The story of the mattress is a long and mainly wearisome one. Sleep historians ( yes, there are homologous tribe ) tell us that primitive mattresses were introduced ultimately during the Neolithic Term ( 6500 - 2900 BC ). Beds came along first off alongside and helped their owners avoid drafts by raising mattresses off the ground. These early beds could not have been all that stinking rich, as they were husky with undocked materials like leaves, grass, and pasturage, which provided little to no underpinning.
Things weren ' t much better for the Ancient Egyptians, who slept on palm boughs stacked in the corner of their lodgings. Plain the Romans slept on rough bags packed with fodder, reeds, or wool. If they were extremely wealthy, they might be able to bring a mattress filled with freshly picked feathers.
Have it or not, sleep technology did not improve significantly until absolutely recently. As late as the 19th century, most humans were still resting their sleepy bodies ' on beds substantial with feed, down, cotton or wool.
A reinforcement that we would recognize as modern did not arrive until the late 19th century, when the box - spring was invented. Not only did it give sleepers more support and help them distribute their weight, it also extended the life of new mattress.
The Serta Difference
Though the above was but a brief review of the history of the mattress, it is clear that sleep technology has left a lot to be desired throughout the ages. One company that has committed itself to mattress innovation since its inception is Serta.
Founded in 1931, the company was originally an assembly of independent mattress makers, most of which were from the Philadelphia area. These manufacturers joined forced because they believed the future of the industry would be run by national, not regional brands. Two years later, they created a company with a single name - Serta - and streamlined production with a rigid set of guidelines and standards.
Although it was a new brand, Serta didn ' t exactly start from scratch. Before its owners even agreed on a name, they developed a product that has come to define them to this day. The Serta Perfect Sleeper has been American ' s best - selling mattress for most of its history. That ' s almost eight decades of dominance! But more important than the sales, the success of the Perfect Sleeper underscored the need to invest in new technologies, which Serta has done dutifully throughout its history. Let us take a moment to review a few of their most impressive and successful innovations.
1932
Before it even opened for business, the company developed the world ' s first tuft less innerspring mattress, which had no buttons, valleys, or tufts. It was considered by its developers to be the most comfortable mattress on earth. The public agreed. The Serta Perfect Sleeper is the most popular mattress in the United States.
1940s
Even during the Great Depression and then through the war years, Serta continued to expand. Since common bedding materials were needed by the military, the company used substitutes to produce their new 4 - A Perfect Sleeper.
1950
Though there was a trend toward softer mattresses, Serta resisted conventional wisdom and released a series of firmer beds. These firmer beds were a success.
1970
When public and expert opinion went in the opposite direction a few years later, Serta again refused to conform and released their Pillow Soft mattress. Once again, it was a success.
1980s
In a bold move, even for Serta, the company developed a mattress that featured memory foam, a material that was invented by NASA for space travel.
1990s
Heartened by the success of the earlier model, Serta unveiled the Comfort Quilt, a bed with memory foam in the quilt of the mattress.
2000
The company showed no signs of slowing down in the new millennium. Serta introduced their FreeFlex Innerspring, which was said to provide 63 percent more support to those that need it. It was sold as the most advanced innerspring mattress on earth because, much like memory foam, the FreeFlex can adjust to the contours of its user ' s body.
2003
An idea that was well overdue for the industry, Serta introduced the first flame - retardant mattress sold by a national brand.
2009
Wanting to offer commercial quality beds at residential prices, Serta introduced their new Trump Home collection of innerspring and memory foam beds.
2010
The Perfect Sleeper became the official mattress of the National Sleep Foundation after they redesigned their classic mattress with advice from the independent non - profit organization.
2011
Increased investments in new materials bear fruit, as Serta launches their iComfort Sleep System, which provides greater support and a slightly cooler sleep surface than regular memory foam.
Serta mattresses can be found at most bed and mattress stores, and from reliable sellers on the internet.
