Sunday, 30 January 2022

Can Medieval Sleeping Habits Fix America’s Insomnia?

From theatlantic.com

By Derek Thompson

The history of “first sleep” and “second sleep” holds surprising lessons about preindustrial life, 21st-century anxiety, and the problem with digging for utopia in the past 

At 3 a.m. i’m jolted awake. The room is dark and still. I grab my phone and scan sports scores and Twitter. Still awake. A faceless physician whispers in my mind: To overcome middle-of-the-night insomnia, experts say you ought to get out of bed … I get out of bed. I pour a glass of water and drink it. I go back to bed. Still awake. Perhaps you know the feeling. Like millions of Americans and hundreds of millions of people around the world, I suffer from so-called mid-sleep awakenings that can keep me up for hours.

One day, I was researching my nocturnal issues when I discovered a cottage industry of writers and sleep hackers who claim that sleep is a nightmare because of the industrial revolution, of all things. Essays in The Guardian, CNNThe New York Times, and The New York Times Magazine recommended an old fix for restlessness called “segmented sleep.” In premodern Europe, and perhaps centuries earlier, people routinely went to sleep around nightfall and woke up around midnight—only to go back to sleep a few hours later, until morning. They slept sort of like I do, but they were Zen about it. Then, the hackers claim, modernity came along and ruined everything by pressuring everybody to sleep in one big chunk.

The romanticisation of preindustrial sleep fascinated me. It also snapped into a popular template of contemporary internet analysis: If you experience a moment’s unpleasantness, first blame modern capitalism. So I reached out to Roger Ekirch, the historian whose work broke open the field of segmented sleep more than 20 years ago.

In the 1980s, Ekirch was researching a book about night-time before the industrial revolution. One day in London, wading through public records, he stumbled on references to “first sleep” and “second sleep” in a crime report from the 1600s. He had never seen the phrases before. When he broadened his search, he found mentions of first sleep in Italian (primo sonno), French (premier sommeil), and even Latin (primo somno); he found documentation in Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and Latin America.

When sleep was divided into a two-act play, people were creative with how they spent the intermission. They didn’t have anxious conversations with imaginary doctors; they actually did something. During this dorveille, or “wake-sleep,” people got up to pee, hung out by the fire, had sex, or prayed. They reflected on their dreams and commingled with the spiritual realm, both the divine and the diabolical. In the 1540s, Martin Luther wrote of his strategies to ward off the devil: “Almost every night when I wake up … I instantly chase him away with a fart.”

Today’s sleep writers often wield Ekirch’s research to suggest that segmented sleep (or, as Ekirch calls it, biphasic—two-phase—sleep) is old, and one-sleep is new, and therefore today’s sleepers are doing it wrong. But that’s not the full story, he told me.

                                  Hulton Archive / Getty


Preindustrial sleep was nothing to romanticise. Death stalked our slumber for centuries. Late-night crime was rampant, and the home itself was a death trap, as slapdash construction left houses vulnerable to fire, leaking roofs, terrible heat or cold, and what Ekirch calls “the trifecta of early modern entomology: fleas, lice, and bedbugs.” As for that romantic French dorveille, it was functionally a second workday for many women, who rose at midnight to finish domestic chores. And ancient soporifics—such as poisonous leaves and various opiate concoctions—were roughly as likely to kill you as they were to induce REM.

Beginning in the 1700s, the industrial revolution—its light, its caffeine, its clocks, and above all, its work schedules—took Europe’s biphasic sleep in its hairy arms and mushed the two phases together. A surging economy made a virtue of productivity and instilled “an increasing sense of time consciousness” in the West, Ekirch told me. By the mid-1800s, “Early Rising” movements had taken off in England and America. New artificial lights delayed bedtimes, while new factory schedules required early waking. The lit world altered our internal clocks too. “Every time we turn on a light, we are inadvertently taking a drug that affects how we will sleep,” Charles Czeisler, a Harvard sleep scientist, has said. When a 1990s study at the National Institute of Mental Health deprived a cohort of male subjects of light at night, their sleep became segmented after a few weeks.

This makes it sound like segmented sleep is humanity’s natural habit, and that the industrial revolution and modern capitalism despoiled our perfect rest.

But humans have never had a universal method of slumber. A 2015 study of hunter-gatherer societies in Tanzania, Namibia, and Bolivia found that most foragers enjoyed one long sleep. Two years later, another study found that a rural society in Madagascar practiced segmented sleep. Two years after that, a study found that the indigenous residents of Tanna, in the South Pacific, largely had one uninterrupted sleep.

Even within preindustrial Europe, sleep contained multitudes. Reviewing the diaries of European writers such as Samuel Pepys and James Boswell, Ekirch found several allusions to unified sleep. Summarizing this complicated literature, he told me that “patterns of sleep in non-Western cultures appear to have been much more diverse” than those in Europe, but that they were truly diverse everywhere.

There is no evidence that sleep was universally segmented, and there is also little evidence that segmented sleep is better. A 2021 meta-analysis of studies on biphasic sleep schedules found that segmented-sleeping subjects actually reported “lower sleep quality … and spent more time in lighter stages of sleep.” One reasonable takeaway is that biphasic sleep is like anarchical foraging: Both might have well served some ancient populations some of the time, but neither of them offers a clear solution to modern problems.

I asked Ekirch this question: As the historian most associated with biphasic sleep, had his research encouraged him, a spouse, or a friend, to become a biphasic sleeper? “Not at all,” he said. “At no time in history have conditions for human slumber been better than today.” Compared with 99 percent of our ancient ancestors, we have better beds, better blankets, better houses, and fewer late-night pests. If the purpose of sleep is mental and physical well-being, “there is very good reason to believe that uninterrupted sleep at night best achieves that outcome,” Ekirch told me.

The upshot of sleep’s pre-industrial and post-industrial history is a simple, short, and consistent message: Sleep is adaptable, but it improves with routine. Different tricks work for different tribes, but in the end, we are a diverse species united by a common circadian rhythm that craves consistency. “Sleep is very flexible, when you look cross-culturally,” says Dorothy Bruck, of Australia’s Sleep Health Foundation. “Your body really does like routine. Find what works for you, and keep that routine going.”

When I reached out to Ekirch, coming off a bad night’s rest, I hoped that the historian might have a practical tip. He didn’t. History is not a self-help book. But it has its own strange comforts, and our correspondence was deeply helpful in another way.

Ekirch told me that he’s heard from many people that simply knowing about the history of segmented sleep is its own relief. “Happily, there is mounting testimony from North America, Western Europe, and Australia that knowledge of this pattern has actually helped to alleviate anxiety, permitting some individuals to fall back to sleep more readily,” he said. Rather than see the legacy of premodern rest as an operating manual, I see it as a balm. My 3-a.m. awakenings aren’t an unnatural disorder, but an ancestral echo. Maybe that’s something to tell myself in the middle of the night, instead of fighting the sleep doctor in my head: It’ll be all right. We’ve been here before.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/01/medieval-sleeping-habits-insomnia-segmented-biphasic/621372/

Saturday, 29 January 2022

Grounded mood, insomnia, anxiety and irritability could be caused by this bad habit that we should avoid

From d1softballnews.com

We live in a world where we are constantly connected to each other and smartphones are an effective part of our daily life. In the morning, afternoon, evening, in some cases even at night, we allow ourselves a few minutes of relaxation by surfing the net or reading the news that interest us most. Apparently normal habits but which in the long run could affect our daily life. Sometimes it can happen that you go to bed and not be able to fall asleep right away. Especially after having lived a hectic and busy day, finding yourself in bed tossing and turning waiting to fall asleep is not the best.

In general, we should sleep 7 to 8 hours a night. Lack of sleep could cause chronic fatigue, low attention, low mood, anxiety and irritability. In this sense it could have a decisive influence on the normal and regular course of our days.

A slowly evolving phenomenon

How many times do we go to bed and stay for endless minutes staring at the ceiling?

When we find ourselves in a similar situation, we may mistakenly decide to kill time, tiring the sight, with our smartphone.


A slowly evolving phenomenon that would affect the quality of sleep is vamping. A harmful habit that mainly affects young people but could also closely affect many of us. The excess of technology during the night could expose us more to the blue light of electronic devices, significantly worsening the quality of sleep. Often, when we struggle to fall asleep, maybe we may decide to comfortably arrange the pillow and have a quick game with the smartphone. Or again, we could kill time by surfing the net and scrolling through news, chat and social networks. These habits could be deleterious in the long run.

Grounded mood, insomnia, anxiety and irritability could be caused by this bad habit that we should avoid

Therefore, night-time exposure to blue light from smartphones could cause harm to health. In fact, the close-up viewing of a mobile phone screen, if prolonged over time, could cause disturbances in ocular coordination. Furthermore, we could enter a vicious circle in which insomnia induced by backlit screens is combined with the desire and curiosity to surf the net while staying awake.

Obviously for these disorders there are remedies to be adopted. To safeguard our sleep hours, we should use the bedroom only and only for rest and sleep. So the ideal would be to leave possible technological distractions outside the door. During the night hours, we should avoid behaving like net vampires. We should disconnect from our electronic devices and disconnect from screens at least an hour before going to bed. In addition, we could create a relaxing atmosphere in the bedroom. Therefore, it is better to change our daily routine, as low mood, insomnia, anxiety and irritability could be caused by this bad habit that we should avoid.

https://d1softballnews.com/grounded-mood-insomnia-anxiety-and-irritability-could-be-caused-by-this-bad-habit-that-we-should-avoid/

Monday, 24 January 2022

How to use the military sleep method trending on TikTok to fall asleep faster

From tomsguide.com

The military sleep method is designed to help you fall asleep in two minutes, and this is how it works 

The military sleep method isn’t a new technique, but its trending on TikTok again after fitness expert Justin Agustin recently shared a short clip about his experience using it. Before that, it was shared by Doctor Jess and continues to be popular with people who have trouble falling asleep.

“This technique was developed in the military to allow soldiers to fall asleep at any time, any place,” Agustin says in the video. “According to my research, this was developed mainly for fighter pilots who need 100% of their reflexes and focus, which we all know decreases with lack of sleep.”

Here’s what you need to know about the military sleep technique and how to use it to fall asleep quickly tonight… 

Military sleep method: A woman with dark curly hair sleeps on a plush mattress and pillows
                                  (Image credit: Getty)

How to use the military sleep method

1. Relax your jaw and facial muscles, including your tongue.

2. Drop your shoulders down as far as they’ll go to release the tension.

3. Keep your arms loose by your sides, relax your fingers and hands.

3. Exhale deeply to relax your chest, then relax the muscles in your legs and feet.

4. Imagine a calming, warm sensation flowing from your head down to your toes.

5. Inhale and exhale deeply, clearing your mind of thoughts and stresses.

6. Now think about one of the following two images:

  • You’re lying on your back in a canoe on a placid, calm lake with nothing but a crystal clear sky above you.
  • You’re lying in a black velvet hammock in a pitch black room.

If your mind wanders, repeat the words, ‘don’t think, don’t think, don’t think’ over and over for about 10 seconds, then return to the visualisation until you fall asleep. Hopefully it shouldn't take long.

Who created the military sleep method?

This US army sleep technique was first documented in Lloyd Bud Winter’s 1981 book Relax and Win: Championship PerformanceWinter described it as an effective method to help you drift off in two minutes or less and it’s been hugely popular ever since.

The technique was designed to help soldiers fall asleep fast in any situation by focusing on relaxation and alleviating muscle tension. In turn, this activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which oversees rest.

Sounds good, right? Yes, but there’s a caveat: the military sleep method rarely (if ever) helps you fall asleep in two minutes the very first time you try it. Don’t get us wrong, it’s hugely relaxing from the get-go, and we definitely fall asleep faster than normal when using it, but two minutes is a bit of a stretch at first. 

Within six weeks though it’s said to be effective for around 96% of people. So you’ll need to practice this every night for it to be truly effective.

Does it really help you fall asleep faster?

Most people have success with the military sleep technique, but like all sleep methods, its effectiveness depends on how often you practice it.

How come? Well, some sleep techniques are like a muscle that needs building up over time to get as strong as possible, and the military method is no exception.

Learning how to fall asleep faster is definitely possible, and it’s of huge benefit to anyone learning how to sleep with anxiety where worries and intrusive thoughts can affect your ability to drift off.

On Justin Agustin’s TikTok, commenters said: “I’m a military brat and was taught this. I also had a veteran as a psychology teacher in college who taught this. It works.’

While another said: ‘My doctor taught me this technique with slight variations when I had insomnia due to PTSD. Trust me it works 100% once you get it down.’

A man with long dark hair sleeps on his side in bed

                                                   (Image credit: Getty)

Over on Reddit, a user said: ‘I've done essentially this for years. It doesn't always work, but usually does, and it always helps. The key is relaxing your body and relaxing your mind with light meditation.’

The military sleep method is free, fast and easy to use, so you have nothing to lose by trying it for yourself. If you continue to have issues falling asleep, speak to your doctor or a sleep expert to see if you have a form of insomnia and how that could be managed. CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia) is usually a good place to start.

We’d also recommend investing in the best mattress for your sleep and body, as well as a comfy pillow  – the more supported and comfortable you feel in bed, the higher your chances of drifting off sooner. 

https://www.tomsguide.com/news/how-to-use-the-military-sleep-method-trending-on-tiktok-to-fall-asleep-faster

Sunday, 23 January 2022

3 strong teas that will end the difficulty of falling asleep

From catholictranscript.org

With the daily rush and demands of the labour market, tension, and Insomnia and anxiety It is increasingly present in the lives and routines of people around the world. Check out the following tips that, if incorporated into the daily routine, can relieve these symptoms and provide you with a good night’s sleep. 

Let’s face it, a bad night’s sleep has a tremendous power to disrupt the entire day, right? It is very important that you sleep well in order for the body to function optimally the next day. To improve the quality of life, get acquainted with some of the teas that, if taken before bed, can improve the night even more and bring a lot of calm.

lavender tea

In addition to the success of the scent, lavender is also a great choice for a good sleep. It can lower the heart rate, and help people with anxiety or stress.

Preparing this tea is very simple. You will need 2 tablespoons of fresh or dried lavender leaves and 1 litre of boiling water. After the water boils, add the leaves and turn off the heat. Wait 5 to 10 minutes, then strain and drink.

chamomile tea

Many people think of chamomile when they associate tea and a quiet night. It is a natural sedative and also a great choice for people who suffer from insomnia.

To prepare this tea, you will need a handful of fresh chamomile flowers and 250 ml of boiling water. Wash the flowers well and put them in boiling water, wait 5 to 10 minutes. Finally, strain and drink.

lemon balm tea

It is very easy to find lemon balm and it is a great option for people who suffer from insomnia.

To make the tea, add one tablespoon of the dried herb to a cup of very hot water. Wait for 10 minutes. Then filter and drink.

Enjoy these great tea options to sleep well and eliminate insomnia problems. If symptoms persist, see a medical professional for help in another way.

https://www.catholictranscript.org/3-strong-teas-that-will-end-the-difficulty-of-falling-asleep/


Monday, 17 January 2022

To combat insomnia by reducing the risk of hypertension and protect the heart, here is an evening dish with radicchio

From d1softballnews.com

The quality of life becomes more and more important and precious every year. This happens because people sometimes live in places threatened by pollution and traffic, but also with a lack of public services and job opportunities. Fortunately, this does not happen everywhere. Each year, in fact, a list of the most liveable cities is drawn up on the basis of the quality of life. If this is satisfactory, it benefits the person and society as a whole. Otherwise, for the factors mentioned or for physiological reasons and related to age or bad habits, you may have problems falling asleep.

To combat insomnia by reducing the risk of hypertension and protect the heart, here is an evening dish with radicchio.

Experts say that sleeping poorly and insufficiently would increase the risk of hypertension, affecting the quality and duration of life and lowering the immune system. A healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition can positively influence sleep, while also protecting the heart. In the evening, the intake of chocolate, pepper, paprika, chips, coffee, alcohol and other foods should be avoided. Among the recommended foods, however, we find pasta, rice, various vegetables and fresh cheeses. The following recipe is a first course that can also be eaten in the evening and which contains ingredients that promote relaxation and sleep.


Risotto with red radicchio

Ingredients for 4 people

  • 400 g of rice;
  • a red radicchio;
  • an onion;
  • 200 ml of white wine;
  • extra virgin olive oil;
  • 50 g of butter;
  • 100 g of shelled walnuts;
  • hard cheese;
  • salt;
  • a litre of vegetable broth.

Prepare the vegetable broth with carrots, celery, onions and other vegetables to taste or buy a ready-made one and keep it warm. Clean and wash the red radicchio, dry it and then cut it. In a pan, sauté a small onion in a little oil. When it starts to turn golden, add the rice and after a few minutes the radicchio. Pour in the wine and then start adding the broth from time to time. Halfway through cooking, season with a pinch of salt and the chopped walnuts. Finally, stir in the butter and a little grated cheese, parmesan or parmesan.

In conclusion, to combat insomnia by reducing the risk of hypertension and protect the heart, here is an evening dish with red radicchio and walnuts, appetizing and simple. The recipe, enriched with some freshly browned speck, is also a good idea for a winter lunch.

https://d1softballnews.com/to-combat-insomnia-by-reducing-the-risk-of-hypertension-and-protect-the-heart-here-is-an-evening-dish-with-radicchio/ 

Saturday, 15 January 2022

The Five Things You Need To Know About Sleep

From americadailypost.com

Sleep is a natural way to help your body and your mind feel better. Getting the right amount of sleep improves your mood, focus and level of energy. Without enough sleep, you won’t function as well. Your concentration will drop and your bodily functions, such as immune response, digestion and cell repair can be affected by inadequate sleep. Most people don’t think too much about sleep, but it’s clear when they don’t get enough. There’s much more to sleep than finding the right mattress, getting soft sheets and counting sheep after you get into bed. Keep reading to learn more about how sleep works and why it’s important.

  1. Insomnia Leads to Weight Gain and Loss Of Bone Mass

If you have insomnia or don’t get the recommended seven to eight hours of nightly sleep for adults, your metabolism will drop. A slower metabolism leads to weight gain. Weight gain happens over time, at the rate of a couple of pounds per year, even if you keep exercising and don’t overeat. 

A lack of sleep also causes more cravings for sugar and simple carbohydrates. A recent published study demonstrated that insufficient sleep may cause osteoporosis. This is a condition that results in thinning and weakening of your bones. When you don’t rest enough, you get less oxygen and experience more inflammation. Lack of sleep may also increase your risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, dementia, anxiety, depression and other chronic conditions.

  1. How Much Sleep You Need

A lot of people want to know how much sleep they really need to get every night. The general medical guidelines are eight hours of sleep for adults. However, it depends somewhat on each individual. Some people do well with seven hours of sleep, and others need nine. Sleep requirements vary with age, health status, medications, and a few other factors. 

In general, all adults need a minimum of six hours of sleep each night. It’s best to have at least five of those hours without interruption. No adult should need more than 11 hours of sleep. If you do, you may have an undiagnosed sleep disorder. Too much sleep can make you as groggy as not getting enough sleep.

  1. More Exercise Leads to Better Sleep

Exercising every day helps regulate your sleep pattern. When you exercise, you get more sleep and more uninterrupted sleep. Just 15 minutes per day of moderate to intense exercise burns calories, builds muscle and promotes good sleep at night.  

Aim for a 20-minute walk each morning. It increases your daytime body temperature. As night comes, your temperature will drop, which signals to your brain that it’s time to wind down and fall asleep. Do this every day, and you’ll notice a big change in a few weeks. You could also do some yoga stretches or meditation about one hour before bed. These relaxing movements calm you and help you sleep more deeply.

  1. Short Naps Are Good for You

Cat naps have that name because cats fall asleep quickly for short bursts of time. During these naps, they’re attuned to noises in their environment that are suggestive of nearby prey or predators.

 Humans can also take cat naps. This is a nap that lasts for 20 minutes or less. It can help you restore calm and relax if you’re experiencing stress. You might be able to fit one in during your lunch break. Avoid taking a nap that is more than 30 minutes in duration as you could wake up feeling groggier than you did before you rested. Long naps also interfere with night-time sleep.

  1. Look For Signs Of A Sleep Disorder

Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder. It involves difficulty with falling asleep and difficulty with staying asleep. This chronic condition lasts for at least two weeks, and some people suffer from it for years. 

When you have insomnia, your symptoms are much more than morning grogginess. Your short-term memory is impacted, so you’ll feel more forgetful. You may experience headaches. Your reaction time will drop, as will your level of concentration or focus. Insomnia increases your risk of being in a workplace or auto accident. People with chronic sleep deprivation are more likely to develop serious mental health effects, including anxiety and depression. It’s also important to note that anxiety and depression are known causes of insomnia.

There’s more to sleep than what a lot of people recognize. Good sleep hygiene practices and setting a daily sleep schedule will help. If you’re still having trouble getting enough sleep, don’t hesitate to reach out to your general practitioner or primary care doctor. Many health conditions and medications interfere with sleep. If you’re up late worrying, consider making an appointment with a counsellor or therapist. They can help you with healthy coping mechanisms to help you sleep better.

https://www.americadailypost.com/the-five-things-you-need-to-know-about-sleep/ 

Tuesday, 11 January 2022

How our ancestors used to sleep can help the sleep-deprived today

From edition.cnn.com

(CNN)Like many people, historian A. Roger Ekirch thought that sleep was a biological constant -- that eight hours of rest a night never really varied over time and place.

But while researching nocturnal life in preindustrial Europe and America, he discovered the first evidence that many humans used to sleep in segments -- a first sleep and second sleep with a break of a few hours in between to have sex, pray, eat, chat and take medicine.
"Here was a pattern of sleep unknown to the modern world," said Ekirch, a university distinguished professor in the department of history at Virginia Tech.

    Ekirch's subsequent book, "At Day's Close: Night in Times Past," unearthed more than 500 references to what's since been termed biphasic sleep. Ekirch has now found more than 2,000 references in a dozen languages and going back in time as far as ancient Greece. His 2004 book will be republished in April.

    The practice of sleeping through the whole night didn't really take hold until just a few hundred years ago, his work suggested. It only evolved thanks to the spread of electric lighting and the Industrial Revolution, with its capitalist belief that sleep was a waste of time that could be better spent working.
    The history of sleep not only reveals fascinating details about everyday life in the past, but the work of Ekirch, and other historians and anthropologists, is helping sleep scientists gain fresh perspective on what constitutes a good night's sleep. It also offers new ways to cope with and think about sleep problems.
    There is value in knowing about this prior pattern of sleep in the Western world, said Ekirch. He's convinced "a large number of people who today suffer from middle-of-the-night insomnia, the primary sleep disorder in the United States -- and I dare say in most industrialized countries -- rather than experiencing a quote unquote, disorder, are in fact, experiencing a very powerful remnant, or echo of this earlier pattern of sleep," said Ekirch, who stressed he was speaking from a historical perspective and not as a medical doctor.
    Adults need more than seven hours of sleep a night, but more than a third of American adults are not getting enough sleep on a regular basis, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. 
    A panel from a medieval stained glass church window depicts a married couple sleeping.

    Myth of 8-hour sleep?

    The first reference to biphasic sleep Ekirch found was in a 1697 legal document from a traveling "Assizes" court buried in a London record office. The deposition of a 9-year-old girl called Jane Rowth mentioned that her mother awoke after her "first sleep" to go out. The mother was later found dead.
    "I had never heard the expression, and it was expressed in such a way that it seemed perfectly normal," he said. "I then began to come across subsequent references in these legal depositions but also in other sources."
    These are notes made by historian A. Roger Ekirch when he came across the first reference to segmented sleep in a London archive office.
    Ekirch subsequently found multiple references to a "first" and "second" sleep in diaries, medical texts, works of literature and prayer books. A doctor's manual from 16th century France advised couples that the best time to conceive was not at the end of a long day but "after the first sleep," when "they have more enjoyment" and "do it better."
    By the early 19th century, however, the first sleep had begun to expand at the expense of the second sleep, Ekirch found, and the intervening period of wakefulness. By the end of the century, the second sleep was little more than turning over in one's bed for an extra 10 minutes of snoozing.
    Ben Reiss, author of "Wild Nights: How Taming Sleep Created Our Restless World" and professor and chair of the English department at Emory University in Atlanta, blames the Industrial Revolution and the "sleep is for wimps" attitude it engendered.
    "The answer is really to follow the money. Changes in economic organization, when it became more efficient to routinize work and have large numbers of people showing up on factory floors, at the same time and doing as much work in as concentrated fashion as possible," Reiss said.
    Our sleep schedule got squeezed and consolidated as a result, Reiss said.
    The image shows a lamplighter up a ladder. British streets were lit by oil lamps until the introduction of gas lighting around 1807.

    No golden age

    However, preindustrial life was no halcyon era when our ancestors went about their day well rested and rejuvenated, untroubled by insomnia or other sleep problems, effortlessly in sync with the cycle of night and day, weather patterns and seasons, according to Sasha Handley, a professor of history at The University of Manchester in the United Kingdom. She studies how families optimised their sleep in Britain, Ireland and England's American colonies between 1500 and 1750.
    "Every discussion of sleep history seemed to centre around the sort of watershed moment of industrialization, the coming of electricity ruining everybody's sleep lives. The corollary of that is that anything preindustrial was imagined as this golden age of sleep."
    A 15th century miniature of a room is shown.
    Handley said her research suggested, just like today, sleep was linked to physical and mental health and was a topic that people worried about and obsessed over.
    Doctor's manuals from the time are full of advice on how many hours to sleep and in what kind of posture, she said. The reference guides also list hundreds of sleep recipes to aid a good night's sleep, she said. These include the bizarre -- cutting a pigeon in half and sticking each half to each side of your head and the more familiar -- bathing in camomile-infused water and using lavender. People also burned specific types of wood in their bed chambers that were thought to aid sleep.
    "For our period, sleep is very strongly linked to digestion, emotion, stomach, and therefore to people's diets," Handley said.
    Doctors advised sleepers to rest first on the right side of their body before turning to the left side during the second half of the night. Resting on the right, perhaps during the first sleep, was thought to allow food to reach the pit of the stomach, where it was digested. Turning to the left, cooler side, released vapours and spread the heat evenly through the body.
    It's thought this habit could be the origin of the phrase about getting out of bed on the wrong side.
    This is a woodblock print of a fisherman dreaming, circa 1700, Japan. The artist is unknown.
    Not all scholars believe that sleeping in two shifts, while perhaps common in some communities, was once a universal habit. Far from it, said Brigitte Steger, a senior lecturer in Japanese studies at the University of Cambridge in the UK, who didn't uncover any references to segmented sleep in her work on sleep habits in Japan.
    "There is no such thing as natural sleep. Sleep has always been cultural, social and ideological," said Steger, who is working on a series of six books about the cultural history of sleep.
    "There is not such a clear-cut difference between premodern (or pre-industrial) and modern sleep habits," she said via email. "And sleep habits throughout pre-industrial times and throughout the world have always changed. And, of course, there has always been social diversity, and sleep habits have been very different at court than for peasants, for instance."
    Similarly, Gerrit Verhoeven, an assistant professor in cultural heritage and history at the University of Antwerp in Belgium, said his study of criminal court records from 18th century Antwerp suggested that sleep habits weren't so different to our own today. Seven hours of sleep was the norm and there was no mention of first or second sleep.
    "As a historian I'm concerned that arguments about alleged sleeping patterns in the past -- prolonged, by-phasic and with napping during the day -- are sometimes presented as a possible remedy for our modern sleeping disorders. Before drawing such conclusions, we have to do much more research about these early modern sleeping patterns," he said.

    Rethinking insomnia

    Russell Foster, a professor of circadian neuroscience at the University of Oxford, said Ekirch's findings on biphasic sleep, while not without controversy, had informed his work as a sleep scientist.
    Experiments in sleep labs had shown that when humans are given the opportunity to sleep longer, he said, their sleep can become biphasic or even polyphasic, replicating what Ekirch found in historical records. However, Foster, who is also the director of the Sir Jules Thorn Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute at Oxford, doubted that it was a sleep pattern that would happen for everybody.
    Nobody should impose a regime of segmented sleep on themselves, particularly if it resulted in a reduction of total sleep time, he added.
    What was clear, Foster said, was that interrupted sleep was perceived as less of a problem in the past and that modern expectations about what constitutes a good night's sleep -- sleeping through the night for eight hours -- weren't always helpful.
    He said a key point was waking at night need not mean the end of sleep. One example he cited was more people waking up at night during lockdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic.
    "They'll get terribly anxious and worried about waking up in the middle of night, because that's not what they normally experience," said Foster, who is also the author of "Life Time: The New Science of the Body Clock, and How It Can Revolutionize Your Sleep and Health," which will be published in May 2022. More likely, what had happened was that people's sleep episode -- how much time they have available for sleep -- had expanded and wasn't constricted by an alarm clock going off.
    "It's a throwback to a time when we genuinely got more sleep," he said.
      If we wake up at night, sleep is likely to return, if sleep is not sacrificed to social media or other behaviour that makes you more alert or activates a stress response, Foster's research has suggested. Like most sleep experts, he recommended getting out of bed if you're getting frustrated by the failure to fall back to sleep and engaging in a relaxing activity while keeping the lights low.
      "Individual sleep across humans is so variable. One size doesn't fit all. You shouldn't worry about the sort of sleep that you get," he said.