Читать книгу Dental Management of Sleep Disorders - Ronald Attanasio - Страница 14

Sleep was not always as we know it today or have known it for over 100 years. Prior to the industrial revolution, sleep and wakefulness were mostly predicated by the rising and setting of the sun. When the industrial revolution occurred, the 24‐hour day was broken down into three 8‐hour periods: one for work, one for sleep, and the other one for pleasure and other activities. Prior to this time, sleep was typically broken down into two stages or shifts and was referred to as “segmented sleep” [3]. These were referred to as first and second sleep or alternatively as “dead sleep” and “morning sleep.” Between these two was a period referred to as “the watching,” which was a period of wakefulness that would last for an hour or even longer in some situations. Furthermore, the eight‐hour uninterrupted period of sleep became more common because of the use of supplemental light that resulted in bedtimes that became later and as such the period between the two stages eventually disappeared.

As sleep became more like we know it today, as is explained in a book by Benjamin Reiss [4], the industrial age changed many things. Where people would sleep in a communal manner, they now would have separate bedrooms. More importantly, sleep disorders that we recognize today most likely were being recognized and became more prevalent.

Another example was Henry David Thoreau's Walden. This was produced when he decided to abandon the sleep pattern of the day and return to one from the past. This led to a time of creativity that had not previously been experienced.

As time progressed, other changes in society were taking place that ultimately would impact our circadian clock and our sleep. One such change was in 1910 when standardized time zones were established, mainly because of the need for railroads to synchronize schedules. Today many changes related to modernization and technology are all in some way impacting our sleep.