Sleep Tight.....Don't Let The Bed Bugs Bite.....

Sleeping Tradition

Here are two sayings we still use today from our past:

Sleep tight: We use this saying often when wishing someone a good night’s sleep or putting a young child down to bed at night. The phrase originated from when a wooden bed frame held a mattress by stringing ropes across the frame and under the mattress. The ropes were the only means of keeping the mattress in a firm shape; when the ropes sagged so did the mattress.

When the ropes began to stretch and sag they required the regular maintenance of tightening. How did they tighten the ropes centuries ago? Their technology was to use a large wooden screw called a key to do the job. So, to “sleep tight” came to mean that others wished you well by sleeping comfortably on a tight or firm bed! Talk about extra housework! These days all you do is purchase a new box springs or mattress to get the job done.

Don’t let the bed bugs bite: As recently as the 1930’s in America, about 70 years ago, we did not have mattresses as we know them today. Back then people took large cloth bags and stuffed them with whatever they had on hand inexpensively: dried corn husks if they lived on a farm, straw, dried leaves, grass or like in the Deep South they used Spanish moss. It was only the very wealthy who could afford their mattresses to be stuffed with the luxury of the softest goose down or feathers.

Here’s the revolting part: Bed bugs are not a fairy tale but real bugs. What happened when people stuffed their cloth bags with those natural elements? You guessed right! It didn’t matter how careful you were when you stuffed those mattresses, some of the bugs, larvae or eggs would get into it. As you would relax into that mattress, tired from the day, the bugs would migrate to the warmest part of the bed: you! They would only settle down for their sleep after a few chomps on you. Apparently, because of international travel there is a resurgence of this issue and bed bug biting experience. Consider carefully before signing up for that cheap hotel room overseas. More to come on protecting your mattress from bed bugs.