Well, we don't sleep the same way as folks back in the 1700-1800's. Before light bulbs and fancy electricity, there were two sleeps - first sleep and second sleep. Historical documents, letters and diaries of the time all refer to second sleep as common knowledge and something that is just a given.
Instead of staying up and wasting time on the internet or watching the television box, folks went to bed when the sun set; but they didn't stay there. After a few hours the pious would pray and read the Bible, while the more adventuresome might have an affair with a neighbor or cook something. Oh and there was partying. Sometimes folks would get up, grab a couple of candles, burgle, practice music or party at a neighbors, then return home to sleep it off til morning.
SOURCE:
http://www.history.vt.edu/Ekirch/sleepcommentary.html <== The Guy that Wrote that Book on Segmented Sleep
As far as what was done in the past, one must delve bravely into the art of the time. When I google "Snoring Cures Medieval Art" the internet provides a plethora of works that have been pre-categorized with those key words. We live in amazing times that make learning how to use a library and the dewey decimal system obsolete!
One of the more intriguing works resulting from my inquiry is this:
Obviously, the person with sleep apnea is not well rested and has wrecked the wagon, busting one of the wheels on the road to the grain meal, near the river where hogs are washed each morning. He is being treated by being tied with rope and kept in the river while three town elder-statesmen in varied tights and lovely capes look on and supervise the punishment. I think it is important to note the giant person on top of the mill house for perspective.
So to answer the original question, our ancestors didn't do things the same way we do and people that didn't get enough sleep were treated like witches.
