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Medieval Sleep Secrets: More Than Just Demons?
5 Aug
Summary
- Medieval art depicted people sleeping propped up, not flat.
- Reasons included avoiding looking like a corpse or demons.
- Bad mattresses and digestion issues also played a role.
Medieval paintings often depict individuals sleeping in a significantly propped-up position. This visual has led to various theories about their sleeping habits, ranging from practical necessities to fear-based practices.
One theory suggests that artists exaggerated the upright sleeping posture to distinguish a sleeping person from a corpse, as lying flat could appear indistinguishable from death. Another belief was that sleeping flat might lead to an open mouth, inviting evil spirits.
More grounded explanations involve preventing digestion problems, with the elevated posture aiding in digestion and preventing regurgitation. The quality of medieval beds, often featuring rope-strung frames and straw mattresses, may have also influenced sleeping positions, as lying flat could risk sinking through the frame.
