For much of human history, sleeping straight through the night was not the norm. Many people practiced what historians call segmented sleep, resting in two distinct phases rather than one long stretch.

Before artificial lighting and modern schedules, people often went to bed shortly after dusk and slept for a few hours. They then woke naturally for a quiet period lasting up to two hours before returning to sleep until dawn. This middle waking time was expected and unremarkable.

Historical records refer casually to a “first sleep” and a “second sleep.” Court documents mention events that happened after first sleep. Diaries and letters describe people praying, reading, tending fires, talking, or simply reflecting during the nighttime interval. 

In some communities, this quiet waking period even included brief, practical visits to nearby neighbors, something that was unremarkable in a world without artificial light or fixed schedules. It was a calm and accepted part of daily life.

This pattern began to fade with the spread of street lighting, factory work, and fixed clock time. By the nineteenth century, uninterrupted sleep became the cultural ideal, even though it was not how people had slept for centuries.

Modern sleep research has added an intriguing twist. When volunteers are placed in dark environments without artificial light or strict schedules, many naturally drift into a two-phase sleep pattern again. This suggests segmented sleep may be a deeply rooted human rhythm rather than a historical oddity.