Hammock
The best way to sit in a traditional hammock is diagonally. In this position, you will be flat, and it is even possible to lie on your side or on your stomach. However, these positions are not possible in certain versions with bars at each end.
What are the differences between a classic hammock and a bar hammock?
The hammock with bars is closer to the sunbed, is less stable and therefore less intended for children and the elderly. The hammock with bars must be more tense and one lies in it lengthwise.
Since the bars of the hammock cannot be disassembled, the hammocks with bars cannot therefore be washed in the washing machine: we will therefore favor hammocks with bars made of a mixture of cotton and polyester.
Due to the fact that they must be installed more tense, they require proportionally more space than traditional hammocks but less height.
Finally, aesthetically speaking, bar hammocks are more elegant to look at.
The traditional hammock is ideal for taking a nap or even spending the night in it: you sit in it diagonally. The wider, the more comfortable!
Some people who no longer know how to sleep in any bed have consulted doctors who rightly advised them to try the hammock.
Indeed, researchers from the University of Geneva specializing in the brain have discovered that rocking makes it easier to fall asleep: a study conducted with men aged 22 to 38 has proven that rocking had made it possible to fall asleep. fall asleep faster in a hammock than in a bed on the ground.
In addition, for people with back pain, the traditional hammock offers the great advantage of having no pressure points on the body.
Sleeping or taking a nap: the traditional hammock is ideal.
For the rest, it’s up to everyone to test the different models and see which one feels best.
HOW THE HAMMOCK BECAME POPULAR IN NORTH AMERICA
It’s a summer day, you rock gently in your hammock and you think about the origin of this wonderful invention.
Nope? It’s never happened to you you say?
Regardless, the hammock has a very interesting history.
Although the product may seem modern to North Americans, people in Central and South America have long benefited from this invention.
So how did this product from the jungles of Central, South America and the West Indies come to us?
LET’S START WITH ITS ORIGIN
SOUTHERN ORIGINS
The first hammock was invented by the inhabitants of Central and South America to serve as a resting place.
Although the hammocks we use today are colorful and comfortable, the first hammocks were not so. The first hammocks were woven from tree bark. The tree bark was then replaced by Sisal fiber because of its abundance.
Hammocks have become very popular because they offer more protection against insects and animals since they are hung high.
The hammock became a popular product when Christopher Columbus discovered it in the 15th century. He wrote in his diary that the locals slept in nets slung between the trees. He recounted his discovery when he returned to Spain. The concept was adopted by many Europeans. The latter brought this idea with them to North America.
WHO CREATED THE HAMMOCK?
The Mayas. It is almost 1,000 years since the Mayans invented the first hammock. Very quickly, the hammock becomes, in South America and Latin America, the bed of the Indians, where they are sheltered from poisonous snakes, wild animals but also from dirt and humidity.
WHERE DOES THE WORD HAMMOCK COME FROM?
Hammocks come from Central and South America. Since they were made from the bark of the Hamack tree, the natives decided to name them Hamacas in their native language.
Adopted by Europeans, the name evolved and became Hammock.
ADOPTED BY SAILORS
In the 16th century, English and Spanish sailors adopted hammocks for sleeping aboard their ships.
Hammocks take up less space than traditional beds, plus hammocks rock in sync with the movement of the boat, reducing the risk of being thrown into the water.
The design of European hammocks was not as comfortable as that of South Americans.
Despite this, European sailors used hammocks for about 300 years. Even the Americans ended up adopting this product.
In the 19th century, English prisons began replacing beds to save space and minimize costs. In the United States, farmers adopted the hammock to save money. The rich bought them for fun.
diagram of an astronaut hammock in orbit
USING A HAMMOCK IN SPACE
We saved the most surprising for the end.
During the Apollo 11 space mission, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin had difficulty falling asleep on the floor of their shuttle. NASA looked into the matter in order to find a solution for future expeditions.
A NASA team has therefore created a hammock designed for space missions.
These hammocks were equipped with covers with thermal insulation and Velcro fasteners. The Apollo 12 mission team therefore had a much better night’s sleep.
WHAT HAMMOCKS ARE USED FOR TODAY
Nowadays, people get hammocks for the purpose of relaxing. Hammocks are very popular among millennials because they are lightweight, affordable, and comfortable.
Modern hammocks are made from much better materials than the bark of a tree. Modern hammocks are much more elegant and of better quality.
Sources: PinterPandai, South Eastern Salvage, Kammok, Lifeventure, University of Geneva, NBC News
Photo credit: ZPhotoo / Pixabay
