Ancient Chinese people believed, as recorded in Tao Shou, that sleeping on a porcelain pillow would assure one's eyes were clear and bright, so that even when old, one could still read books with small characters. The book noted that the porcelain pillow was popular at court.
While today we would be hard-pressed to find a person willing to sleep on a hard porcelain pillow, the Chinese believed that hard materials were beneficial to improve the personality. Soft materials resulted in a loss of energy and vitality.
They were the ultimate cool aid
The hot summer nights in southern China led to a surge in products designed to cool the bed, including ceramic pillows, which were also believed to keep the eyes healthy.
Although Sun Simiao suggested a soft pillow for a good sleep, people often slept on hard pillows made from materials such as bronze, earthenware and wood.
Ceramic pillows in China were first produced during the Tang dynasty (618–907). They became a popular domestic item among middle- and upper-class families during the Song dynasty. Ceramic pillows were used not only by the living but for burial as well.
Egyptian pillows were made of marble, ivory, ceramic, wood, or stone. In addition to elevating the head in life, Egyptians also placed pillows carved with images of the gods under the heads of their dead to keep bad spirits away.
Besides for comfort, the pillow was also used for keeping bugs and insects out of people's hair, mouth, nose, and ears while sleeping. Pillow use has been associated with the mummies and tombs of ancient Egypt during the 11th dynasty, dating to 2055–1985 B.C. Ancient Egyptian pillows were wooden or stone headrests.
According to the Chinese Sleep Research Report 2022, the average sleep time of Chinese decreased from 8.5 hours in 2012 to 7.06 hours in 2021, a reduction of 1.5 hours. Only 35 percent Chinese can get eight hours of sleep.
Kang. Around the 18th century, mud beds or 'Kang' were found in most Chinese households and used by commoners. As home activities were done on the floor, naturally their beds too, were built on floors.
Long before steel-coil innersprings and high-tech memory foam—or any mattress at all, for that matter—early humans slept on layers of reeds, rushes, and leaves, where they bedded down along with their extended families. Then came piles of straw, woven mats, and cloth sacks filled with hay.
A physiotherapist from the Netherlands has designed and created a pillow which costs a staggering 57,000 dollars (Rs 45 lakh). It took Thijs van der Hilst fifteen years to create the pillow. The pillow is made from Egyptian cotton and mulberry silk and is filled with non-toxic Dutch memory foam.
East Asia. In China, it is called bàozhěn in Mandarin (simplified: 抱枕, 'hugging pillow'), while in Cantonese it is known as laam2 zam2 (traditional: 攬枕; pinyin: lǎn zhěn).
Tiger pillow are widely used by Chinese children. Tiger is taken as the king of the forest. He can protect children from dangers. It usually acts as a pillow or a toy near the pillow to guard the child. They are also one of the greatest gifts to children.
Placing a pillow between your legs can help reduce muscle tension by preventing your legs from pulling, providing you with a better night's sleep and less pain and undue stress on your back in the morning.
Sleeping on a firm pillow may help to improve spinal alignment and prevent pain or stiffness in the neck and shoulders. However, a firm pillow can also be less comfortable than a softer pillow and may not provide as much pressure relief for the head and neck.
Back sleepers should use a very firm pillow or wedge to elevate the top half of the body. Stomach Sleepers. If your preference is to sleep on your tummy, you will want to seek out a soft pillow. By using a softer pillow, your head will be closer to the mattress, keeping the integrity of your neck's natural alignment.
In Medieval and Tudor England, people used to sleep sitting up in their beds. Bed frames were a sign of wealth and they were often passed down in wills. Sleeping upright was considered healthy because it helped prevent respiratory problems. The wealthy would often have special chairs that they would use to sleep in.
If you've ever been on a tour of an upper-class historical home or castle, the docent probably made a point of telling the group that beds of the past were so short because people used to sleep sitting upright, leaning against the headboard.
Women's roles were primarily kinship roles: daughter, sister, wife, daughter-in-law, mother, and mother-in-law. In all these roles, it was incumbent on women to accord with the wishes and needs of closely-related men: their fathers when young, their husbands when married, their sons when widowed.
Only one country in Asia actually gets an average of more than 7 hours of sleep. China is the only country where people get an average of more than 7 hours of sleep per night. Countries like Hong Kong and Thailand are quite close to 7 hours of sleep.
Afternoon nap is a traditional practice commonly seen in populations of Mediterranean, Latin American, and Chinese countries. In Chinese society, it is widely accepted that afternoon nap, as a complementary sleep, is a healthy activity and is especially good for older adults who need longer sleeping time.
Unlike today's soft pillows filled with synthetic fiber, down and feather, ancient Chinese pillows were extremely firm, made of wood, stone, copper or porcelain. During the Sui Dynasty (581-618), porcelain headrests were the most common type of ancient pillows.
As for how humans slept without soft pillows, they likely slept in a more upright or reclined position rather than lying flat on their backs, as is common today. They may have also used blankets or other soft materials to cushion their heads and support their necks while they slept.
Pillows start to turn yellow due to a variety of factors, most of which involve the accumulation of moisture. Sweat, drool, wet hair, and even skincare products can contribute to yellow stains on a pillow.