A pillow is a support of the body at rest for comfort, therapy, or decoration. Pillows are used in different variations by many species, including humans. Some types of pillows include throw pillows, body pillows, decorative pillows, and many more. Pillows that aid sleeping are a form of bedding that supports the head and neck. Other types of pillows are designed to support the body when lying down or sitting. There are also pillows that consider human body shape for increased comfort during sleep. Decorative pillows used on people, couches or chairs are sometimes referred to as cushions.
In contemporary western culture, pillows consist of a plain or patterned fabric envelope (known as a pillowcase) which contains a soft stuffing, typically synthetic and typically standardized in sizes and shape. Pillows have been historically made of a variety of natural materials and many cultures continue to use pillows made from natural materials in the world.
The word pillow comes from Middle English pilwe, from Old English pyle (akin to Old High German pfuliwi) and from Latin pulvinus. The first known use of the word pillow was before the 12th century.
Though the exact origin is unknown, use of pillows evolved in animals well into prehistory, the earliest examples including reptiles and mammals resting their heads on themselves, and one another, to support the head and neck. Animals, including humans, evolved use of inanimate objects in their nests out of wood and stone as pillows. Since domestication, many animals have also learned to make use of human-made pillows and cushions, as well as to rest on members of their own and other species, for this purpose.
Sometime between 5 and 23 million years ago tree-dwelling great apes began building sleeping platforms, including wooden pillows, to improve their sleep. According to studies on chimpanzees that sleep up to eight to nine hours a night using specifically selected ironwood pillows, sturdy pillows enabled great apes to escape being hunted by night predators and not fall out of the trees while asleep. It is likely that this was necessitated by the evolution of large, energy-consuming brains. Though it may also have led to longer periods of REM sleep, that in turn increased their cognitive capacity.
The earliest recorded use of the modern human device dates back to the civilizations of Mesopotamia around 7,000 BC. During this time, only the wealthy used pillows. The number of pillows symbolized status so the more pillows one owned the more affluence they held. Pillows have long been produced around the world in order to help solve the reoccurring problem of neck, back, and shoulder pain while sleeping. Besides for comfort, the pillow was also used for keeping bugs and insects out of people's hair, mouth, nose, and ears while sleeping.
Pillow use has been associated with the mummies and tombs of ancient Egypt during the 11th dynasty, dating to 2055–1985 B.C. Ancient Egyptian pillows were wooden or stone headrests. These pillows were mostly used by placing them under the heads of the deceased because the head of a human was considered to be the essence of life and sacred.
The normal lifespan of a pillow is two to four years. Condition of the pillow can be determined by checking for lumps or folding it in order to see if stays in that shape. Replacement is recommended for sanitary reasons. All types of pillow covers should be laundered periodically since they are the part that is in contact with a person's body. Pillows accumulate dust and microbes among the fill, even when washable pillows are washed. Manufacturers recommend tumble-drying for fifteen minutes every week to freshen them up, and for the heat to kill dust mites. Charities in most countries will not accept used pillows due to hygiene regulations. While some animal shelters accept forms of bedding, most reject donation of used pillows due to the mess they can cause.
Recycling of pillows, like most textile and bedding items, is expensive and has poor yield. As such, few are recycled and most end up in landfills. Their light weight means that they make up a low proportion of household waste by mass. Most of the few pillows collected for recycling are sent to India and Pakistan and used as low-cost bedding, or in South East Asia, co-mingled with other textiles to manufacture cheap bedding.
If you want to read more, go here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pillow
- 1 (10-3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of shrimp soup
- 1 cup milk
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 slices hearty white bread
- 4 slices sharp Cheddar cheese
- 1 pound raw medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
- Preheat oven to 375º. Coat a 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine soup, milk, eggs, salt, and pepper; mix well.
- Place 2 slices of bread in prepared casserole dish. Lay a slice of cheese on each, then half the shrimp. Repeat layers. Pour soup mixture over bread.
- Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until center is firm and puffy.
***This makes for a perfect brunch or lunch along with a fresh-tasting crisp salad!
1925 – Lee Van Cleef, American actor (d. 1989)
1935 – Bob Denver, American actor (d. 2005)
1951 – Crystal Gayle, American singer
1955 – J. K. Simmons, American actor
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