man sleeping in bed on pillow
Jade Small
Jade Small
December 7, 2023 ·  4 min read

Why Do So Many Men Only Have One Sad Pillow?

A simple look into the way men sleep can tell you so much about their lives. There are so many avenues to explore, so let’s see if one sad pillow really makes that much difference. So much of our waking lives are affected by how much and how comfortably we sleep. From dreams and sleep states to circadian rhythms, our entire subconscious can be taken apart by simply looking more closely.

The mystery of the sad pillow

The mystery of the solitary sad pillow is something rather revealing in the lives of so many men. It seems to whimper at the end of the mattress as if lost and all alone like some sad puppy. Being shacked up for weeks or even months has been the order of the day for so many of us lately. So, it doesn’t explain this lack of attention to basic bedroom comfort. The sad pillow is usually a stained, yellow lump. It probably plays host to mildew, mold, and various other microscopic household mites and organisms. When the pillowcase is around it is probably a sentimental cartoon-themed slip that has hung around since childhood.

With a world of available options, from down feathers to hypoallergenic memory foam, one might appropriately question this strange choice of bedding. What indeed are the reasons behind mens’ decision to sleep on such a grubby sad pillow. When asked about this strange practice common to so many men, the psychotherapist, and psychologist, Steven T. Richards’ answer was rather illuminating. He explained that having inhospitable sleeping quarters is part of a completely instinctual pattern of behavior:[1]

“It means that men don’t get too comfortable, in case they have to wake up suddenly and defend the ‘cave’ against predators, or even other men.”

Read: Could Male Love Robots Replace Men For Good?

Beds are for sleeping

While the parallel drawn between today’s average man and the cavemen of prehistory may be completely plausible, Richards revealed even further insights. ‘The worn-out pillow, is probably on the unclean side, will enhance immunity,’ he expanded, ‘so even that has survival value, in the context of male ‘warrior’ instincts.’ Overall, men who have been found to own only one pillow said that this was out of pure necessity and practicality. One 26 years old, Jake stated plainly that ‘Beds are for sleeping, anything more is just a display. No one needs that much comfort.’[1]

This makes you ponder about why men are seemingly against the concept of being comfortable while sleeping. Or having anything even remotely decorative in their bedrooms, for that matter. Perhaps the conclusions drawn by Richards are correct? He says that: “It’s fundamental that men can’t afford to ‘sleep on the job’ and lose their instinctive edge.” Gina, 26, believes that this behavior may be a result of conditioned and entrenched sexism. Rather than anything to do with human evolution. She argues that for certain men, it is down to nothing more than neglect or pure laziness.[1]

 “Believe it’s not ‘manly’ to have a decent bed setup Left to their own devices, most cishet men – i.e., without a significant other or female guardian – don’t even think about things like dirt, washing, or the fact they have had the same stale yellow pillow for ten years. Their priorities are different. I once had to replace my ex’s pillows that were over 15 years old.”

Read: Instagram Showed Me My Own Bedroom in Ads

Studies show sad results

According to one study, single men only change their sheets four times a year. So, not only are these bedrooms not aesthetically pleasing, they’re bloody filthy.[2]

We were quite alarmed at the apparent lack of basic hygiene from some respondents. Dust mites would find a perfect habitat in such unhygienic bed sheets and they can cause allergic flare-ups, asthma, rhinitis and other physical reactions.

Conclusion of the sad pillow

Regardless of what is said during our sad pillow talk, as it were, what seems to be the main reason for men not upgrading their sleeping arrangements is rather obvious. They simply haven’t yet discovered the wonders of pocketed coil systems or gel-foam technology and it is up to you to educate and initiate them into these futurist ideals. Most men simply stick to what they know and only change when they have no other choice. Whether by societal conditioning or mere ignorance there is simply no excuse, nor should the sad pillow state-of-affairs continue to be tolerated by women. What do you think?

Keep Reading: Horribly Sexist Things That Show How Messed Up Our Society Is To Women

Sources

  1. Important: Why Do So Many Men Only Have One Sad Pillow?VICE. Gina Tonic
  2. Whoah! Single men wash their sheets ‘four times a year’” Metro. Jessica Lindsay. August 6, 2017.