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For thousands of years, people across the world followed a two-shift pattern.
The practice began to fade with the arrival of the Industrial Revolution. (representative image)
It is said that humans need seven to eight hours of sound sleep to stay healthy and active. But centuries ago, the idea of sleeping through the night in one go didn’t really exist. People followed a very different sleep cycle that split the night into two parts.
Recently, an Instagram post by History Season shed light on this old practice. It explained how our ancestors lived with it and what finally led to its decline.
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Sleeping In Two Shifts
“Humans used to sleep in a totally different way than we do now. But why did it change?” the post asked.
For thousands of years, people across the world followed a two-shift pattern, as per the post. They went to bed soon after sunset, usually around 9 PM and slept for three to four hours. Around midnight, they naturally woke up and stayed active for an hour or two.
During this time, people did various things like feeding animals, reading, praying, sewing, or even just chatting in bed. While doing these tasks, they used to rely on the light of the moon or oil lamps. Once done, they went back to sleep until dawn. This cycle, often called “first sleep” and “second sleep,” was considered completely normal.
The Industrial Revolution Changed It
The practice began to fade with the arrival of the Industrial Revolution, as artificial light such as lamps became common.
“Nights were no longer dark, so people started staying up later. However, they still had to wake up early for work,” the post continued.
At the same time, society’s attitude toward sleep changed. Continuous rest became the standard, while waking up in the middle of the night was seen as “lazy and self-indulgent.” By the 20th century, the concept of two-part sleep had almost disappeared.
What History Says
According to Science Alert, anthropologists found strong evidence that this bi-modal sleep was once the norm, especially in preindustrial Europe.
Historian A. Roger Ekirch, in his book At Day’s Close: Night in Times Past, described how households slept in two stages. They would retire a couple of hours after dusk, wake in the middle of the night for one to two hours and then return to sleep until sunrise.
Ekirch found that references to “first” and “second” sleep started fading in the late 17th century. The change first appeared in Europe’s upper classes and spread over the next 200 years.
Split Sleep In the Modern World
Most people today don’t have the freedom to follow a split sleep pattern. With daily routines and work schedules, we usually try to get all our rest at night. Experts generally recommend about seven to nine hours of continuous sleep to feel well-rested.
For some, a divided sleep schedule may feel more natural. If the timing is right, it can provide “two periods of increased activity, creativity, and alertness across the day.”
Short naps are also known to boost memory, learning, alertness and mood. Some researchers even believe that sleep issues such as insomnia may be linked to the body’s “natural preference for split sleep.”
About the Author
A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on what’s creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture.
A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on what’s creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture.
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Delhi, India, India
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