Study challenges 8-hour sleep myth
A recent study has concluded that the eight-hour sleep rule is not a fixed scientific standard but rather a social concept that has solidified over time. Research shows that groups of hunters and gatherers in traditional societies—who live without electricity—sleep between 6.4 and 7.1 hours daily, which is not much longer than, and may even be less than, the sleep duration of modern city dwellers. The idea of eight hours of sleep originates from the 19th century and was mainly based on a simplistic division of time rather than precise scientific measurements of sleep needs. The findings indicate that sleep patterns in traditional societies are more closely linked to natural light cycles, unlike modern societies where artificial lighting and noise influence sleep timing and quality. Studies also suggest that sleep needs vary among individuals, with rare cases allowing some people to function well with just six hours due to a genetic mutation in the DEC2 gene. However, sleep quality is more important than the total number of hours, and environmental factors such as surroundings significantly impact the quality of rest.
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