Why We Sleep

Why We Sleep

Adult nonfiction
I love my sleep, my dreams, and jumping out of bed in the
morning full of energy. If I don't get enough slumber I don't feel
like myself. I don't believe people can get by on a mere four or five
hours a night. Matthew Walker Ph.D.'s Why We Sleep confirmed my
beliefs. This excerpt from the first chapter should give us all food
for thought.
"...Routinely sleeping less than six or seven hours a night
demolishes your immune system, more than doubling you risk of cancer.
Insufficient sleep is a key lifestyle factor determining whether or
not you will develop Alzheimers disease. Inadequate sleep--even
moderate reductions for just one week--disrupts blood sugar levels so
profoundly that you would be classified as pre-diabetic. Short
sleeping increases the liklihood of your coronary arteries becoming
blocked and brittle, setting you on a path toward cardiovascular
disease, stroke, and heart failure..."
Do you realize what the man is saying? We can stack the odds of
getting the scariest diseases known to humanity in our favor by
increasing our consumption of something pleasurable that doesn't carry
a list of harmful side effects. If your inner skeptic is starting a
chorus of "yeah, right." tell it to shut up and try at least a few
chapters of the book. It will be time well spent.
Walker starts off with the sleep basics such as the circadian
rythym (which explains, BTW, why some of us are morning larks and
others night owls), sleep pressure (a less familiar chemical
barometer), and the factors regulating them. He ties them in with
familiar experiences such as jet lag. If you've ever wondered why
your coffee or energy drink will short circuit your sleep drive, only
to lead up to a total crash later, here's your chance to find out.
We've all heard about REM and non REM sleep. Walker shows a
sleep cycle that is a lot more complex than that. He proves that each
componant is essential in its own way to optimum physical and mental
health. He shows how sleep patterns typically change over a life time
and how poor sleep hygiene can lead to the dreaded diseases I
mentioned earlier.
What I appreciate the most is that Walker addresses lack of
sleep as a policy and public health concern as well as a private
health issue. Optimally people have a large chunk of night time sleep
and a short afternoon nap. Modern buzz kills such as electric lights
turning night into day, electronics, and shift work schedules are
really messing with our sleep hygiene. It's not just a matter of so
sad, too bad. Companies, schools, and governments need to take (and
will totally benefit from) actions.
A very convincing example Walker provides is changing too early
school start times for teens. Since teens fall asleep later, early
rising robs them of sleep stages necessary for learning. So later
start times should enhance academic achievement. Some schools have
made this adjustment and gained this benefit as well as unexpected
ones such as reductions in teen traffic accidents.
I've wondered why I am the way I am. At a stage where most
people at least contemplate retirement I'm balancing a masters program
and a student job in dining services. I wake up without an alarm
clock ready to sing. My blood pressure is low and I have a kick ass
immune system. I have the energy to perform in drag shows and one of
the sunniest dispositions on the UMaine campus. Maybe Walker has
provided at least part of the answer.
On a personal note, time for bed! Good night!
A great big shout out goes out to you, dear readers! Sweet dreams!
jules hathaway


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