US researchers studied the sleeping patterns of traditional societies in Africa and South America, whose lifestyles closely resemble ancient hunter gatherers.
They monitored 98 people for 1,165 nights, and found that they slept for an average of 6.5 hours per night.
By comparison, the scientists said that most people in the US get about seven hours, according to a large sleep poll.
The new study, published in the journal Current Biology, also finds that temperature played a greater role than light in shaping sleeping patterns.
As reported in BBC News on the 15th of October, 2015
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