Sleep & Human Evolution Lab

"Why do humans sleep the least of all primates?". Find out the answer in Dr. Samon's (@primalprimate) review of "The Human Sleep Paradox" in Volume 50 of the Annual Review of Anthropology (@AnnualReviews). The volume is now live 🙌!

@leela_mckinnon , of the @_TheSHEL_ as first author on our work testing the Adaptive Vigilance hypothesis function of sleep in small-scale indigenous communities. Way to go 👏👏👏

Wonderful work on the relationship between sleep, health, and social threat -- and so proud to be a collaborator with the intrepid @eric_shattuck !

Congratulations to our PhD Student @leela_mckinnon for being awarded the prestigious General Motors Women in Science and Mathematics Award from the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at the University of Toronto!

Dreams, so many mysteries surrounding them. 🛌💭 Well, based on research spearheaded by @Primalprimate and @noorabbas98, their latest paper in Scientific Nature Reports reveals that dreams may serve as an emotional adaptive function. Read more at utm.utoronto.ca/main-news/drea….

Congratulations to our previous lab manager, Nhu Hunyh, on her inaugurate first-author research paper on sleep associations with mental and physical health, focusing on those facing homelessness. 🏡 🛌 Read about it here! sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

We have @Primalprimate representing the SHEL at this symposium! Way to go! 🎉

Upcoming guests: Psychologist Sander van der Linden (@Sander_vdLinden) Biologist Melanie Trecek-King (@ThinkingPowers) Anthropologist David R. Samson (@Primalprimate) Professor Barry Mauer Philosopher Krista Thomason (@kkthomason) #podcast

@Primalprimate Looking forward to the research being conjured. 👀

I have officially embarked on my first-ever post-tenure sabbatical adventure! While being granted a temporary escape from the academic matrix, I'll be giving talks on #OurTribalFuturebook and writing my second book (under contract) as well as directing the exciting science being produced out of @_TheSHEL_ .

This is the operative question for our species:

In this article by @NextBigIdeaClub, I explore the function of tribes, how identity warps perception, 21st century campcrafting, the power of rituals, and the promise of a tribalism vaccine. Join the conversation here: nextbigideaclub.com/magazine/triba… @stmartinpress

My interview with Brian Bethune @torontostar dropped today: "Creating a better future: How to take our instinct to belong to a group and turn it into a force for good." thestar.com/entertainment/…

Excited to share another response to Our Tribal Future! Prof. @jayvanbavel, author of The Power of Us, states: "Tired of feeling like an outsider? Long to be part of something bigger? Look no further... A must-read for understanding group dynamics in the modern world." 🌍🌟 Coming soon: read.macmillan.com/lp/our-tribal-… #OurTribalFutureBook

Only 2 weeks until book launch! 🚀 @HermanPontzer, author of "Burn", says, “Samson makes a compelling case that our species’ future depends on how well we understand and control our tribal future.”🙏 Coming May 30th: read.macmillan.com/lp/our-tribal-…

So many people have reported problems with getting adequate sleep since daylight savings ended. @Primalprimate has answers and tips improving sleep. It’s about time we learned to sync with our circadian rhythm! 🌝

.#UTM_Anthro professor and director of the @_TheSHEL_ David Samson shares expert tips for better sleep 😴 (Source: Toronto Star)😴 thestar.com/life/2023/03/1…

Struggling with the switch to daylight savings time? According to Dr. David Samson’s research, the majority of people experiencing sleep problems can make improvements through their own behaviours. 🥱⏰😴 #UTM #anthropology thestar.com/life/2023/03/1… via @torontostar

Neanderthals were morning-larks! Archaic ancestral populations appear to have 26 circadian loci that indicate their genomes were adapted for morning activity.

Contrary to the popular belief? This article features @Primalprimate’s scientific discovery on the evolution of human sleep and his social-sleep hypothesis! theatlantic.com/science/archiv… #primatesleep #sleepresearch

Intriguing new research from Noor Abbas @noorabbas98 and Dr. David Samson @Primalprimate: "Dreaming during the COVID-19 pandemic: Support for the threat simulation function of dreams" published in Frontiers in Psychology. @_TheSHEL_ #UTM #anthropology 🛏️doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.…