Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM APRIL 2023 54 D espite the fact that we spend about a third of our lives in bed, we never give much thought to the bed we sleep in. Yet our beds are such an important part of our households, as well as our health and well-being. The importance of getting a good night's sleep is well documented. Besides rejuvenating your mind and muscles, good sleep helps ward off a number of serious ailments. Simply put, without a good night's sleep we begin to fall to pieces. TIME TO HIT THE HAY The oldest known mattress was discovered in South Africa and dates back 77,000 years. The ancient hunter-gatherers of the period used sedge grass leaves to construct a mattress that was wide enough to accommodate the whole family. The structured bed – something we might call a piece of furniture – dates back to 3000 B.C., when the Egyptians recognized the benefits of raising the body off the ground to sleep and began constructing raised beds with wood frames. This basic structure of a framed foundation with a cushioned top has remained remarkably consistent over the centuries The Romans were perhaps the most elaborate when it came to bedding, employing marriage beds, eating beds (where you would lie on your left side and eat), beds for studying, and beds for the dead. Roman bed frames also featured a mattress that was suspended by an intricate design of woven ropes or wool straps that needed to be tightened to maintain its shape, giving birth to the expression "sleep tight." Throughout medieval (mid-evil?) times, people stuffed their beds with vegetation such as hay, straw, leaves, or whatever was available. "Hit the hay" literally meant exactly that: Before retiring, you struck your mattress with a stick in an attempt to dislodge any assorted vermin that might have taken up residence in the mattress. GETTING BEDDER ALL THE TIME In the 17th century, the wealthy began using feathers inside their mattresses, and leading up to the 18th century, beds became simpler in design. The cast-iron bed and cotton-stuffed mattress now came into play, and while they provided more support and comfort, they were known for being conspicuously squeaky. As we arrive in the 20th century, various innovations created a much better sleeping experience. Innerspring mattresses were introduced In the 1930s, but it wasn't until the 1950s that the coil spring mattress took off in popularity and became the most widely used mattress of the time. Shortly thereafter, foam rubber was introduced. Other innovations would soon take hold, like memory foam and the modern-day waterbed. The '80s brought airbeds, and the '90s was when bigger became better and queen-size mattresses outsold both fulls and twins for the first time. Today's sleeping selections are replete with endless choices that range from memory, latex, or gel foam, to countless combinations of hybrid mattresses and bases. Speaking of options, Kelsey Hinton, co-owner of BrandSource member John's Appliance & Bedding, (above) samples a mattress that comes replete with a Rat Pack crooner during an AVB expo in Las Vegas. While the bed and accompanying mattress have evolved greatly over time, one thing has remained the same: People will always need a good night's sleep. So remember, when it's time to hit the hay, sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite! SLEEP TIGHT: A BED TIME STORY Andy Kriege Bedding Trends Andy Kriege is General Manager of Communications at AVB BrandSource, merchandising and marketing co-op for independent appliance, mattress, furniture, and CE dealers. RO

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