Innovations that changed the way we sleep

Have you ever lain in bed at night and wondered how many things had to be invented for you to get a good night's sleep?

We've come a long way from curling up at the back of a cave under animal fur. And yet our bodies need much the same things for a good night's sleep as they did hundreds of thousands of years ago. We've just got better at acquiring them, and thank goodness for that.

The history of a good night's sleep

Most of us picture comfortable sleep by Western standards. But in New Zealand and across the Pacific, we're lucky to be exposed to how many other cultures like to sleep.

When humans left their caves and looked for better places to rest, they were shaped by the environment and materials around them. For example:

• Where there were wild animals, thorn branches were cut to form a barrier and a fire kept burning all night. Instant security and warmth, two things you need for a good night's sleep.
• Where there were rodents or other creepy-crawlies, sleeping platforms were raised on sticks, or cowhide was stretched between hut posts to make a kind of flattened hammock, which doubled as somewhere to sit during the day.
• On the subject of hammocks, Columbus came back from the Bahamas describing people sleeping in nets strung between two palm trees. Sailors realised hammocks were the perfect way not to roll out of bed when the ship swayed.
• In parts of East Asia, where the same room was used for sleeping and daytime life, laying out a mattress at night and rolling it away in the morning made perfect sense.

Sleep innovations that changed the game

Mosquito nets. The mosquito is often named the creature that has killed the most people in history. Long before anyone understood why, the bite, the itch, and that maddening high-pitched whine were reason enough to keep them out. Communities around the world crafted nets and covers to protect sleepers, and the humble mosquito net earns its place on any list of great sleep innovations.

Antacids. If you've ever overindulged and then spent the night tossing, turning and burping, you'll appreciate this one. Heartburn is a classic cause of a restless night. Ancient healers reached for ginger and coral powders to soothe the burn; modern antacids do the job more reliably. If you're caught without one, lying on your left side and sipping water can help. If heartburn is frequent, see your doctor to rule out anything that needs treating.

Decaffeinated coffee. Not everyone wants cocoa before bed, and cocoa has caffeine in it too. Plenty of us love a coffee after dinner, especially when dining out. The catch is that caffeine acts fast, peaking in the bloodstream within about an hour, and it has a half-life of roughly five to six hours, long enough to disrupt your sleep. Thanks to decaf, you can enjoy an evening coffee and still head straight to bed.

White noise machines. Barking dogs, creaking floors, a snoring partner. A white noise machine covers the interruptions with something steady, rainfall, birdsong, a low hum, that tells your brain everything is calm and it can relax. For light sleepers, it can be the difference between a broken night and a solid one.

The simple things that still help most

For all our modern gadgets, the fundamentals of good sleep haven't really changed. The things that help most are still the simplest:

• A comfortable room temperature
• Going to bed and getting up at roughly the same time each day
• Keeping screens out of the bedroom
• A calming wind-down, a journal, a book, a few slow breaths

And, of course, the simple comfort of a weighted blanket. The gentle, even weight feels grounding and reassuring, like being tucked in, which for a lot of people makes it easier to settle at the end of the day.

Sleep matters. It's worth finding the warm, simple, comforting ways to get more of it.