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, with a brief period of activity in the middle. 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.
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 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.
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 schedules of farming
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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Through the winter months, it’s sometimes a little grueling to keep up with household chores. That’s why April is the time for spring-cleaning: when we deal with the clutter, disorganization, and untidiness that have been bugging us. It can be cathartic to clean out the garage, sort through the boxes of books in the office, or organize the pantry so spices and canned foods aren’t mixed together like two unruly fanbases at a European soccer game. While handling the clutter that is weighing you down and making sure you are keeping only what you need, here is something you should seriously consider getting rid of: an inadequate car insurance policy. If someone’s negligence caused a car accident, they may be negligent in other areas of their lives as well. This is doubly important where we live, because in Massachusetts, when an underinsured person causes an accident, your insurance company will make up the remainder and pay what your claim is worth. This means that, for example, if you have a $100,000 policy on your car, and the person who caused the accident has the legal minimum $20,000 policy on theirs, you could collect $20,000 from their insurance and $80,000 from your insurance company. However, this is only true if you have the correct insurance policy. If you are underinsured, it can pay dividends to get an upgrade. If you would like to learn more about costly mistakes you need to avoid when it comes to dealing with insurance companies, you should read Neil Crowley’s book, “8 Costly Errors That Insurance Companies Want You to Make.” You can get a free copy of his book on our website or by requesting one over the phone. Call 781-251-0555 and secure your copy today!
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