How to Sleep Like a Caveman - Ancient Wisdom for a Better Night's Rest

Sapiens meets Why We Sleep in an evolutionary romp through the science of sleep-and how we can get better rest-by one of the world's leading sleep scientists.
We spend roughly a third of our lives in bed, but for millions of us, not all of that time is spent sleeping. We strive for eight hours per night, only to lie awake thanks to stress, our ever-present devices, a new baby, or that 4pm coffee you thought you needed.
As sleep scientist and recovering insomniac Merijn van de Laar shows, we're hardly the first to experience this. When homo sapiens evolved hundreds of thousands of years ago, when saber-toothed tigers were their biggest nighttime worry, wakefulness served to protect one's tribe at night. Research shows these episodic sleep patterns even gave our ancestors an evolutionary advantage. We can look to their example for guidance in improving our sleep health, too: how our sleep patterns change as we age, the benefits of communal sleep, the importance of environmental factors such as temperature and light. While our myriad gadgets may distinguish us from early humans, understanding the ways our brains evolved to rest can chart the course toward a better night's sleep.
Drawing from emerging science, archeological research into our ancestors' habits, and close observation of contemporary hunter-gatherer cultures, How to Sleep Like a Caveman explains everything from why we sometimes jerk awake at night-likely a remnant of having slept in trees-to why our efforts to "optimize" our sleep schedules might just be a fool's errand. The result is a surprising, accessible new framework for thinking about sleep-the way we were designed to.

About the author

Dr. Merijn van de Laar is a sleep scientist and psychologist with years of experience treating sleep disorders. He lives in the Netherlands. How to Sleep Like a Caveman is his first book, and has been translated into twenty-one languages.

Summary

Sapiens meets Why We Sleep in an evolutionary romp through the science of sleep—and how we can get better rest—by one of the world’s leading sleep scientists.
We spend roughly a third of our lives in bed, but for millions of us, not all of that time is spent sleeping. We strive for eight hours per night, only to lie awake thanks to stress, our ever-present devices, a new baby, or that 4pm coffee you thought you needed.
As sleep scientist and recovering insomniac Merijn van de Laar shows, we’re hardly the first to experience this. When homo sapiens evolved hundreds of thousands of years ago, when saber-toothed tigers were their biggest nighttime worry, wakefulness served to protect one’s tribe at night. Research shows these episodic sleep patterns even gave our ancestors an evolutionary advantage. We can look to their example for guidance in improving our sleep health, too: how our sleep patterns change as we age, the benefits of communal sleep, the importance of environmental factors such as temperature and light. While our myriad gadgets may distinguish us from early humans, understanding the ways our brains evolved to rest can chart the course toward a better night’s sleep.
Drawing from emerging science, archeological research into our ancestors’ habits, and close observation of contemporary hunter-gatherer cultures, How to Sleep Like a Caveman explains everything from why we sometimes jerk awake at night—likely a remnant of having slept in trees—to why our efforts to “optimize” our sleep schedules might just be a fool’s errand. The result is a surprising, accessible new framework for thinking about sleep—the way we were designed to. 

Report

"How to Sleep Like a Caveman is a fascinating look at the evolution of sleep, chock-full of useful insight into how we can harness those basic principles to improve our sleep in modern times. Its no-nonsense approach helps us distinguish sleep hype from real science-essential guidance in a world where we overthink this most basic of bodily functions." - Dr. Shelby Harris, author of The Women's Guide to Overcoming Insomnia
"In this robust debut guide, psychologist van de Laar argues that recreating the living conditions of ancient humans improves sleep quality. . . . Van de Laar provides discerning readings of the scientific literature. . . . The advice frequently surprises. . . . Anyone who's ever resorted to counting sheep will find this a balm." - Publishers Weekly
"Brilliant. . .what I love about this book is that for problem sleepers it is a relaxing and reassuring read." - Simon Mundie, author of Champion Thinking
"Through in-depth research into the nighttime habits of our prehistoric ancestors, psychologist and sleep scientist Dr Merijn van de Laar has helped thousands of insomniacs rediscover the joys of a good night's sleep. And he can transform your sleeping habits in just 21 days." - Daily Express (London)

Product details

• Authors: Merijn van de Laar
• Publisher: HarperCollins US
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Release: 20.05.2025
• EAN: 9780063430174
• ISBN: 978-0-06-343017-4
• No. of pages: 304
• Dimensions: 139 mm x 209 mm x 23 mm
• Subjects: Guides > Health; SCIENCE: Life Sciences / Evolution, SCIENCE: Life Sciences / General, HEALTH & FITNESS: Sleep, HEALTH & FITNESS: Healthy Living & Personal Hygiene