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The Evolution of Sleep: How Modern Life Has Reshaped Our Sleep Habits

Before the invention of artificial light and the rise of 24/7 work schedules, humans naturally followed the rhythm of the sun. This blog explores how sleep has evolved – from biphasic sleep patterns in ancient societies to the modern sleep problems caused by screens, stress, and social media, and how to restore healthy sleep in a fast-paced world.

Ancient Sleep Patterns: How Our Ancestors Slept Naturally

Before electricity, humans relied on the natural light-dark cycle. Anthropological evidence suggests many pre-industrial societies practised biphasic sleep, which means sleeping in two segments:

  • First sleep (or “dead sleep”) – occurs shortly after dusk.
  • Second sleep – happening after a period of wakefulness in the middle of the night, often used for quiet activities such as reading, prayer, or even socialising (1). Hunter-gatherers also adapted sleep based on seasons, safety, and predators, resting only when conditions were secure (2).
Pre-industrial humans sleeping in natural conditions, illustrating ancient biphasic sleep patterns based on sunrise and sunset

The Industrial Revolution and the Shift to Monophasic Sleep

The Industrial Revolution (18th–19th century) changed everything. Factory schedules and artificial lighting forced a shift to monophasic sleep – a single, uninterrupted sleep period. Gas lamps and electric bulbs extended work hours, reducing reliance on natural daylight (3).

This shift led to:

  • Shorter sleep durations due to early work shifts.
  • Increased night-time activity, leading to later bedtimes.
  • Disrupted natural circadian rhythms, as people were no longer dictated by the sun.

 

By the early 20th century, monophasic sleep had become the dominant sleep pattern in Western
society.

Industrial Revolution factory workers and artificial lighting contributing to shift from biphasic to monophasic sleep patterns

The Digital Age: Disrupting Sleep in New Ways

Fast forward to today, and technology and lifestyle pressures pose new threats to healthy sleep.
Below are some of the biggest disruptors:

1. Artificial Light and Blue Light Exposure

Constant exposure to LED lighting and digital screens suppresses melatonin, making it harder to fall asleep. The 24-hour light environment has misaligned our circadian rhythms (4).

2. The Rise of Sleep Debt

Busy schedules and chronic stress lead to sleep deprivation, accumulating “sleep debt” that negatively affects cognitive performance, mood, and long-term health (5).

3. Social Media and Constant Connectivity

Late-night scrolling, FOMO, and smartphone notifications delay bedtimes and lead to more fragmented rest (6).

Blue Light affects deep sleep scaled

4. Increased Stress and Anxiety

Fast-paced lifestyles, work-related stress, and economic pressures keep the brain in a heightened state of alertness, making it harder to wind down for deep sleep (5).

How to Reclaim Healthy Sleep in a Modern World

Modern life doesn’t make it easy, but you can improve sleep quality with simple adjustments. For tips on building a full bedtime routine, see: How to Build a Better Nighttime Routine for Deep, Restorative Sleep.

Here are a few simple tips to get you started:

1. Limit Blue Light Exposure

2. Create a Consistent Sleep Schedule

  • Go to bed and wake up at the same time daily – even on weekends.
  • Aim for 7–9 hours of sleep.

3. Optimise Your Sleep Environment

  • Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet using blackout blinds, the HAKD Health Sleep Mask, or earplugs
  • Invest in a comfortable mattress and pillows.

4. Manage Stress Before Bed

  • Practice relaxation techniques like meditation, deep breathing, or journaling.
  • Avoid stimulating activities close to bedtime.

5. Get Natural Light in the Morning

  • Spend time outside in natural daylight each morning.
  • Engage in daily physical activity to regulate sleep cycles.

6. Consider a Natural Sleep Supplement

HAKD Health Night Blend combines 15 science-backed ingredients to help you fall asleep faster,
increase deep sleep, and wake up refreshed.

Buy Night Blend Now

HAKD HEALTH Night Blend Sleep 1 scaled

Final Thoughts: Align Modern Life with Your Sleep Biology

Sleep has evolved dramatically, but its importance remains unchanged. By aligning modern habits with natural sleep biology, we can reclaim restorative rest and optimise health.

Struggling with modern sleep disruptions?

Explore HAKD HEALTH’s sleep solution – Night Blend to help you optimise your rest and wake up feeling refreshed.

References:

  • (6) Pirdehghan, Azar et , (2021). “Social Media Use and Sleep Disturbance among Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study.” Iranian journal of psychiatry (16)2, 137-145. https://doi.org/10.18502/ijps.v16i2.5814

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⬇️ If you fix one thing this year, fix your sleep. Sleep isn’t just a habit. It’s the system everything else runs on. 1. Sleep impacts willpower & decision-making 👉🏻 Poor sleep reduces activity in the prefrontal cortex, the part of your brain responsible for self-control. Less sleep = weaker discipline, more impulsive choices. 2. Every habit is learned during sleep 👉🏻 Deep and REM sleep consolidate memory and behaviour patterns. You don’t lock in habits while doing them, you lock them in while sleeping. 3. Sleep regulates hunger, cravings & metabolism 👉🏻 Sleep loss increases ghrelin (hunger hormone) and lowers leptin (satiety hormone). That’s why ‘bad discipline’ is often just bad sleep. 4. Recovery only happens when you’re asleep 👉🏻 Muscle repair, tissue regeneration, immune recovery and growth hormone release all peak during deep sleep. No sleep = no real recovery. 5. Sleep controls your stress response 👉🏻 Chronic sleep deprivation keeps cortisol elevated. That means higher anxiety and poorer emotional regulation. 6. Your energy is built the night before 👉🏻 Caffeine doesn’t create energy, it masks fatigue. Mitochondrial repair and ATP efficiency improve during quality sleep. 7. Focus, creativity & problem-solving depend on REM sleep 👉🏻 REM sleep strengthens neural connections and insight-based thinking. If you want sharper thinking, you need more REM. 8. Sleep stabilises your circadian rhythm 👉🏻 Consistent sleep timing anchors hormones, digestion, temperature, mood and alertness. One stable rhythm makes every other routine easier to stick to.

⬇️ If you fix one thing this year, fix your sleep.
Sleep isn’t just a habit. It’s the system everything else runs on.

1. Sleep impacts willpower & decision-making
👉🏻 Poor sleep reduces activity in the prefrontal cortex, the part of your brain responsible for self-control. Less sleep = weaker discipline, more impulsive choices.

2. Every habit is learned during sleep
👉🏻 Deep and REM sleep consolidate memory and behaviour patterns.
You don’t lock in habits while doing them, you lock them in while sleeping.

3. Sleep regulates hunger, cravings & metabolism
👉🏻 Sleep loss increases ghrelin (hunger hormone) and lowers leptin (satiety hormone). That’s why ‘bad discipline’ is often just bad sleep.

4. Recovery only happens when you’re asleep
👉🏻 Muscle repair, tissue regeneration, immune recovery and growth hormone release all peak during deep sleep. No sleep = no real recovery.

5. Sleep controls your stress response
👉🏻 Chronic sleep deprivation keeps cortisol elevated. That means higher anxiety and poorer emotional regulation.

6. Your energy is built the night before
👉🏻 Caffeine doesn’t create energy, it masks fatigue. Mitochondrial repair and ATP efficiency improve during quality sleep.

7. Focus, creativity & problem-solving depend on REM sleep
👉🏻 REM sleep strengthens neural connections and insight-based thinking. If you want sharper thinking, you need more REM.

8. Sleep stabilises your circadian rhythm
👉🏻 Consistent sleep timing anchors hormones, digestion, temperature, mood and alertness. One stable rhythm makes every other routine easier to stick to. ...

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