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Occasionally while I'm
out scouring the net, I'll find interesting/relevant articles
about sleep, here they are...
People who sleep in the foetal position seem tough
but are really sensitive and shy, according to a US study. Any second-grader knows why humans need food and water. But even the
most gifted scientist on the planet cannot explain why people sleep, writes
Erica Goode. "It may be the biggest open question in biology," said Allan Rechtschaffen, a
sleep expert and a professor emeritus at the University of Chicago. Ignorance about one of life’s most basic activities is not a result of lack
of trying by scientists and others to understand why sleep is needed. For centuries, poets and philosophers have speculated on the benefits of
spending part of each 24-hour cycle in slumber. Fifty years of intensive sleep research, aided by the development of novel
technologies, have turned speculation into theory, ruling out some possibilities
and yielding a variety of intriguing leads. But the researchers who bragged at a conference in the early 1970s that the
secret of sleep would be theirs by the millennium, have had to revise their
estimates. "We were too optimistic," said Michel Jouvet, a professor emeritus at Claude
Bernard University in Lyon, France, and a member of the French Academy of
Sciences who attended that long-ago meeting. "The brain is more complicated than
we thought."
All mammals, birds and reptiles engage in some form of sleep, Rechtschaffen
noted in a 1998 paper, even if they do it perched on a tree branch or, like the
dolphin, while swimming, with one half of the brain at a time. Sleep has also
endured through the eons, despite the fact that it interferes with other
survival-enhancing activities. "While we sleep, we do not procreate, protect or nurture the young, gather
food, earn money, write papers, et cetera," Rechtschaffen wrote. Equally telling is the finding that when humans and other animals lose sleep,
they proceed to make it up, paying off the "debt" by sleeping longer or more
intensely. And, sleep deprivation over long periods appears to have serious
consequences, though what they are is still debated, because it is difficult to
separate the effects of lost sleep from those of stress or other factors. Researchers once thought that a prolonged lack of sleep produced mental
illness. They now know that this is not the case, though waking subjects up
every few minutes, early studies showed, made them cranky. Nor is there proof that humans have died from a lack of sleep. But rats
deprived of sleep die in two to three weeks, or in five to six weeks if they are
deprived only of REM, a sleep stage in which brain activity is similar to that
in waking. What is it about sleep that makes it essential to life? Experts say that
despite widespread belief, it is not simply the fact that we need
sleep masks to help rest. Another theory holds that sleep may serve to protect animals, by taking them
out of circulation during the dangerous hours when predators roam. Yet this
theory, Rechtschaffen and others point out, cannot explain why the sleep winks
lost one night are made up the next or why the impact of long-term sleep
deprivation is so severe. Experts have argued that REM sleep helps consolidate memory and advance
learning, and a number of studies have examined this premise, including two
reports published in the journal Nature last month. But other researchers, including Dr Jerome Siegel, a professor of psychiatry
and biobehavioural sciences at UCLA, have challenged this theory. People who
take antidepressants called monoamine oxidase inhibitors, which suppress REM
sleep, do not show memory deficits, Siegel noted in a 2001 review. Similarly, patients with brain injuries that do away with REM appear to
suffer no problems in memory, Siegel said. Nor are the animals that spend the
most time in REM — the platypus, for example, which averages eight hours of REM
each day compared with the two hours typical of humans — known for their
learning ability or powers of recall. As in waking, most neurons in the brain fire actively during REM. The
exception is nerve cells involved with the transmitter chemicals serotonin,
norepinephrine and histamine, which remain inactive. It is possible, Siegel and
others have suggested, that these neurons become overused, and that REM allows
them to rest and regain their sensitivity. The most promising theory so far, some experts believe, proposes that REM
sleep plays a role in brain development. Newborns spend more time in REM than
adults. Animals that spend long periods in REM are also more immature at birth.
Meanwhile, the search continues. The answer, experts say, may turn out to be
something obvious or something not yet dreamed of. "There is something tremendous out there," Rechtschaffen said, "and we just
haven’t found it." Personality and sleep A scientist claims to have discovered a direct link between people’s
favourite sleeping positions and their personalities. Professor Chris Idzikowski, one of Britain’s leading sleep experts, has
identified six different positions and each one says more about a person’s
character than they may care to reveal. The most popular position, is the "foetus" position, with 41 per cent of
people. When women alone were asked, 51 per cent of them said that they usually
sleep curled up on their side, holding on to the pillow. This position, the professor claims, means that they may appear tough but
"are actually sensitive souls right to their core" and are usually shy. Those who adopt the "starfish" — spreadeagled on their backs — tend to be
good listeners who make friends easily but do not like to be the centre of
attention and prefer to let other people take the limelight. Of the six positions, the "freefaller" is the more rarefied of sleeping
shapes, with just 6.5 per cent of people preferring to sleep on their front.
They tend to have "a brash and gregarious exterior", although this confident
front hides a nervous personality that responds badly to personal criticism. A "soldier", who sleeps on their back, tends to be quiet and reserved,
setting high standards for themselves; a "log", who sleeps on their side, is
relaxed and social; and a "yearner", a similar position to a "log" but with
raised arms, is suspicious and cynical. The research was conducted by comparing a person’s preferred sleeping
position to the most common personality traits identified in the subject. Despite certain personality difficulties associated with the "freefall"
position, they can comfort themselves with the fact that the position is good
for digestion. "Starfish" and "soldiers" are more likely to have a bad night’s
sleep and to snore. The research also revealed that changing your sleeping position was just as
unlikely as couples’ changing the side of the bed on which they usually sleep.
Just 5 per cent fell asleep in a different position every night, while the vast
majority stuck to their favourite. Idzikowski even bothered to research the use of continental quilts during the
night, and found that one arm or leg sticking out from under the quilt is
Britain’s favourite position, followed by both feet poking out the end. Idzikowski, a "freefaller" who is attempting to sleep in a yogic position
that involves crossing your legs around your neck, said there was no perfect
position in which to sleep. He said: "That’s a question like, ‘How much sleep should I have?’ I never
answer it." - Telegraph Sleeping
for seven hours or less markedly increases women's heart disease risk,
researchers have found. But excessive shut-eye can be dangerous, too, with
nine-hour slumberers at almost as much risk as the chronically sleep deprived. The United States study, of more than 70,000
female nurses aged 45 to 65, asked them in 1986 how much sleep they usually managed during 24 hours. The women were
followed up over the following 10 years with all heart attacks and other
indications of heart disease recorded. Compared to the women who slept for eight hours
daily, those who slept only five hours were at 45 per cent higher risk of heart
attacks. But even those who slept seven hours had 9 per cent more heart problems
than the eight-hour sleepers. At the other extreme, those who clocked up nine
or more hours per day had 38 per cent higher risk of heart disease. The lead researcher, Dr Najib Ayas, from
Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital, took into account the women's weight and
whether or not they smoked or snored which can influence sleep duration. Her study was published yesterday in the Archives
of Internal Medicine. Ron Grunstein, a sleep
specialist and clinical associate professor at Sydney's Woolcock Institute of
Medical Research, said some people could sleep
only a very short period because of work or family commitments. But insomniacs
generally slept more than they thought they did. A recent NSW survey of 4000 people aged 18 to
65 showed the average person slept 7.4 hours, Professor Grunstein said, but
there was no Australian historical data for comparison. Sleep
deprivation could cause insulin resistance, which in turn might increase heart
disease risk, he said. Meanwhile, excessive sleepiness was linked to sleep apnoea, in which the sleeper is starved of oxygen another heart
disease risk factor.
March 4 2003 Some children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder may
simply be tired because their snoring is disturbing their sleep, researchers
say. Australian experts have backed a US study that found a quarter of children
aged five to seven diagnosed with mild ADHD also snored. This was five times the
sleep disorder rate of other children, suggesting some children were
misdiagnosed. Arthur Teng, from the sleep medicine unit at Sydney Children's Hospital, said
breathing difficulties seriously disrupted sleep, producing symptoms that could
be mistaken for ADHD. "It's like someone poking you in the ribs every few minutes," he said. "How
would you feel in the morning? Would you pay attention, would you concentrate,
would you behave well, would you be a bit cranky?" Study author David Gozal, from the University of Louisville, said the message
to parents was that "if you have a kid who is hyperactive and snores, think
about the possibility that the two may be connected". ------------------------------------------------- Grumbling and tired,
Americans do not get enough sleep A study by the National Sleep Foundation
sounded a clarion call to urge Americans back to bed to thwart an
epidemic of daytime sleepiness "that can impact cognition,
performance and state of mind". Trends in the behaviour of the average
American adult seem to have shifted, the study found, with more
people living to work instead of working to live - cutting out
the time formerly devoted to sleeping, socialising and sex. "You are how you sleep," observed
the organisation's director, Richard Gelula. "Some of the
problems we face as a society, from road rage to obesity, may be
linked to lack of sleep or poor sleep." Insomnia,
experienced regularly by 58 per cent of the poll respondents, was
the prevailing sleep problem that resulted in daytime sleepiness,
which respondents said impaired their work performance (93 per
cent), increased their risk of injuries (91 per cent) and led to
health problems (90 per cent). Increased daytime sleepiness also has a
major bearing on people's attitudes towards themselves and their
work, according to the telephone poll of 1,010 adults over age 18
conducted between October 1 and December 10 last year. People who reported daytime sleepiness were
more likely to describe themselves as "dissatisfied with
life" (21 per cent) or "angry", while those
respondents who experienced few symptoms of insomnia were more
likely to characterise themselves as "relaxed",
"happy" or "full of energy". "The new findings clearly indicate the
American public understands the strong connection between their
sleep, their behaviour, and the quality of their daily
life," Gelula said. "Yet, about one quarter of adults
in this country fail to meet their own minimum sleep needs at
night to be fully alert the next day." The foundation said new research shows
inadequate sleep can be linked with anger, anxiety and sadness,
something Americans generally experienced in spades in the
aftermath of the September 11 terror strikes. In a November poll, the foundation said one
in two survey respondents reported experiencing problems with
insomnia in the days following the attacks by four hijacked
aircraft on New York, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania
that left more than 3,000 dead. Tips for a better night’s Sleep BEDTIME RITUALS FOOD EXERCISE PRESCRIPTIONS. Sleep medications do not cure
sleep problems, but may be recommended for short-term use. Be
sure to tell your doctor if you are a shift worker. These
medications may be helpful for one or two sleep cycles after a
shift schedule change. Talk to your doctor about whether this
type of medication would be helpful to you. Facts about sleep Melatonin is a chemical that is
produced by the body to help induce sleep. Melatonin supplements
have been advertised as a sleep aid. However, studies have not
shown that melatonin helps shift workers. Also, questions about
safety and dosing have not been answered. It is important to keep a regular
sleep schedule, even on days off and weekends. However, if you
can't get enough sleep or feel drowsy, naps as short as 20
minutes can be helpful. Naps (or "power naps") can
maintain or improve alertness, performance and mood. Some people
feel groggy or sleepier after a nap. These feelings usually go
away within 1-15 minutes, while the benefits of the nap may last
for many hours. The evening or night worker can take a nap to be
refreshed before work. The truck driver, bus driver or motorist
can use the "power nap" to improve their chances of
making it to their destination if they’re feeling tired. The
"Hibermate" is perfect for this purpose. The Circadian Clock All animals need sleep - even
plants appear to have rest periods. The human body naturally
follows a 24-hour period of wakefulness and sleepiness that is
regulated by an internal circadian clock. In fact, the circadian
clock is linked to nature's cycle of light and darkness. The
clock regulates cycles in body temperature, hormones, heart rate,
and other body functions. For humans, the desire to sleep is
strongest between midnight and six a.m. Many people are alert in
the morning, with a natural dip in alertness in the
mid-afternoon. It is difficult to reset the
internal circadian clock. It is not surprising that 10- 20% of
night shift workers report falling asleep on the job, usually
during the second half of the shift. That's why shift workers who
work all night may find it difficult to sleep during the day,
even though they are tired. Unfortunately, when it comes to
sleep, most shift workers don't get enough (most adults require 8
hours of sleep per day). When shifts fall during the night (11
p.m. -7 a.m.), the worker is fighting the natural wake-sleep
pattern. It may be hard to stay alert at night and just as hard
to fall asleep and stay asleep during the day. Night workers get
less sleep than daytime workers do, and the sleep is less
restful. Sleep is more than just "beauty rest" for the
body; it helps restore and rejuvenate the brain and organ systems
so that they function properly. Chronic lack of sleep harms a
person's health, on-the-job safety, task performance, memory and
mood. Driving after work can be risky
for the shift worker, particularly since you have been awake all
night and the body needs to sleep. For the evening worker coming
home around midnight, the risk of meeting drunk drivers is
higher. People think that opening the car windows or listening to
the radio will keep them awake. However, studies show that these
methods work for only a short period of time. If you are sleepy
when your shift is over, try to take a nap before driving home.
Remember, sleep can quickly overcome you when you don't want it
to. Follow these steps to arrive home
safely: If you have tried some of these
tips and your efforts to get enough sleep are not successful, it
may be time to seek professional help. If problems persist, talk
to your doctor. Sleep and the traveller Jet Lag Jet jag is experienced when a
person travels over three time zones by air. The body takes time
to adjust to the new time zone of the destination and the
traveler may experience feelings of tiredness, fatigue, anxiety,
loss of appetite and even insomnia. It usually takes around three
days to get over the effects of Jet lag, but there are some
things a traveller can do before leaving home to minimize these
effects. In fact, an eye mask can be used
when traveling on any form of transport if you’re sleepy.
However in some places, make sure your possessions are safe from
thieves while you’re dozing. Business travelers may also find
it difficult to deal with jet lag. They can find it difficult to
perform to their top potential if they haven’t had enough
time to acclimatise to their new time zone. If the budget allows,
business people should allow at least 48 hours (minimum) to
adjust to the new time zone before entering into meetings or
stressful negotiations. Lets
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