Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Research Now Shows That the Best Night's Sleep May Mean Sleeping Twice

Humans weren’t designed to get all their sleep in one shot.

Too many of us can’t get a good night’s sleep. Sleep apnea, night waking and insomnia are just a few of the reasons we toss and turn and wake up tired. About a third of the population has a prolonged period of wakefulness in the middle of the night, during which we might stare at the ceiling (or worse, our phone) and worry over all the things morning will bring. That, in turn, does not make it any easier to fall back asleep. So don’t even try. Instead, scientists say, we should get up and enjoy a little intermission — like our ancestors did.

Not that long ago, the human sleep cycle included a “first sleep,” a brief period of wakefulness, and then a “second sleep.” In the days before electricity, bedtime might fall just a couple hours after darkness. This early-to-bed lifestyle fostered a period of refreshed wakefulness, an hour or so which people used to read, complete tasks, or pursue amorous pursuits. Then, after going back to sleep for the rest of the night, the person would begin the day refreshed.


The CDC says that people need a minimum of seven hours of sleep per 24-hour period to maintain healthy function. But there’s no reason those seven hours must be consecutive.

Psychologist Thomas Wehr conducted experiments in the 1990s in which people were left in darkness for 14 hours instead of 8 hours. They gradually developed a split or bi-phasic sleep schedule, suggesting that without artificial lighting, humans naturally sleep this way.

Evidence for a split sleep cycle exists in literature, medical texts, court records, diaries, and in pre-industrial tribes across cultures and around the world. Historian A. Roger Ekirch's book At Day's Close: Night in Times Past describes this split sleep pattern as the norm until the 19th century, when insomnia became an issue and split sleep patterns began to disappear.

“The Victorians got it right, have two good blocks of sleep which will be helpful to regenerate your brain and body, which is better than trying to fight to have one sleep,” said sleep coach Cheryl Fingelson.

Fingelson says that fighting that wakeful period sets off a vicious cycle.

When we toss and turn, willing the brain to go back to sleep, we instead stimulate the body to produce the hormone cortisol, which wakes the brain up even more. In this scenario, a person might have a first sleep, a prolonged period of wakefulness spent trying to sleep, and a delayed, fitful second sleep that all add up to a day of grogginess. Instead, she said, we should embrace the intermission. Read for a while, have a cup of tea, listen to music, write, meditate, or enjoy another low-energy activity, and then go back to bed.

Another option is to pursue an afternoon nap.

In some cultures, an afternoon siesta is built into the day to help people recharge instead of slogging through a post-lunch dip in alertness and productivity. Science backs up the urge to nap: benefits include more energy, more creativity, better short-term memory, a stronger immune system, and a better mood. Students who take naps do better in school. Some Chinese schools even encourage students to rest during the day.

“Daytime napping is quite controversial in the United States. In Western culture, the monophasic sleep pattern is considered a marker of brain maturation,” said University of Delaware researcher Xiaopeng Ji. “In China, time for napping is built into the post-lunch schedule for many adults in work settings and students at schools.”

The ideal nap duration is 10-20 minutes. Any longer, and it becomes more difficult to wake up.

One way to achieve the perfect nap: Drink some coffee first. Since it takes about 20 minutes for caffeine to hit the brain, you can take a perfectly timed nap and wake up naturally twice refreshed and ready to go. Studies in the UK and Japan have found that individuals who take a coffee nap perform better on cognitive exercises and memory tests than those who take naps or drink caffeine alone. That sounds like a complete win-win.

Maybe you should try that right now.

More from News

Jason Isaacs; Donald Trump
MSNBC, JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images

Video Of 'White Lotus' Star Epically Ripping Trump During Live MSNBC Interview Resurfaces

A star promoting a new season of a highly popular TV series usually shares behind-the-scenes anecdotes and rarely touches on major current events.

This wasn't the case when The White Lotus actor Jason Isaacs stopped by MSNBC last month to discuss his character, Timothy Ratliff—a self-centered financier from Durham, North Carolina, who is under investigation for a shady business venture with an associate while away on vacation with his family.

Keep ReadingShow less
Valentina Gomez
@ValentinaForUSA/X

Far-Right Candidate Suggests Murdering Migrants Is 'Cheaper Than Deportation' In Disgusting Post

Far-right MAGA activist Valentina Gomez drew social media outrage for posting a screenshot from a video violently depicting the execution of a migrant criminal.

In the disturbing image, the 25-year-old real-estate investor and political activist from Medellín, Colombia, points a gun at a dummy meant to represent a migrant tied to a chair. Smoke emanates from the cloaked figure's head, suggesting that she's just fired a shot.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kristen Welker and Ty Cobb
NBC News

Former Trump White House Lawyer Calls Trump Administration 'Lawless' In Eye-Popping Interview

During an interview with Meet the Press Now host Kristen Welker, Ty Cobb, who served as an attorney for the first Trump administration, called out Trump 2.0 for having "no respect for the rule of law."

Cobb's remarks came as the Trump administration gears up for a legal battle over the Alien Enemies Act after President Donald Trump invoked it on Saturday, clearing the way for him to deport over 250 undocumented immigrants purportedly from Venezuela with little to no due process.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Greg Gutfeld; John Roberts
Fox News; Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Fox Host Throws Tantrum After John Roberts Calls Out Trump: 'Roberts, Shut The F Up!'

Fox News host Greg Gutfeld was called out after he attacked Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts for criticizing President Donald Trump's call for a federal judge to be impeached after the judge ruled against his administration in an immigration case.

The Trump administration was already gearing up for a legal battle over the Alien Enemies Act after Trump invoked it on Saturday to justify his deportation of over 250 undocumented immigrants purportedly from Venezuela with little to no due process.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of Scott Bessent and Kristen Welker
NBC News

Treasury Sec. Slammed After Threatening Journalist For Pushing Back On His Recession Denial

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was called out after he subtly threatened Meet the Press host Kristen Welker for pressing him on a potential recession after he claimed he's "not worried" about the recent stock market drops.

During their interview, Bessent told Welker he can't "guarantee" there won't be a recession:

Keep ReadingShow less