[blindriver]

Is this a real question?

Until the advent of electricity, when it was nighttime, it was mostly pitch black dark, and there was nothing you can really do except go to sleep. These days you're up a lot longer and there are more distractions like work and social media to keep you up well into the night. If you ever go camping with no cell phone signal, you'll go to sleep much earlier as well and get a lot more sleep than modern living.

[esseph]

> Until the advent of electricity, when it was nighttime, it was mostly pitch black dark, and there was nothing you can really do except go to sleep.

Mfw torches and lanterns exist

[SoftTalker]

Yes, but still... I agree that it seems likely that in preindustrial times, most people just went to bed at dark and got up at light. Depending on the season that might be 12 hours or more, so they possibly didn't actally sleep all that time, but they were probably just quietly in their homes/shelters even if they were awake.

[esseph]

Yes, biphasic sleep.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyphasic_sleep

[blindriver]

MFW you believe torches and lanterns are as bright and ubiquitous as electric lights today.

[tekla]

I don't think you quite understand how expensive lighting was until the last 60 years.