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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
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Being the Guy Who Helps Fallen Workers’ Families
The Lead Controversy of the Stanley Cup
Meet Sheila, Our Newest Employee
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How This Dog’s Midnight Feast Cost Owners Thousands
Grilled Steak With Chimichurri Sauce
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A Deep Dive Into Medieval Slumber
UNUSUAL SLEEP PRACTICES IN THE MIDDLE AGES: THE 2 ACTS OF MEDIEVAL SLUMBER
In the Middle Ages, most people didn’t sleep for eight uninterrupted hours like we do today. Instead, they had a “biphasic” sleep schedule, which means they had two sleep phases, one in the evening with a brief period of activity in the middle.
schedules of farming families cut down on chatting time. After they went to bed for a second sleep, they’d wake up at dawn.
Not everyone kept to the schedule. Young children slept all night unless they woke up to the commotion. Benedictine monks dozed at 7
For first sleep, the household typically slept from 9–11 p.m. They slept on one single straw mattress. Everyone — including children, parents, and visitors — huddled on one bed. Despite the lack of space, they tried to make it as comfortable as possible with complex sleeping arrangements. Touching, kicking, or any other restless activity was considered rude. Meanwhile, girls slept closest to the wall, followed by boys, guests, and parents. While they didn’t have alarm clocks back then, they had an internal clock that woke them up around midnight. Once they woke, they had plenty to do. They refueled the fire, did farmwork, and prayed. Often, people socialized with each other, but the busy
p.m. and woke at 2 a.m. for prayer, staying awake until an afternoon nap. Still, most people followed the two-part sleep schedule, and medieval medicine even discussed
how to do it properly. For example, medical texts recommended that they lie on their right side during the first sleep and switch to the left on the second sleep. It’s really not that weird — research suggests that biphasic sleep is quite natural and influenced more by lifestyle compatibility, which means the eight-hour schedule likely
evolved as cultures industrialized. Our emphasis on uninterrupted slumber also coalesces with our invention of modern mattresses, and this may not be a coincidence. Sleeping is much more enjoyable if you lie down on a soft mattress than a bed of prickly straw.
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