A bed
is a piece of furniture or location primarily
used or intended for sleeping upon, but also commonly
used for relaxing , sitting , and reading .
Beds come in a wide array of shapes and sizes.
Early beds were little more than piles of straw
or some other natural materials. An important
change was raising them off the ground, to avoid
drafts, dirt, and pests.
To make beds more comfortable the top layer is
frequently a mattress . Originally these were
bags of straw for most people and filled with
feathers for the wealthy. Eventually new fillings
such as cotton and artificial fillers became common.
In modern times most mattresses use springs ,
solid foam , water, or air.
At the top of the mattress, to provide greater
support for the head, most people use a pillow
. Also used is some form of covering blanket to
provide warmth to the sleeper, often bed sheets
, a quilt , or a duvet .
The bed frame may simply be made of wood or metal,
but many also use springs. Most expensive and
bulky, but also strong and comfortable are box
springs, a large mattress-sized box containing
wood and springs. A valance may be used to make
the bed frame match the rest of the bedding.
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