Tile Floors, Stone Pillows, and the History of Sleep Surfaces

We explore the surprisingly recent invention of the plush mattress and what humans actually slept on for most of history. From 77,000-year-old insect-repellent reed beds in Sibudu Cave to stone pillows in ancient Mesopotamia, hard sleeping surfaces were the norm—not the exception. We break down the biomechanics of firm versus soft surfaces, the role of conductive cooling in sleep onset, and whether your tile-floor nap habit has actual science behind it.