While interesting, such stories tell us nothing about our sleep needs. Sleep is a primordial thing. Even some basic creatures like jellyfish "sleep" on a dail

While interesting, such stories tell us nothing about our sleep needs. Sleep is a primordial thing. Even some basic creatures like jellyfish "sleep" on a daily cycle. So what our ancestors did around the campfire 10,000 years ago is irrelevant. Our sleep needs evolved long long before we harnessed fire. A few thousands years isn't enough time to make much of an evolutionary difference to something that began before we walked upright, even before we walked on land. The single eight-hour, 1/3 of the day paradigm is a modern construct. In all likelihood our best sleep pattern involves multiple stints. Just ask anyone in a hot country about the advantages of siesta.