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Anthony Woodward
Portland, Oregon, US

According to Jane Goodall – and who should know better – even chimpanzees make themselves a pillow. Each night, they create a new nest, lining it with soft leaves that they also use to make themselves a pillow. Presumably our human ancestors did the same as their closest relatives. If they did, those pillows would survive for only a few days and never become part of the fossil record, so we will never know for sure.

Pillows increase nocturnal comfort. The average human head weighs around 5 kilograms. After carrying it around all day, what a relief it is to let the bed take the weight. For side sleepers, without a pillow, there is about a 10-centimetre gap between the side of the head and the mattress. Letting the head drop to the mattress causes uncomfortable tension on the upper side of the neck and uncomfortable compression on the lower side.

In the standing position, the back of the neck is concave. Lying supine on a pillow mildly reduces that concavity and allows the extensor muscles at the back of the neck to relax.

Headrests have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs, dating from around 3000 BC onwards. Apparently, they were designed to keep the sleeper’s head well above insects and other vermin creeping over the floor. They look very uncomfortable, but they may have been padded with cloths.

Chris Daniel
Colwyn Bay, Conwy, UK

Humans have always recognised the need for comfortable head support when sleeping. It’s thought that our ancestors were using pillows made of natural materials such as ash or grass as far back as 227,000 years ago in Africa. The reason a pillow is necessary is that the human neck curves in a C-shape, so if we lie on our back on a flat surface, our neck is unsupported and is extended further backwards as the head touches the surface.

When side-lying without a pillow, the width of the shoulders means that our neck has to flex laterally until the head is in contact with the surface, a position most people find uncomfortable. A good pillow should sufficiently conform to us to distribute pressure comfortably and of a thickness that aligns the head and neck with the rest of the spine.

It isn’t only humans who find head support useful when sleeping. Some animals, particularly big cats and apes, are also more comfortable when resting their heads on a supportive surface, such as a branch or their forelimbs. Nest-building primates such as orangutans and chimpanzees make pillow-like structures from twigs and leaves, but can also support their heads on their arms when lying on their sides. A secure pillow prevents the ape from falling out of a tree, keeping it safe from predators. It may also facilitate longer REM sleep, leading to improved cognitive capacity.

Pillows are recorded as being used 9000 years ago in Mesopotamia and were usually associated with high-status individuals. Ancient Egyptian royalty used wooden or stone head supports, but the Greeks and Romans developed soft pillows filled with reeds, feathers or straw. In Chinese dynasties, pillows were made from hard materials such as bamboo, wood or bronze, but jade and porcelain were prized because they were thought to encourage health and repel evil spirits.

In Japan, wooden or ceramic pillows, sometimes covered with a soft fabric, were used to preserve elaborate hairstyles as much as to provide comfort while sleeping. Because people typically slept on the ground, a pillow also served to keep insects out of their hair, mouth, nose and ears while they were sleeping.

In the Middle Ages, pillows were still considered a luxury, but mass production in the 19th century made them affordable for everyone.

Modern pillows come in a variety of fabrics and with natural or synthetic fillings, with soft to firm properties to suit personal preferences. All have the same purpose – helping the user get a good night’s sleep.

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