How Exactly Did Hunter-gatherers Sleep? On Rest And Relaxation In The Prehistoric Era

“…human vanity cherishes nan absurd conception that our type is nan last extremity of evolution.”
Richard Dawkins, The Blind Watchmaker (1986)
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Sleep was a enigma to our distant ancestors. This is understandable. After all, until nan nineteenth century, we knew very small astir nan brain. The slumber world you abruptly vanished into each nighttime had to beryllium thing supernatural. Some of this magic has vanished pinch greater penetration into nan workings of our brain, but contempt this, location are still galore unanswered questions.

The measurement primordial humans slept whitethorn fresh our existent times amended than you mightiness expect. If we want to comprehend our ain sleep, we request to look astatine nan measurement our bodies person evolved complete galore thousands of years. Modern humans, Homo sapiens, evolved from older lineages betwixt 230,000 and 300,000 years ago.

That is very agelong ago, particularly considering nan truth that humans person only been surviving successful cities for little than 10,000 years, that wide usage of energy dates from nan precocious nineteenth century, and that we person only had computers astatine location since nan precocious 1970s. Our brains person had to accommodate very overmuch to these developments successful a comparatively short time. Our surviving conditions person changed dramatically, but nan improvement of our bodies and minds is not moving arsenic fast.

If we want to comprehend our ain sleep, we request to look astatine nan measurement our bodies person evolved complete galore thousands of years.

In nan section of slumber studies, learning from history is besides interesting. Interpreting archaeological finds and watching modern hunter-gatherer societies helps america understand really primordial humans slept. Although specifications connected nan circadian hit (the physical, intelligence and behavioral changes an organism experiences complete a 24-hour cycle) of our ancestors cannot beryllium gleaned done archaeological findings, researchers person studied nan lives of modern hunter-gatherers to get an thought of our time and nighttime rhythms successful nan distant past. This has received immoderate criticism, for illustration from Matthew Wolf-Meyer, anthropology professor astatine Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, New York State. He states that because of modern societal influences and different factors, nary modern group tin precisely beryllium compared to group from an earlier evolutionary period. On nan different hand, successful his 2010 monograph The Hadza: Hunter-Gatherers of Tanzania, Frank Marlowe, different professor of anthropology, while accepting that nan Hadza are not “living fossils,” says it is astonishing that they person preserved truthful overmuch of their ancestral ways of life, pinch small changing since they were first officially described successful 1911.

The closest, therefore, we tin get to getting a glimpse of slumber successful nan past is by studying a group pinch surviving conditions and a manner that is acold little influenced by modern-day technology, artificial lighting, and somesthesia regularisation than our own. These circumstances are overmuch much comparable to those successful which primordial humans lived.

Bunk beds

The prehistoric period, by definition, is nan play from which nary “legible” written sources exist. In different words, nan humanities grounds seems arsenic illegible arsenic my ain prehistoric handwriting. The prehistoric play began 3-5 cardinal years agone and ended astir 3300 BCE. When you deliberation of that period, an image of a cave dweller whitethorn travel to mind—a man holding a nine successful his hand, trying to fend disconnected a saber-toothed tiger. At least, that is nan first point that comes to my mind. When I spot pictures of a prehistoric human, I ever get nan emotion that nan creator must person hated prehistoric group and thought small of their intelligence. The cave dwellers often look somewhat silly, making it almost intolerable to ideate that they discovered occurrence aliases invented nan wheel. I personally deliberation primal humans were overmuch smarter than these depictions.

Primal humans lived arsenic hunter-gatherers, usually walking from spot to place. They lived successful groups and hunted chaotic animals. They besides collected things for illustration nuts, seeds, plants, worldly for clothing, and wood for making fires. Today you spell to nan shop for vegetables aliases a portion of meat, and connected a lazy time you tin person a ready-made repast delivered to your home. In prehistoric times, group of people had nary entree to specified luxuries. After a time of hunting and gathering, it was important to remainder well.

So, what did nan “bedroom” look for illustration successful prehistoric times? Although primordial man slept connected nan ground, it was not ever that way. Their ancestors resided successful nests successful trees. There was an evident logic for this. High up successful nan trees, they were protected from predators. One slumber arena successful modern man whitethorn beryllium a relic of those times. You whitethorn admit it: you are nodding disconnected and abruptly you are jolted awake pinch a falling sensation. Immediately you are awake! Pretty embarrassing erstwhile you are successful class, an important but boring meeting, aliases connected nan train. We besides telephone those musculus contractions hypnic jerks. Why does this arena occur? It was astir apt important for survival. After all, if you are a tree-nesting inhabitant who falls dormant successful an unfavorable spot astatine precocious altitude, you could easy driblet retired of a jungle tree. As your body’s muscles statement for a moment, you are startled awake and are capable to cheque that you are successful a safe place.

From nan clip primitive humans started utilizing fire, it became little basal to walk our nights successful trees, arsenic lighting campfires astatine nighttime kept predators astatine bay. There was a important advantage to sleeping connected nan ground. Primal man sewage a much unchangeable night’s remainder than successful nan vulnerable heights, which astir apt led to deeper and little interrupted slumber. That betterment had a affirmative effect connected nan encephalon successful general. Our existent cognitive intelligence mightiness moreover beryllium nan consequence of nan modulation from character slumber to crushed sleep.

The earliest furniture that has been discovered dates from astir 200,000 years ago. What did it look like? Well, it was of people not a container outpouring pinch padded headboard and beautiful quilt. It was alternatively little comfortable and consisted of grass, branches and leaves, and it was located successful a cave. You mightiness deliberation that specified a spot was nary nosy to doze disconnected successful astatine all, but location is more. Next to nan power of changing upwind circumstances, beardown variations successful somesthesia and nan imaginable beingness of dangers, insects terrorized primal man astatine night. How do we know? Insect-repellent plants covered nan prehistoric bed! If you are an creator who portrays our primeval relatives, if you hap to publication this, and if you past determine to tie a primeval man pinch a silly look successful his eyes, I request that you erase your drafting immediately! They were really very resourceful types, our ancestors. That insecticide, by nan way, was not nan only bonzer finding. Archaeologists recovered ashes successful nan various layers of nan bed. Primal humans had alternatively unconventional methods of changing their beds and chasing distant insects. They regularly group occurrence to their beds aft sleeping connected them. This astir apt had an effect not only connected nan creatures that were already crawling astir successful their bed, but besides connected immoderate caller intruders. Most crawling insects cannot move decently done good powder because it blocks their breathing and causes dehydration. (I tin wholly spot really nan bed-burning ritual would construe to our coming day. Imagine if everyone group occurrence to their furniture aft sleeping successful it once. Then each greeting you’d beryllium opinionated pinch your trailer astatine nan dump pinch rows of cars down you.

It’s a bully point we person different ways of changing our beds these days. We person washing machines now and our beds thankfully nary longer smell of burnt branches, but of chaotic chromatic aliases caller lavender.)

Interestingly, primal humans besides had different uses for their beds than dozing disconnected connected them. The furniture was besides a workplace for manufacturing chromatic devices utilized for hunting, for cleaning animal hides, and for nutrient preparation. We tin deduce this from chromatic shards recovered astatine nan sleeping place. Imagine sawing done a bid of woody planks connected a recently made furniture and past trying to autumn dormant successful betwixt nan sawdust and tools. Say goodbye to a bully night’s rest! In summation to chromatic shards, grains of reddish and orangish ochre covered nan beds. Primal man astir apt utilized these for decorating their bodies aliases for coloring objects.

Did cave dwellers simply person activity successful their beds? We do not cognize exactly, but to reply these questions, researchers person studied nan habits of modern hunter-gatherers, whose surviving conditions person remained beautiful overmuch nan aforesaid for thousands of years. The Aka people was 1 of nan groups successful which intersexual activity was examined. They unrecorded successful nan tropical wood region of nan Central African Republic. The Aka are chiefly net-hunting foragers who don’t unrecorded successful caves, but successful camps connected nan ground. The studies show that while immoderate men are polygamous, nan immense mostly are monogamous. Because successful modern hunter-gatherers polygamy is only seen successful a very mini portion of nan population, it is apt that activity successful prehistoric peoples was betwixt 2 dependable partners.

Sexual activity successful astir tribes, specified arsenic nan Aka, is typically covert. This intends that nan spot wherever group slumber successful groups is not nan aforesaid arsenic nan spot wherever they would person sex, because different people members would spot nan lovers successful nan act. For example, immoderate of nan Aka foragers successful nan study explained that they had activity successful nan forest, distant from nan remainder of nan tribe, while others had activity successful their huts. A logic for not having activity successful nan unfastened mightiness beryllium to trim shame, but besides jealousy and mating competition. From investigation into modern tribes specified arsenic nan Aka, we mightiness reason that prehistoric peoples utilized their beds for remainder and for activity but little commonly for sex.

Sleep, eat, move, repeat

Prehistoric man is regularly an inspiration for caller insights into wellness and wellness. One well-known illustration is nan “Paleolithic diet.” Primal man is thought to person lived connected a scope of meat, fish, vegetables, fruits and nuts; according to nan adherents of nan Paleo diet, these are still nan champion sources of nutrition for modern man. There are, of course, proponents and opponents, but location is grounds that definite tenets of nan Paleo fare represent sound nutritional advice. How did this primordial fare power sleep?

Hundreds of thousands of years ago, humans learned really to navigator pinch fire. They began to usage chromatic devices for different purposes and to entree nutrient much easily. Researchers specified arsenic anthropologist Katharine Milton propose that primitive man ate some vegetables and meat; others declare that much vegetables were eaten than thin meat, and others that food was nan astir important staple. Modern hunter-gatherer tribes now mostly eat astir 30 per cent animal-based nutrient and 70 per cent vegetables (in highly acold areas, specified arsenic nan Arctic, however, they provender almost exclusively connected animals).

Around 10,000 years ago, our fare started to change. It was nan opening of nan cultivation era and group began to eat much grains, legumes, dairy products and rootlike oils. In nan modern era, different large modulation to different nutrient resources occurred. The business play that started astir 1760 brought successful much businesslike farming methods, accrued entree to definite nutrient sources, and yet opened nan measurement to caller nutrient preservation techniques, pinch products specified arsenic canned meats, condensed crockery and achromatic breadstuff becoming available.

In 2003, anthropologist Clark Spencer Larsen from nan Ohio State University successful Columbus claimed that nan modulation from our Paleolithic fare to nan fare of nan cultivation era led to a mismatch betwixt our bodies’ needs and nan type of nutrient we ate. Evidence for this presumption comes from investigation that suggests that hunter-gatherers had a little consequence of age-related and chronic illness than cultivation workers. Possibly this has to do pinch nan truth that group successful nan cultivation play started to eat a smaller scope of nutrient types, which contained less absorbable nutrients.

Critics authorities that this effect had much to do pinch nan truth that prehistoric hunter-gatherers perished early, truthful they did not scope an property successful which chronic illness would develop. Evidence for nan nonstop authorities of wellness of prehistoric humans is scarce. However, we tin comparison modern hunter-gatherers pinch group from industrialized societies. Research shows that erstwhile comparing young hunter-gatherers pinch young group from industrialized countries, nan erstwhile show little rates of obesity, hypertension and insulin resistance. It mightiness person to do pinch nan operation of nutrient that is much compatible pinch our Paleolithic DNA but besides pinch nan hunter-gatherers’ activity levels, which are often overmuch higher than those of populations successful industrialized societies.

My image of cave dwellers changed a little…somehow it was a alleviation that they mightiness person not been that different from modern humans aft all.

So, if location were wellness benefits of nan Paleolithic diet, really could it person influenced nan measurement group sleep? One of nan characteristics of nan fare is that it is precocious successful protein, which mightiness person had a affirmative power connected nan cave dwellers’ night’s rest. More specifically, high-protein meals specified arsenic successful nan Paleo fare show bully effects connected sleep, while mediocre sleepers get their power much from carbohydrates and fats. In addition, nan original Paleolithic fare contained comparatively fewer sugars, and technological investigation shows that low-sugar diets mightiness still person a affirmative effect connected slumber successful modern humans.

Contemporary hunter-gatherers person a very different activity shape compared to group successful industrialized societies: connected average, males return betwixt 18-19,000 steps per time and females astir 11,000 steps. In contrast, successful nan United States, nan mean big takes astir 5,000 steps per day—a large quality from really it utilized to be.

From this, we mightiness reason that primordial man was measurement much progressive than we are nowadays, which must person had a affirmative effect connected wide wellness and sleep. Research suggests that debased levels of beingness activity are different evolutionary mismatch: successful different words, we are moving excessively small to enactment healthy, but that is not wholly new! In 2021, Daniel Lieberman and colleagues stated that group who were much progressive successful nan prehistoric property survived amended done nan evolutional process of earthy action because they were amended capable to supply for and return attraction of offspring. This successful move led to nan action of group who were amended capable to repair and support nan assemblage aft beingness activity, which mightiness person decreased their consequence of chronic disease. The “active grandparent hypothesis” is different word for this theory. Put differently, trying to find much nutrient led to much exercise, which led to greater request for recovery, which promoted sleep.

Nowadays entree to nutrient is easy for astir group and we person each nan resources wrong reach. The consequence is that location is little request for beingness activity for nonstop survival, starring to an summation of inactivity. This inactivity tin consequence successful little request for betterment and for sleep. Our existent lifestyles astir apt do not beforehand wellness and slumber arsenic overmuch arsenic those we erstwhile had.

In short, surviving successful nan prehistoric property was astir apt much successful statement pinch nan wellness needs and slumber needs of our bodies. Cave dwellers had to move much because they had to hunt for nutrient and perpetually find caller nutrient resources. Additionally, what they ate was amended for slumber than galore of nan processed and sugar-rich foods we eat nowadays.

This almost sounds arsenic if we each person to unrecorded for illustration cave dwellers again because they had specified affirmative health-promoting behavior. However, investigation shows that they sometimes besides indulged successful unhealthy behaviors. I was rather amazed to find that they drank alcohol, and utilized nicotine and different stimulants. The earliest grounds of nan usage of nicotine dates from much than 12,000 years ago. Excavations astatine nan Wishbone tract successful Salt Lake Desert successful Utah exposed charred seeds of a baccy works successful a mini fireplace. It is unclear precisely really nan hunter-gatherers utilized nan works material. Perhaps they smoked tobacco, but it mightiness besides beryllium that they chewed it past spat it out. It seems that nan cave dwellers besides drank a benignant of primordial wine. Cave archaeologists recovered intoxicant successful retention jars successful an excavation tract successful China. In Henan province, a beverage of rice, chromatic and consequence dates from 7,000 BCE. These drinks were apt of social, belief and aesculapian significance.

A fewer millennia later, astir 5,000 years ago, location was already brew successful China. Archaeologists analyzing pottery vessels recovered grounds of ingredients specified arsenic barley and broomcorn millet. This indicates that nan group of ancient China not only brewed beer, but besides utilized specialized devices for nan task. In addition, investigation shows that cave dwellers would person sometimes been precocious connected drugs. Analysis of Bronze Age quality hairsbreadth recovered connected nan land of Menorca shows that they utilized nan alkaloids ephedrine, atropine and scopolamine. These psychoactive substances tin induce realistic hallucinations, disorientation and alteration of sensorial perception, and were astir apt utilized to thief group scope different states of mind, connecting them otherwise aliases much intensely to nature, each other, aliases gods successful ritual ceremonies.

I must opportunity my image of cave dwellers changed a small aft examining this research; someway it was a alleviation that they mightiness person not been that different from modern humans aft all. Of course, nan usage of alcohol, alkaloid-bearing plants and nicotine would not person been very sleep-promoting, but they must person had galore different things connected their minds than trying to slumber well—maybe they did not moreover really try, because astir apt lying awake was not really thing to interest about. In fact, modern hunter-gatherers do not moreover person a connection for bad sleep, because they usually do not comprehend a slumber problem arsenic we would.

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From How to Sleep Like a Caveman: Ancient Wisdom for a Better Night’s Rest by Dr. Merijn van de Laar. Copyright © 2025 by Merijn van de Laar. Adapted pinch support of Mariner Books, a section of HarperCollins Publishers.