To read the original article in full go to : Why we used to sleep in two segments – and how the modern shift changed our sense of time.
Below is a short summary and detailed review of this article written by FutureFactual:
Why Humans Sleep in Two Shifts: The Ancient Midnight Wake, Two-Sleep History, and the Modern Light Clock
Original article from The Conversation explains that historically people slept in two shifts, a first sleep and a second sleep, separated by a waking interval around midnight. This midnight pause created a natural middle of the night and was used for chores, reflection, prayer, or intimate moments, influencing how long nights felt and how people organized their evenings. Over the past two centuries, artificial lighting and industrial schedules helped push society toward a single continuous eight-hour sleep, reshaping our circadian rhythms. Today, researchers link light exposure to our internal clocks and time perception, especially in darker winters. The piece also offers practical insights for modern sleep, including cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) and strategies to reduce clock-watching during wakeful awakenings. Source: The Conversation.
Practical Takeaways
The piece suggests concrete strategies for modern sleepers: reduce time spent watching clocks during awakenings, create a calm, dim-light environment, and rely on a stable daily schedule with carefully timed light exposure. The historical perspective on two sleeps offers context for why the modern eight-hour sleep may feel difficult for some; understanding the role of light and circadian timing can help people tailor their sleep environments. The article ends with a call to embrace wakeful intervals as part of a natural rhythm rather than as a failure of sleep, and it points to CBT-I as a practical framework for managing insomnia in a busy, light-filled world. Source: The Conversation.