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+--- Thread: [News] How humans have evolved into 'supersleepers' (/Thread-News-How-humans-have-evolved-into-supersleepers)
How humans have evolved into 'supersleepers' - SuperSleeper - 12-15-2015
Hey, DailyMail.co.uk says I've "evolved"!
How humans have evolved into 'supersleepers':
Researchers find we get better sleep in less time than our nearest relatives
* Humans sleep an average of 7 hours, while other primates sleep up to 17
* Longer periods of deep sleep stages help humans rest more efficiently
* Early humans shortened their sleep patterns long before artificial light
By Cheyenne Macdonald
Blame evolution for your lack of sleep.
A team of Duke University researchers compared the sleep habits of humans with hundreds of mammals, including primates, and found that humans sleep for significantly fewer hours than our closest relatives.
While humans may snooze less, the study found that our sleep is actually more efficient, and more time is spent in the deep stages of sleep.
Duke anthropologists David Samson and Charlie Nunn, who authored the paper, combed through the literature on sleep habits of mammals and 21 species of primates according to Duke Today.
After creating a database for comparison, the researchers used statistical techniques to plot the different species on the primate family tree, including baboons, lemurs, orangutans, chimpanzees, and people.
Chimpanzees, our closest animal relative, generally sleep around 11.5 hours a night.
Some primates, like the southern pig-tailed macaque or the gray mouse lemur, need as many as 14 to 17 hours of sleep, while humans generally get an average of seven each night.
'Humans are unique in having shorter, higher quality sleep,' said Samson.
The researcher previously spent almost 2,000 hours studying the rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM sleep stages of orangutans.
When humans sleep, 25 percent of the time is spent in the REM dream state. For many primates, REM sleep makes up barely five percent.
Humans spend less time in the 'light stages,' making for a more efficient, restful sleep.
It may seem that the obvious reason for this would be the integration of artificial light, but the researchers say humans shortened their sleep patterns long before the glare of lamps and tablet screens.
In a separate study, researchers found that people in three hunter-gatherer societies in Tanzania, Namibia, and Bolivia got even less sleep than people who have access to electronics, suggesting that the role of artificial light is not the only factor in determining the sleep length of modern humans.
Early humans once slept in 'beds' in the trees, later moving down to the ground where they slept in larger groups around a fire.
This kept them warm and safe from large predators, including hyenas and leopards, and likely enabled them to get the most restful sleep for the shortest possible time.
As humans grew to be more skilled, shorter sleep made it possible to dedicate time to these advancements, while the deeper sleep enhanced memory and brain function.
HUMANS SLEEP EFFICIENTLY
Early humans once slept in 'beds' in the trees, later moving down to the ground where they slept in larger groups around a fire.
This kept them warm and safe, and likely enabled them to get the most restful sleep for the shortest possible time.
Shorter sleep made it possible to dedicate time to new skills, while the deeper sleep enhanced memory and brain function.
Now, humans get an average of seven hours sleep each night.
Chimpanzees, our closest animal relative, generally sleep around 11.5 hours a night, while other primates get up to 17.
When humans sleep, 25 percent of the time is spent in the REM dream state, and humans spend less time in the 'light stages,' making for a more efficient, restful sleep.
Fair Use applies, from:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3359953/Humans-evolved-supersleepers-Researchers-better-sleep-time-nearest-relatives.html
RE: How humans have evolved into 'supersleepers' - justMongo - 12-15-2015
I saw that one... I was going to post it as a semi gag (SuperSleeper!)
RE: How humans have evolved into 'supersleepers' - Crimson Nape - 12-15-2015
(12-15-2015, 01:26 PM)justMongo Wrote: I saw that one... I was going to post it as a semi gag (SuperSleeper!)
That's why he's "SuperSleeper"
Able to leap a pile of CPAPs in a single bound.
RE: How humans have evolved into 'supersleepers' - justMongo - 12-15-2015
He's been on extra strong coffee this morning.
RE: How humans have evolved into 'supersleepers' - DariaVader - 12-15-2015
SuperSleeper is less of an ape than the rest of us?
RE: How humans have evolved into 'supersleepers' - SuperSleeper - 12-15-2015
(12-15-2015, 06:49 PM)DariaVader Wrote: SuperSleeper is less of an ape than the rest of us?
I still like bananas with my coffee though, so apparently I'm not all that "evolved".
(12-15-2015, 01:46 PM)justMongo Wrote: He's been on extra strong coffee this morning.
Yep!
![[Image: Moving-animated-picture-of-monkey-doing-a-flip.gif]](http://www.netanimations.net/Moving-animated-picture-of-monkey-doing-a-flip.gif)
RE: How humans have evolved into 'supersleepers' - justMongo - 12-15-2015
We could have had so much more fun with this on April 1st...
RE: How humans have evolved into 'supersleepers' - AlanE - 12-15-2015
More powerful than a locomotive... well, his BO maybe...
RE: How humans have evolved into 'supersleepers' - SuperSleeper - 12-15-2015
(12-15-2015, 07:56 PM)AlanE Wrote: More powerful than a locomotive... well, his BO maybe...
Hey it's against the rules to sniff the Admin.
RE: How humans have evolved into 'supersleepers' - Sleepster - 12-16-2015
I've seen other study results, heard about them on PBS TV shows like Nature and Nova, and heard accounts of grandparents, sleeping longer hours during the winter months. Almost like a hibernation thing. Perhaps this is something seen in higher latitudes where the winter nights are longer, something this study wouldn't have seen looking at tribes in Africa.