I’m a scientist who cured my insomnia… and discovered what we’ve been told about sleep is a lie

For decades people have been told they need seven to nine hours of sleep – warned that anything less could result in obesity, depression and even dementia. 

However, Dutch sleep scientist Dr Merijn van de Laar is turning all we’ve been told about sleep on its head – saying it’s alright if you get less than seven hours, or if you’re awoken in the middle of the night. 

The secret to the best night of rest can be gleaned from looking back to our caveman ancestors and mimicking the way they slept.

Prehistoric men and women lived a lifestyle that facilitated a restful night’s sleep, including walking nearly 20,000 steps a day, living life without technology and sharing their bed with canine companions. 

Dr van de Laar wrote: ‘Newsflash: There is no sleep loss epidemic, most people don’t need eight hours of sleep, sleep medication has a bad influence on sleep and (probably) on health, lying awake at night can be perfectly normal and your sleep tracker is unreliable.’

Data from the CDC shows 14.5 percent of adults have trouble falling asleep and 18 percent have trouble staying asleep.

And a 2024 American Academy of Sleep Medicine survey found 12 percent of Americans have been diagnosed with chronic insomnia – a condition Dr Van de Laar battled firsthand. 

Now, in his book ‘How to Sleep Like a Caveman,’ the sleep scientist is sharing how he cured his insomnia and outlines his top tips for sleeping like the earliest humans. 

Dutch sleep scientist Merijn van de Laar (pictured) believes getting the best night’s sleep involves going back tens of thousands of years

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Get moving 

Research on early humans shows they may have needed more sleep due to their active lifestyle.

Prehistoric humans were hunter-gatherers, meaning all their food came from hunting animals and gathering plants.

Pictured above is Dr Merijn van de Laar’s book ‘How to Sleep Like a Caveman’

This required them to travel up to a dozen miles a day on foot, and research estimates our ancestors walked twice as much as people today.

Women took around 11,000 steps a day while men trekked 19,000. Today, the average American walks 5,000. 

A study from Brandeis University found middle-aged adults who walked an extra 2,000 steps a day slept longer and better than on days they were less active. 

Another study of 500 adults found people who didn’t exercise but walked 10,000 steps a day had improved sleep quality. 

Walking has been shown to release mood-boosting hormones called endorphins, which lower stress and can promote relaxation.

Dr van de Laar also suggests higher intensity exercise like jogging or cycling may improve sleep, but exercising within two hours of bedtime could increase your body temperature and heart rate, disrupting your sleep cycle.

Adopt a dog 

Research shows dog owners may sleep more soundly because they are more active (stock image)

Records of man’s best friend date back tens of thousands of years. Researchers have discovered footprints and paw prints beside each other and found people and dogs buried together.

Dr van de Laar wrote that this suggests humans and dogs likely slept together, so dog owners who mimic their ancestors may get better sleep.

A 2019 study found dog owners tend to sleep 53 minutes more at night than people without a canine companion. 

The researchers suggested this could be because dog owners walk more during the day than non-owners.

Dr van de Laar wrote: ‘An important factor here is that dog owners may have more active lifestyles anyway, which could make it more likely that they choose to have a dog. 

‘At the same time, because of the active way of living, they might need more physical recovery anyway, which increases sleep duration.’

Dogs also offer a sense of companionship, leading to fewer feelings of loneliness.

Hunt and gather 

Ancient diets focused on animal proteins, vegetables and other whole, unprocessed foods. Dr van de Laar suggests the high protein of a Paleo diet may help regulate sleep (stock image)

Dr van de Laar also suggests mimicking the diet of our ancestors, now known as the Paleo or caveman diet.

The plan involves eating foods that only could have been obtained through hunting and gathering, such as vegetables, nuts, seeds and lean meats.

Ancient humans stuck to these foods until roughly 10,000 years ago, when agricultural practices increased the popularity of grains, legumes, dairy and vegetable oils. 

Paleolithic diets were also high in protein from meats like beef and bison, which Dr van de Laar suggests could have sleep-promoting properties. 

A recent review of 19 studies found people who report sleeping more soundly at night tend to eat more protein-rich meals. 

Additionally, a 2023 study found mice and flies on high-protein diets had higher levels of molecules in their guts that improve sleep quality. 

Research suggests opting for protein-rich meals instead of carbohydrates may help regulate blood sugar, preventing blood sugar spikes that can disrupt sleep.

Eyes off the clock 

Recent studies show watching the clock while trying to sleep increases anxiety and stress, hampering sleep quality

Prehistoric humans didn’t sleep with an alarm clock or cell phone on their nightstand, and Dr van de Laar said ditching tech may lead to a more restful night’s sleep. 

A 2023 study from Indiana University studied 5,000 people with insomnia. 

Participants completed questionnaires about the severity of their insomnia, use of sleep medication and the time they spent watching a clock while trying to drift off at night. 

Lead researcher Spencer Dawson said: ‘We found time-monitoring behavior mainly has an effect on sleep medication use because it exacerbates insomnia symptoms.

‘People are concerned that they’re not getting enough sleep, then they start estimating how long it will take them to fall back asleep and when they have to be up. 

‘That is not the sort of activity that’s helpful in facilitating the ability to fall asleep; the more stressed out you are, the harder time you’re going to have falling asleep.’

Dr van de Laar wrote: ‘The conclusion is that it is important to remove visible clocks from the bedroom as much as possible. 

‘It is important to move these as far away from your bedroom as possible and try to get through the night without a clock. The same applies to mobile phones.’

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