On Sat, 3 Aug 2002 12:44:50 -0500, Wendy Hubbard <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>>This is where the "Lights Out" book (admittedly flawed) may have some
>>application.
>>
>>Their theory is that in the summer, when both fruit and light are bountiful,
>>humans naturally stayed up late and ate more carbs.   Then in winter, when
>>daylight was short lived and there was no artificial light, humans went to bed
>>early and slept longer and due to the meager results from hunting and
>>gathering
>>in the winter, lived off their fat.
>
>
>Just out of curiosity...Does the book suggest that paleolithic people went
>to sleep as soon as it was dark?  What about times spent sitting around the
>campfire telling stories and singing songs, etc.?  Was this done only in
>the summer, when the efforts of hunting and gathering were plentiful?  Are
>you suggesting that they went to bed early in the winter to conserve
>energy, or from weakness due to hunger?

The book feels that the invention of fire was after the point where human
physiology was "configured" for a bedtime around dusk.

It is similar to the concept that human physiology in regards to diet was
configured before the invention of agriculture.


--
Cheers,

Ken
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