Has the amount of sleep that human beings need changed over time?

Question

With increases in productivity (less of a need for physical exertion than in the past), better nutritional habits, better living conditions and other general improvements in quality of life, does the human body need less sleep to function optimally than it once needed?

Answer 1

Before reliable artificial lighting, humans slept most of the hours of darkness(which varies during the year.) Humans during that period slept 4-5 hours during the summer when light and food were plentiful and 12-14 hours a day during the winter when food and light were scarce. Once we invented reliable lighting, our sleep patterns have shifted to a year round sleep pattern of about 8-9 hours per day. We can shorten that to as little as 3 or 4 hours per night using caffeine and will power but it is very hard on our bodies and our health in the long run.
People who sleep very little suffer from high blood pressure, personality disorders, and by keeping our bodies on the "summer" setting we experience increase of appetite that is the leading cause of obesity. By not sleeping we are basically telling our bodies that it is time to stock up.

How to tell if you may not be getting enough sleep:

You need an alarm clock to wake you up.
You wake up in a bad mood.
You drink 2 or more caffeinated drinks per day.
You feel tired in the early or mid afternoon.
You feel the need to eat between lunch and dinner to replenish your energy.
You feel to "keyed-up" to sleep at bedtime.
You sleep more than 1 hour past your regular wake time on the weekends.
You have gained weight steadily since high school-especially if you have gained more than 5 pounds per year.
You suffer from chronic fatigue and depression.

If you have 3 or more of these problems, then you probably are not getting enough sleep on a regular basis.

Tips for better sleep:
Go to bed at a regular time that is 7 or 8 hours before you need to get up. Even if you do not sleep, your body and mind will rest.

Remove the TV from the bedroom(This is also a good move for your sex-life.)

Limit Caffeine after 1pm or at least 8 hours before your bedtime.

Limit processed foods after dinner. If you must snack, stick to whole foods like veggie sticks or plain popcorn.

Get some sun everyday. I do not mean tanning....just get out in the sunlight whenever possible. It is not the light hitting our skin that counts so much as it is the sunlight entering our brain through our eyes that helps us adjust sleeping patterns.

Limit alcohol consumption late at night. If you pass out rather than fall asleep, you are robbing your body of even more sleep time.

Good luck and Rest Well!

Answer 2

That's a good question.

What I do know is that when I worked third shift, I didn't have to sleep nearly as much as I did when I worked daylight. I would find I could get along with only 3 maybe 4 hours sleep and go right along. But somewhere down the line maybe 4 or 5 days later, I would have to really crash for eight hours, but then I was fine.

As far as sleep habits changing now, I wouldn't be at all surprised, that we probably don't need as much today.

I do believe that some jobs have become much easier and with that in mind, there would be less fatigue.

Of course, there are still some jobs out there that are real back breakers, so I would imagine they would have to sleep at least eight hours or more.

Answer 3

I don't think so. Sleep is mainly needed by the brain and not so much by the muscles. The amount of sleep you need depends on your age though. The older you are the less sleep you need. If you only need 3 - 4 hours of sleep a day and are younger then 50 something is wrong and you should see a doctor. Lack of sleep can cause health problems even if you feel fine. BTW. Do NOT try to solve sleep problems with sleeping pills. They usually do more harm then good. Taken over a long period of time they can cause massive health problems/brain damage etc.

Answer 4

It depends all on metabolism and genetics. If you're healthy and have good nutrition and excellent metabolism, you're sleep will be more efficient. Whether you'll need more sleep, well thats just the person. But with better nutrition you get real rest when you sleep.

But I think the "standard" 8 hours will always exist, I think better physical practices contribute to longer life and not less sleep. I think it will stay consistent.

Answer 5

Hmmm. Good question.

It may seem that way, but I think the average person's health has suffered - maybe in part due to less sleep. High blood pressure, heart and weight problems, diabetes, etc. The avg life expectancy has increased, but are we "really" healthier than our great grandparents?

Answer 6

I would think that now people would need more sleep because we use numbers, letters, and words more now than we used to (a long time ago). Maybe we need extra sleep so that we'll have more energy to use numbers, letters, and words, and to read them and decipher them.

Answer 7

probably it seems like more people function well even with less than 8 hours of sleep

Answer 8

You are exactly right , i used to sleep some and now i ben on midnites and i don't close my eyes 2 hours aday ..........i need help !