Most of us enjoy lying in bed with a comfortable mattress. However, the Japanese rarely sleep on a bed and prefer to sleep on the floor. So what is the reason for this?
Traditional habit
According to many studies, the culture of sleeping on the floor has existed in Japan for thousands of years and has become a “heritage” habit of the people of this country.
Many Japanese people choose to sleep on the floor instead of a bed.
Utilizing living space
Japan is famous for being a “small country with a large population”, and the population density in Japan, especially in famous cities, is quite high. When you come here, you will see a large number of small apartments in urban areas. This is the main “explanation” for the reason why Japanese houses are usually small and narrow.
To save living space, Japanese people often build thin walls or simply place a sliding door to separate different spaces within the house. Sometimes, they even arrange the living room as a bedroom with just a tatami mat, a compact and multi-functional type of mat to make the most of the space.
The small size of the house is the reason why the Japanese choose to sleep on the floor.
In addition, a noticeable feature of Japanese houses is their low height, so when placing a bed, you will easily hit your head on the ceiling. Therefore, to adapt well and ensure the quality of life, the Japanese prefer to sleep directly on the floor to create a higher ceiling feeling. And without a bed, the room area also expands significantly.
Good for joints and health
According to many people, too soft beds are not good for joints. Meanwhile, the ideal place is to lie on a plane with moderate elasticity, not too hard or too soft. If you sleep on a too soft bed, you may feel comfortable at first but when the mattress starts to sink, your spine may bend and cause back pain. Particularly, sleeping on the floor also helps the elderly reduce the risk of falling when they are in bed and want to get down to the floor.
Therefore, sleeping on a flat and hard surface will be good for the back, helping to enhance blood circulation because the weight of our body is evenly distributed, exerting less pressure on other parts. That’s why the Japanese often sleep on a tatami mat because of its firm structure, which is good for the development of bones and keeps our spine straight.
If you sleep on the floor, you will easily feel the presence of earthquakes.
Easily detect earthquakes
Living in a country that frequently experiences earthquakes, the Japanese are always prepared to face unexpected situations. Therefore, timely sensing earthquakes and quickly having an evacuation plan is important in their lives. To “quickly respond” to earthquakes, the Japanese have a habit of sleeping on the floor because they can clearly feel each tremor. In case of emergencies, they will quickly realize it, roll off the floor, reduce the risk of injury, and find a safe place. If they sleep on a bed, the sense of an earthquake often comes slower. In addition, houses with fewer furnishings also help the Japanese “escape” more quickly.
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