The forgotten medieval habit of 'two sleeps'

[NomoneyNohoney]

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/2022 ... asic-sleep

For millennia, people slept in two shifts – once in the evening, and once in the morning. But why? And how did the habit disappear?

[88V8]

A Robert Harris book... The Second Sleep

V8

[Dicky99]

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220107-the-lost-medieval-habit-of-biphasic-sleep

For millennia, people slept in two shifts – once in the evening, and once in the morning. But why? And how did the habit disappear?

I haven't entirely abandoned the habit

[Mike4]

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220107-the-lost-medieval-habit-of-biphasic-sleep

For millennia, people slept in two shifts – once in the evening, and once in the morning. But why? And how did the habit disappear?

I haven't entirely abandoned the habit

Same here, in fact I'm developing it.

Posting this in my 'watch' (the 'between sleeps' period).

Hopefully get my VAT return done then back to sleep, maybe about 2.00am...

[NomoneyNohoney]

A Robert Harris book... The Second Sleep

V8

Thanks - I'll have a read of that this afternoon. Looks interesting.

[bungeejumper]

Common as late as the 18th century. The London diarists relate that it was entirely normal to get up in the early hours, have a drink or a bite to eat, have sex, or go round and visit the neighbours, who'd be doing much the same thing.

What killed the habit off? Industrialisation, probably, and a more structured life in a world which now had clocks....

BJ

[Dicky99]

:

What killed the habit off?

BJ

2000 spring mattresses

[NomoneyNohoney]

My wife apparently tends to wake up about two or three am, hot and bothered, and she will go and sit outside for a while to cool off. Apparently there is a bunch of (female) neighbours who also have this habit so they have 3 a.m. group coffees, teas and chats. I'm blissfully unaware of this.

[AleisterCrowley]

A summer thing I guess!
I'm having trouble sleeping at the moment- particularly the last few (hot) nights. Luckily I'm temporarily retired so don't have to slog through a day in front of a computer

[Dod101]

My wife apparently tends to wake up about two or three am, hot and bothered, and she will go and sit outside for a while to cool off. Apparently there is a bunch of (female) neighbours who also have this habit so they have 3 a.m. group coffees, teas and chats. I'm blissfully unaware of this.

How very odd. Maybe it would be fun to join them as I waken up around the same time hot and bothered but just go to the loo and back to bed. Very boring.

Dod

[UncleEbenezer]

Surely this is just a manifestation of the natural pattern of first and second watches, or of night sleep and secondary siesta?

Or for those who try to sleep once a day for (ballpark) 8 defined hours overnight, the natural sleepiness experienced after lunch!

[Charlottesquare]

Any age profile for this? For years I was excellent at sleeping, head down, sleep, wake 7-8 hours later.

Now in my sixties that is no longer my sleep pattern and I tend to only manage max 4-5 hours at a stretch, I may get back to sleep but even that sometimes is not possible.

[stevensfo]

My wife apparently tends to wake up about two or three am, hot and bothered, and she will go and sit outside for a while to cool off. Apparently there is a bunch of (female) neighbours who also have this habit so they have 3 a.m. group coffees, teas and chats. I'm blissfully unaware of this.

How very odd. Maybe it would be fun to join them as I waken up around the same time hot and bothered but just go to the loo and back to bed. Very boring.

Dod

I heard many years ago that burglars are most active at 3am due to people being in deepest sleep. Funnily enough I do tend up to wake up around that time as well, and any bumps or other noises sets my imagination going.

Groups of women up and about at 3am sounds like a brilliant solution.

I can just see the stories in the tabloids: 'Burglar tells of hours of suffering and boredom, forced to drink tea and discuss corn-plasters during attempted break-in, '

Steve

[richfool]

I tend to wake up a bit earlier around 1.00am (a toilet trip) and then can't get back to sleep again, either due to "sniff's and sneezes", nasal congestion/allergies, or a touch of restless leg syndrome. So sometimes, I go off to the living room and catch up on a few forum posts. Meanwhile, my wife sleeps on, either oblivious, or feigning it.

[Dicky99]

If sources of man made light were expensive to the ordinary man, so to be used sparingly. And if as a consequence one happened to be in the habit of going to bed as soon as it became dark, and getting up when it became light again, then in the winter months that's a long time to be in bed asleep right through. In which case someone might well break up such a long night into two halves using a sparing amount of tallow candle. All the better if some conjugal exertions during the half time period were conducive to another few hours of kip

[NomoneyNohoney]

" conjugal exertions ?"
Washing up at 3.00am?