Bed (furniture)

:Bed redirects here. For other meanings of the same word, see bed (disambiguation).

Related Topics:
Bed - Bed (disambiguation)

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A bed is a piece of furniture or location primarily used or intended for sleeping upon, but also commonly used for sexual activities, and for relaxing, sitting and reading.

Related Topics:
Sleeping - Sexual activities - Relaxing - Sitting - Reading

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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.

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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.

Related Topics:
Mattress - Feather - Cotton - Spring - Foam

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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.

Related Topics:
Pillow - Blanket - Bed sheet - Quilt - Duvet

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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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