Insomnia & Sleep Issues: The Myth of 8-Hour Sleep

The Early Waking "Bug"

Sleep issues are complex. For many people, the core problem isn't falling asleep, but waking too early and failing to return to sleep.

Heavy cognitive work can make sleep light; waking at night then triggers anxiety and rumination.

A perspective shift helps: do not force sleep. If awake, read quietly or do gentle breath observation.

The Truth About Segmented Sleep

Historian Roger Ekirch found that before electric lighting, 'segmented sleep' was common: First Sleep for 3–4 hours, awake for 1–2 hours, then Second Sleep.

Point 1: don't be anxious if you wake early. Eight continuous hours isn't the only natural pattern.

Let go of anxiety; use the midnight wakefulness for calm activities: reading, meditation, soft music, light planning.

TCM Perspective on Sleep

Classical records note waking around midnight and dawn as normal cycles. Sleep patterns are diverse and flexible.

Much dogma around '8-hour sleep' is oversimplified; don't buy into anxiety-inducing narratives.

Practical Solution: Breathing & Vipassana

Use midnight wakefulness to practice: a few longer exhales, warm belly, attention at the lower dantian.

Research suggests the brain is near a meditative state at this time, a natural window for decompression.

Even without immediate sleep, breath practice yields clarity and energy the next morning.

Begin simply: count breaths to train stable focus.

Keys to Remember

• Don't be anxious—our ancestors did segmented sleep too.
• Focus on breathing—start Inner Observation Breathing.