Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Yet more studies on lack of sleep

There have been several studies announced lately about sleep and health. The most recent, Lack of sleep hinders coping skills, logical reasoning: study, again, really tells us what we already know, doesn’t it?

The first paragraph kind of say is it all, in my opinion:
Scientists have confirmed what every newborn-cradling, sleep-deprived parent knows: that lack of sleep is connected to an inability to cope with normal emotional challenges.” So, did we really need scientists to confirm this? We don’t even need newborns to keep us from sleeping – a bad night with loud neighbours, a snoring spouse, or just not getting comfortable is enough to let us know what it’s like not to get a good night’s sleep.

The second paragraph: “They also theorize that sleep deprivation is linked to psychiatric ailments such as anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder.” also seems pretty obvious to me. If you can’t sleep, you are going to be disturbed somehow. The longer the sleep deprivation, the worse it will get. Why else is sleep deprivation considered to be a form of torture?

Anyway, the article goes on to explain the findings. But, once again, I feel that this is just money thrown at something we already know. Look at the sleep deprived doctors in the hospitals, pulling overnight call after working all day. Look at the nurses who are working night shift after night shift. Heck, look at teens who try to party all night and then get through the day.

It’s obvious, we need sleep. The body craves it and needs it, or it’s not going to function properly.

Now, is it nap time yet?

News for Today:

Exercise and psychological counseling could ease cancer-related fatigue
Lack of sleep hinders coping skills, logical reasoning: study
High spending on lung cancer in elderly buys little time: study
Adult weight gain linked to breast cancer risk
Improvement still needed in HIV testing in high-risk groups
HIV is spread most by people with medium levels of HIV in blood, says study
More educated people who develop dementia lose their memory faster
Hypnosis for smoking cessation sees strong results

3 comments:

Terrie Farley Moran said...

I do love my naps. Thanks for this "evidence' that I need them as well.

Terrie

Mary said...

Marijke,

I just read an article in the local paper about sleep deprivation and teens. They are considering changing school hours so teenagers can sleep in. It seems that teens need ten hours of sleep to function normally.

Some of these surveys cost thousands of dollars and the only conclusions they come to are the obvious.

BTW Thanks for dropping over to Treasures to me and leaving a comment.

Blessings,
Mary

Marijke Vroomen-Durning said...

Terrie, I think on my gravestone it will say "is it nap time yet???"

Mary: I have heard about that, making school days start later for teens. It makes sense to me but I also recall reading that many people were also against it because it affected after school work or teens who had to care for younger siblings.