Many centuries ago, people slept in two separate periods and our bodies still remember that rhythm.
People once went to bed shortly after sunset, woke up around midnight, and then slept again until dawn, according to historical sources from Europe, Asia, and Africa.
This interruption of the night was not an obstacle, on the contrary, it represented a natural break that changed the perception of time. Even winter nights were "separated", which made them more bearable.
During that “quiet” interval, many people performed simple tasks (making fires or checking on livestock). Some used the time for prayer, reflection, or spending time with family, while many texts mention reading, writing, or spending time with a partner. This sleep pattern was common for centuries, until the changes brought about by the Industrial Revolution replaced it.
The advent of artificial lighting changed our relationship with the night, first with oil lamps, then gas lamps, and later electric lights. All of these inventions extended the time we were awake, while the bright light in the evening also affected our biological rhythms.
It inhibited melatonin secretion and pushed the onset of sleep later. By the beginning of the 20th century, the new rhythm of life, adapted to factory shifts and social customs, imposed on us a long, uninterrupted sleep.
However, scientists have observed that when people in modern experiments are returned to conditions without artificial light and without a clock, they often spontaneously return to biphasic sleep. The same is observed in communities that still live without electricity, such as agricultural populations in Madagascar, where many people wake up naturally around midnight.
Studies also show that light affects the perception of time: in darker rooms, people often think that more time has passed than in well-lit ones, and when they are in a bad mood, this effect becomes even more pronounced, writes Science Alert, reports Telegraph.
Transition to the second phase
Waking up during the night, therefore, is not a sign that something is wrong. Short sleep interruptions are common and occur during the transition from one sleep stage to another, but the problem often lies in how we respond.
When we wake up at three in the morning and look at the clock, it seems as if time has stood still. The anxiety and deep silence of the night add to the feeling that time is not passing, so a few minutes can seem like an eternity.
For this reason, experts advise that if you can't sleep for more than twenty minutes, get up, dim the lights, read something soothing, and go back to bed as soon as you feel sleepy. Also, try to cover your clock, because constantly looking at it only increases anxiety.
Accepting that short awakenings are part of your natural rhythm can reduce stress and help you recover more easily. /Telegraph/
