The Hadza
Naps in an indigenous society
We’ll take a brief break from Hen’s series on Israel to travel about 5700 miles south to Tanzania, specifically the Baray ward in the southwest Karatu District of the Arusha Region. This is where the Hadza people, a protected indigenous ethnic group of hunter-gatherers, call home. And here, say scientists, the Hadza demonstrate the physiological and cultural benefits of napping.
Dr. David Samson, a Toronto-based sleep anthropologist, authored an oft-cited 2017 study on the Hadza. He chose to study the Hadza because their sleep/wake patterns have not been altered as have those in the west, post-Industrial Revolution, suggesting that they better represent natural sleep/wake patterns (sidestepping any debate here).
In a 2019 GQ interview, Dr. Samson shared an interesting finding: the Hadza tend to nap for 55 minutes per day. The author, Alex Shultz (former GQ contributor and now local editor of SFGATE), pointed out the contrast from the typical Western nap that lasts 30 minutes, consistent with TND’s own recommendation. He goes on to conclude the article in a way that would have made Henrietta proud, similar to what we’ve seen before from Cleveland Browns blogger (check out The Orange and Brown Report!), modern day warrior/poet, and TND friend, Barry McBride:
But ultimately, the point of a nap is to enjoy the rest and relaxation it provides, so take it in whatever form it comes.
Hear, hear, Alex — we appreciate you!