Why our obsession with sleep has created a nation of zombies

Nearly half of Canadians have tried pills or other sleep aids in the past year, and nearly a quarter have consulted a sleep professional

Humans evolved to be weirdly efficient sleepers, sleeping less than other primates to satisfy their needs and spending more time in a stage of sleep and temporary muscle paralysis so deep, evolutionary anthropologist David Samson has likened it to being “essentially as close to dead as you will ever be.”

So why has a decent night’s sleep become so elusive for so many?