A journey through slumberland

Sleep is something we all share around the world, but the way we do so is not quite as universal. Our beds are something we likely often take for granted, but there is so much history and significance behind the objects upon where we rest. Different cultures and geographic locations around the world have very different ideas of what a “bed” is to them. Most of us will have a pretty similar idea when the word bed is mentioned, a mattress and a base, along with whatever you use to dress it up, but depending on where you are, a totally different image may come to mind. This is where the journey through Slumberland begins, as we explore the different beds used throughout cultures, countries, continents and time.

The Japanese Futon

One cannot begin a tale of different beds without mentioning the futon. It has integrated into Western cultures and gained worldwide popularity, but the futon you are familiar with may not be so true to tradition. The true futon is not simply the common pull out couch you may have seen or owned, but rather, an innovation, a concept and solution designed in response to living conditions in ancient Japan. The idea of minimalism and space saving has continued to rise in popularity over the last few decades, but the ancient Japanese were way ahead. The futon was designed as a thin mattress that could easily be stowed away, ensuring the most efficient use of space available at that time. When in use, it would simply be laid on top of rice straw mats, or tatami mats as they are called. The futon has undergone many renovations over the years, including improved bases and modular couch designs, and has now become a staple around the world.

The Indian Charpai

Another bed with significant cultural heritage and history, 5000 years of it in fact, is the charpai. Very different to our beds in Western cultures, which take up much space and can be very heavy, the charpai is lightweight and portable enough to be taken with on travels. It is a simple structure, made of woven cotton suspended between four pillars and four support beams. It has excellent ventilation, an obvious response to the extreme heat and humidity in India. The charpai did fall out of popularity with the introduction of more modern and durable beds and became merely a piece of history, however, that are making a comeback within a niche market in India and worldwide.

The Chinese Kang Bed

Certainly a unique take on sleep, and one that will keep you cozy, the kang is a heated bed base or bed-stove. It brings hot air from a fireplace through pipes underneath the mattress to keep it warm. The mattress is also moved away during the day with the kang then serving as underfloor heating for a large portion of the room. Although not all Chinese homes make use of the kang today, it is still widely used throughout the country, particularly in rural homes.

The South Korean Ondol

In a similar fashion to the Chinese kang, the ondol serves as an underfloor heating system for homes in South Korea. With the floor providing much of the needed warmth, only thin mattresses needed to be used, here drawing similarity to the Japanese futon. A large portion of the South Korean population now uses typical Western beds, but the ondol is still largely in use.

Scandinavia

Scandinavia seems to have the solution to sharing duvets; don’t. Someone who hogs the covers can be a real nuisance come bedtime, but this problem will be easily solved with the Scandinavian sleep method. Though not a different bed, it is certainly a different approach to sleep and how the bed is set up. In this method, each partner has their own separate duvet, preventing sleep disturbances and allowing each person to have a duvet that suits their preferences. It seems like such an obvious solution, but if that was the case, why is such a small percentage of the world’s population doing it?

Germany

Like the Scandinavian sleep method, but taking it one step further, the German approach involves having two separate beds or at least mattresses alongside one another. In addition to the comfort and freedom of choosing your own duvet, you can choose the ideal mattress as well

The Central and South American Hammock

Although the hammock is commonly used nowadays for lounging at the beach or outside reading a book, for those native to Central and South America, it served a much greater purpose. The hammock could literally have saved their lives, by being elevated off the ground, the hammock protected them from dangerous creatures which were and are abundant in that area.

United States of America

Although they may sleep on the same sort of beds we are accustomed to, they are responsible for one very distinct variation, the California king bed. These extra length beds can now be found worldwide and are the epitome of luxury.

There are surely more weird and wonderful beds out there, but these are a few of the most noteworthy mentions. It is interesting to see how different cultures and people of the world have developed beds and sleeping arrangements to suit their environments, and the fact that modern beds haven’t always been around and in some areas are still not in use. It’s amazing how much thought has gone into the act of sleep, while at the same time it is not something most people will think about when going to sleep at night.