Are two sleeps better than one?
There has been unanimous evidence for quite some time now that people should look at trying to achieve at least seven hours of sleep per night. It is proven that sleeping for this length of time has significant benefits to both mind and body. However, perhaps what is less well documented is the fact that we have evolved from two block chunk sleeping periods. In fact, it often comes as a shock to many that the block eight hour sleeping pattern that we have become accustomed to is a relatively new concept.
Sleep is essential to health
The truth is that sleep is an essential part of health. It helps us to learn new things more easily and lower our risk of developing mental health conditions such as stress and anxiety. Sleeping well literally enables us to lead better quality and healthier lives. Having said this, do you ever wake up in the night feeling tired or experiencing broken sleep? The answer for a peaceful night’s sleep could lie within changing your sleeping pattern.
It is important to note that everyone is different. Some will have a high intake of caffeine and get a rush of energy where others won’t. Similarly, someone else may well be fitted to the block eight hour sleep and others will naturally lean towards the two four hour sleep patterns. All of these sleep patterns are in some way linked to evolution and history.
Two sleeps per night used to be the norm
History holds valuable insights with regards to sleeping habits. Previously, it was very common for people to sleep in two four hour blocks, separated by a period of wakefulness for around two hours. During this time many people would do very normal things such as reading, praying or talking. However, others would get up and be far more active, engaging in activities such as doing household chores or visiting the neighbours.
This first sleep, considered to be the deep sleep, and the second or ‘morning sleep’ is well documented in historical literature, such as legal depositions and other official papers. As the 19th century progressed, the language changed and mentions of segmented sleeping patterns began to diminish. But what changed the way in which we historically slept?
It was Thomas Edison, or more specifically, his invention of the light bulb. The advent of street lighting and later indoor lighting ultimately changed the way in which people sleep. Two sleeps were eventually considered a waste of time as night time became a period for socialising or work. Shortly after the turn of the 20th century, the idea of two sleeps had virtually vanished from common knowledge.
Two sleeps no longer
The idea of two sleeps in one night might be ancient history now, but the tendency to move towards it still very much lingers in modern society. This was confirmed in the early 90’s when Thomas Wehr, a psychiatrist of the National Institute of Mental Health underwent a study on exposure to light and its effect on sleeping patterns. In his study, the days of mid-winter were replicated, with shorter day light and long nights. The fifteen participants in the test, rather than stay awake for the usually sixteen hours, fell asleep after only ten. At first, those in the study would sleep for long periods of time, most likely restoring the sleep debt that is all too common amongst modern people.
However, once the participants caught up on their sleep, something quite incredible happened. They began to have two block sleeps. Over a period of twelve hours, initially the participants would sleep for around four hours, have wakefulness of around 3 hours and a further four hours sleep until morning. No one in the study slept for more than eight hours.
Far from the restless tossing and turning which many of us experience in the middle of the night, the few hours of wakefulness were underpinned by feelings of calmness. It was reported that the individuals did not worry about falling back asleep, instead using the time to relax.
Therefore, when many experience waking up in the night, it shouldn’t always be a cause for concern. In fact, it may amount to a very natural experience or a throwback to our bi-modal sleeping state. Instead, these people should try and relax and not think about the need to get back to sleep. Of course, this is made harder in today’s society in an environment full of light.
Should we go back to two sleeps?
As society moves forward, we may come to realise that incorporating the necessary sleep and rest in our lives will become as important to our wellbeing as the medicines we take, the food we eat and the amount of exercise that we get.
Despite the fact that we have evolved from two block periods of sleeping in one night, there isn’t actually any evidence to suggest that this is better for us than the continual eight hours of sleep that we are supposed to achieve in today’s society. The main difference is that our ancestors were more likely to hit their quota of sleep because they had less distractions.
It is also important to say that the two four hour sleeps in one night requires a lot of darkness, which is inevitably harder in summer months. The extended hours of daylight during these months would make it virtually impossible to keep to the routine.
Furthermore, within our modern society, with an environment full of light and stimuli coupled with our sometimes decadent lifestyles also make this type of sleep hard to achieve. The most important thing to remember is to get good quality sleep that lasts seven hours or longer. This may have got harder since the introduction of technology and more recently smartphones, laptops and tablets but we should still try and give sleep and rest the respect it deserves.
Consistently accomplishing eight hours of sleep per night can be difficult in today’s world and that’s why it is important not to overlook the benefits that napping can bring.
Nathan Sansom, Co-founder of Good Company
