underside of the ticking, it provides a soft surface texture to the mattress and can be found in varying degrees of firmness. There are three main types of foundation or bed base : This type of bed base is often used as an alternative to traditional box springs, which may be less durable and may not provide adequate support for heavier mattresses. Grid-top foundation bed bases are typically more durable and may offer greater stability for

3306-405: The trend developed to decorate the woods surface with gilding and paints and also to use carving to enhance the beauty of this utilitarian object. Ivory, exotic woods and metal were used as inlay or even as the entire foot on the best constructions, bringing artistic design to a commonplace object. In hot climates, ventilation through the woven bed base helps keep the sleeper cool, and the bed base

3364-553: The uThongathi River which runs directly below the sandstone cliff. The beds are mostly made of river wild-quince ( Cryptocarya woodii ), which repels insects when crushed. Such beds continued to be made at the site for 40,000 years. They were replaced at intervals. After the first 4000 years, inhabitants began burning the bedding regularly. It's thought that these beds were used as daybeds , as well as for sleeping. Some floorbeds weave plant stems and leaves into mats. Sleeping mats or sleeping pads are widely used in warm countries, as

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