9 ms·

Bad sleep 'dramatically' alters body

192 points by sheri 14y ago

moron4hire 14y ago
are the changes reversable?
pkorzeniewski 14y ago
I had a period in my life when I was going sleep in the morning and waking up at 3PM, sometimes sleeping for more than 12 hours. It wasn't devastating so much to my physical health as to my mental health. Sleeping too long is as bad as sleeping too short, not to mention going sleep in the morning for several days in a row. Sleeping properly really is essential for good physical and mental health, don't sacrifice it just to 'do more'.
oyvindeh 14y ago
One thing is for sure: Reading stuff like that won't help me sleep any better. I have no problems falling asleep, but I keep waking up after five and a half hours. For periods, I can easily go back to sleep, but when I worry about waking up, I often can not got back to sleep. I've just started reading "The Happiness Trap"[1]. It's about accepting the ups and downs of life as normal, but at the same time it tells how to handle negative thoughts and feelings better (without getting rid of them). A former Buddhist monk recommended it to me, and my girlfriend (who is a psychologist) also liked it. The title kinda sucks though. Let's see if it helps. [1] http://www.amazon.com/The-Happiness-Trap-Struggling-Living/dp/1590305841/ http://www.amazon.com/The-Happiness-Trap-Struggling-Living/d...
- ralph 14y ago
  I recently read a news article that said making roughly in the middle of a night's sleep is natural and you should just expect to doze off again rather than worry about it occurring.
  - EliRivers 14y ago
    There is an argument that it's historically common. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segmented_sleep#Segmented_sleep_as_a_historical_norm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segmented_sleep#Segmented_sleep...
  - oyvindeh 14y ago
    Yes, I am aware of it. It's called segmented sleep[1]. Some think it is natural, but not everybody agrees[2]. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segmented_sleep http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segmented_sleep [2] http://www.supermemo.com/articles/sleep.htm#Myths_and_facts http://www.supermemo.com/articles/sleep.htm#Myths_and_facts
- hkmurakami 14y ago
  I tend to wake up within the first 3 hours of falling asleep, and wake up 3-5 times over a 8 hour period. (When I had serious stress/anxiety issues, I'd wake up every night 1 hour after falling asleep). I haven't found a good remedy other than eating well and relentless exercise.
Xcelerate 14y ago
Just what I wanted to read after pulling two all nighters. So how do periods of no sleep followed by equal periods of very long sleep affect the body? And to what extent, if at all, are these changes reversible?
jacques_chester 14y ago
Here's a little PSA: If you have: * High blood pressure * Depressive or angry episodes * Wake up tired no matter how long you've slept * Loud snoring Take a sleep study. You may have obstructive sleep apnea. I got it badly enough that sleeping for 14-15 hours daily did nothing for me. I didn't realise it at the time but I was on track to die, tired, at about 50. Today I sleep with a little CPAP machine that keeps my throat open by pumping air into my mouth. It's changed my life enormously.
- patrickk 14y ago
  Thanks. I've got #3 on your list, and working in front of a screen is unbearable most days. I've thought about doing a sleep study, this just reinforces it.
  - jacques_chester 14y ago
    I wish you all the best.
    - patrickk 14y ago
      If I got diagnosed with sleep apnea, it would be the best news I've gotten in years - it would be like winning the lottery, as I could put a name to the root of the problem, and take steps to deal with it. I want to do my own startup, and solving my sleep issues could easily be the difference between doing it and not. So thanks again, it means a lot.
      - jacques_chester 14y ago
        I can absolutely relate to that. True names are power and all that jazz.
- JabavuAdams 14y ago
  Yes! This has been a huge win for me. I'd typically fall asleep at my desk around 3pm, or be fighting micro-sleep episodes. In any case, sitting there felt like torture. Never mind the effect on coding and debugging. Been doing that for decades. Tried ADHD remedies, etc. etc. I started using a machine on a Friday, and noticed that although I was still a bit tired, I didn't take my usual 2-hour afternoon naps on the weekend. With the initial settings, I would still get a bit tired by mid-afternoon on a work-day, but it was an improvement. After a second sleep-study and further calibration, I don't get tired at all in the afternoon. This is going to bed at 11:30 to 12:00 and waking up at 6:30 to 7:30. It's hard to describe the practical effects of sleep-deprivation on programming effectiveness. It's like every programming problem just got a bit easier, and every tool just works a bit better. The difference between being slightly too dumb to do the job well, and being a monster is a small one. Unanticipated benefits are that colds are not really tiring, and my alcohol tolerance is back to University levels (not sure if that's a win). On the flip side, I'm less inclined to drink alcohol, because I don't want to mess with my new mental powers.
darxius 14y ago
So how much sleep SHOULD I be getting then? I assume it's based on a few things (age, weight, etc).
- awjr 14y ago
  Well your genes are different to mine so it comes down to your body type. Personally I'll go to bed at 1AM and naturally wake up at around 7:30AM. I usually fall asleep quite quickly and don't usually get woken up by any noise. For you this might be a nightmare. I know people that try and get into bed for 10:30PM. I tried that once. I was awake at 4:30AM. I basically need 6 hours sleep. More just doesn't work for me. The problem is more that people with sleep issues don't ever feel like they have got a proper nights sleep. It can affect them deeply. You need to get to the root cause of the issue. As an aside I went through most of my early life with sleep apnia caused by large tonsils. Luckily on a skiing holiday with some friends, we hit it off with a bunch of nurses, who heard very vocally from my friends about the nightmare that was sleeping in the same room as me and the choking noises I would make. 5 weeks later I had my tonsils removed as they were huge. It was life changing. I'd spent most of my early 20s half asleep.
  - mratzloff 14y ago
    You tried that once... but changing your sleep schedule is not something that happens literally overnight. For awhile I was going to bed at 10:30pm and waking at 4:30-5am. It took several weeks before I could train my body to sleep until 6-6:30am. As a result I feel more alert in the evenings.
- gz5 14y ago
  Your answer is different than my answer. We have 7B different answers if every combo of genes is different. Have to start somewhere, so this study helps, but 6 hours versus 10 hours for small sample size is only a starting point.
- oftenwrong 14y ago
  The only way to really know is to record your natural sleep-wake cycles. Go to sleep when you feel sleepy, and wake up naturally, without an alarm.
moondowner 14y ago
Worth reading: http://www.supermemo.com/articles/sleep.htm http://www.supermemo.com/articles/sleep.htm
michaelgrafl 14y ago
In the past few weeks I've been shitty to my girlfriend a few times after a night of bad sleep (interrupted sleep and more dreaming than normally). I figured out that I sleep a lot better - especially when sharing a bed with her - when I omit drinking alcohol, even small amounts. So maybe that's worth a try for people suffering from light sleep.
- mogrim 14y ago
  I've also noticed that even small amounts of alcohol at night can have a serious effect on quality of sleep, even just a couple of beers - nowhere near enough to cause a hangover, so you wouldn't necessarily notice the effect it's having until you cut it out completely.
- jberryman 14y ago
  I've found this to be true. I also find I sleep more soundly and feel much better in the morning if I drink a big glass of water before bed too sort of "tank up"; otherwise I end up waking several times throughout the night. Oh, also the amount of light in a room is huge for me, which I didn't realize until I moved and had thick curtains installed.
  - svachalek 14y ago
    Or vice versa. I sleep a lot better when I time things such that I sleep with an empty bladder.
- littledot5566 14y ago
  From my personal experiences, having a quality roommate (not in same bed) forces me to adopt a normal sleep schedule. I don't want my activities to wake my roommate up and turn his day bad, so I sleep shortly after my roommate goes to bed. But when I live alone, I procrastinate my sleep, I would rather watch videos than go to bed, it wouldn't disturb anyone anyways, and the chances of having an abnormal sleep schedule becomes the norm. Perhaps there is some psychological/social aspects to sleeping and what you and I have described falls into this aspect.
- 14y ago
markprovan 14y ago
I've been stressing out a lot about Uni recently, maybe getting a few hours sleep a night (last night I got an hour). Never have I felt worse in my life.
- _stephan 14y ago
  If there's no other way to reduce your workload, get a certificate of illness from a doctor and delay some of the work or examinations or whatever is stressing you out. Don't ruin your health. If exam preparation causes you so much stress that you can't sleep or focus anymore, please see a doctor, there's a good chance the doctor can help you with coping with the stress.
guylhem 14y ago
Has anyone noticed how people who do not sleep a lot "look old" - I mean with wrinkles, spots, etc. Look at investment bankers - their chronological age does not seem to match their physical appearance. This article gives a potential explanation - bad sleep changes protein expression, but I'm curious about the visible outcomes. Hopefully there are many sleep deprived founders, and well rested lifestyle entrepreneurs (sorry for the cliché!) reading this thread. Do people tell you you look younger/older than what you are? And how old are you??
- droidist2 14y ago
  Good point. They always say that about Presidents, they age like 20 years in 8 years.
  - philwelch 14y ago
    Stress is a contributor too, even if you sleep well. Clinton was known as a night owl but Bush, by most reports, got plenty of sleep and he still aged a lot.
  - eCa 14y ago
    Obama 2004 (43 yo): http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/worldnews/9657962/Barack-Obamas-life-and-career-in-50-pictures.html?image=8 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/worldnews/9... Obama 2011 (50 yo): http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/worldnews/9657962/Barack-Obamas-life-and-career-in-50-pictures.html?image=47 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/worldnews/9... Not much hair color left..
    - username111 14y ago
      Well that is a time where a lot of people lose their hair color.
      - liber8 14y ago
        People lose their hair color due (primarily) to a lack of catalase, which normally removes hydrogen peroxide. It is now thought that much of this work is done during sleep. So, assuming this theory is true, a lack of sleep (an effect every president has mentioned) does cause people to go gray.
KeyBoardG 14y ago
While I don't doubt the findings and won't argue the results, a group of 26 people is hardly a study. Give us the results of 260 or 2600 people, from different backgrounds.
nakedrobot2 14y ago
This might explain why new parents look 5 years older after 1 year of having their first child (in my admittedly anecdotal sample, including myself)
- colmvp 14y ago
  As a single guy, I didn't realize how much sleep a parent loses until staying with my cousin and her newborns. It's like being a soldier constantly living on the front line.
septerr 14y ago
WHat stood out to me from the article - "The findings also tie into research attempting to do away with sleep, such as by finding a drug that could eliminate the effects of sleep deprivation." Every now and then I get upset with myself for sleeping too much, not utilizing all my time after work to work on side projects and learning new skills. I wish I could stay up till late AND wake up early or be able to do away with sleep altogether (and the need to eat)! How I wish I could do away with sleep!! Recently after a few days of skimping on sleep, I had a few days where I let myself sleep enough and noticed how much more alert I felt during the day, I had forgotten that feeling! For now I have accepted that I need to make time for sleep. Side projects, new skills will just have to be done at a consistent even if a slow rate. [EDIT: fixed typos]
sev 14y ago
I wonder if the opposite is true as well, where good/proper sleep dramatically alters one's body.
- Mz 14y ago
  No clue, but dramatically altering my body has equalled sleeping better, fwiw.
larrys 14y ago
Suggestions of things that works for me. Custom made ear plugs AND ear lube when you insert them. Custom ear plugs are under $100 can be made by any audiologist or ENT. Much better sound reduction than the ones that you buy that are throwaway. The ear lube by the way creates an additional sound barrier and adds to comfort as well. Good "bucky" brand eyshades. White noise (a fan) going.
j45 14y ago
Wow, all the years I didn't sleep like a rockstar. Used to be able to stay up 2, maybe 3 days without an ounce of caffeine and maybe a quick 15 minute nap here or there. Looking back, how much of that time I really needed to spend awake, I don't know. You get more effective with age.
alphadogg 14y ago
This is yet another example of bad science journalism. The fact is: Different sleep patterns correlates to different gene expression patterns. From that, wild conjecture. How do we know "great sleepers" express only more of the better proteins? I could just as much theorize that better sleep leads to more proteins which could lead to more deposits. Did they control for cognitive function? We know that different people need different amounts of sleep to function properly. How do the patterns shift for a long sleeper vs a short sleeper. My general approach is to tease out the facts and go to the original source. As an ex-neurosceintist, I often get irritated at the "sciencey press" that follows.
gdilla 14y ago
I was diagnosed with OSA, and chose to use a newish alternative to surgery or CPAP, the provent strip http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/07/14/sleep-apnea-fix/ http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/07/14/sleep-apnea-fix/ I keep ripping it off in my sleep and can't tell if it's working. Ultimately, they said I would get used to it. You need a prescription and after getting used to it, you have to go in for a follow up sleep study so they can see if it actually works for you.
Kaivo 14y ago
I used to sleep from 9:30 PM to 7:30 AM when I was in High School and I never had to study a single bit. I just remembered what I was taught in class without any trouble and aced most of my classes. When I reached college, I got a late night job and started to sleep from 4 to 6 hours a day for about 2 years. My grades dropped badly; I couldn't remember what I was hearing in classes, I wasn't able to stay focus for as long and I ended up failing classes on my last semester. It's probably the things that I fear the most from the lack of sleep, not being able to use my brain efficiently when I'm awake. I remember reading about the fact that the first few hours of sleep are mostly there to physically rebuild the body, while the last hours of sleep are helping mostly with the memory. I don't have sources and considering the current article, I doubt it's as definite as what I read a while ago but might be interesting to read about more extensively.
Tycho 14y ago
Did humans evolve to sleep more than 6 hours at a time?
- lukevdp 14y ago
  Considering that a lot of people do sleep more than 6 hours at a time... yes
johnm 14y ago
For those who've tried cpap machines and struggled with the masks, try the so-called "nasal pillows". They are a lot easier to get a good, consistent seal; are much smaller and so don't trigger that "omfg their's an alien on my face" freak out in the middle of the night; and they allow for more variety of sleeping positions.
changdizzle 14y ago
A lot of people have mentioned sleep studies here - any idea on the process to obtain one in the US? Do I need to go to my general physician or can I call up a sleep study center?

192 points by sheri 14y ago

are the changes reversable?

I had a period in my life when I was going sleep in the morning and waking up at 3PM, sometimes sleeping for more than 12 hours. It wasn't devastating so much to my physical health as to my mental health. Sleeping too long is as bad as sleeping too short, not to mention going sleep in the morning for several days in a row. Sleeping properly really is essential for good physical and mental health, don't sacrifice it just to 'do more'.

oyvindeh 14y ago

One thing is for sure: Reading stuff like that won't help me sleep any better. I have no problems falling asleep, but I keep waking up after five and a half hours. For periods, I can easily go back to sleep, but when I worry about waking up, I often can not got back to sleep. I've just started reading "The Happiness Trap"[1]. It's about accepting the ups and downs of life as normal, but at the same time it tells how to handle negative thoughts and feelings better (without getting rid of them). A former Buddhist monk recommended it to me, and my girlfriend (who is a psychologist) also liked it. The title kinda sucks though. Let's see if it helps. [1] http://www.amazon.com/The-Happiness-Trap-Struggling-Living/dp/1590305841/ http://www.amazon.com/The-Happiness-Trap-Struggling-Living/d...

ralph 14y ago
I recently read a news article that said making roughly in the middle of a night's sleep is natural and you should just expect to doze off again rather than worry about it occurring.
- EliRivers 14y ago
  There is an argument that it's historically common. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segmented_sleep#Segmented_sleep_as_a_historical_norm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segmented_sleep#Segmented_sleep...
- oyvindeh 14y ago
  Yes, I am aware of it. It's called segmented sleep[1]. Some think it is natural, but not everybody agrees[2]. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segmented_sleep http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segmented_sleep [2] http://www.supermemo.com/articles/sleep.htm#Myths_and_facts http://www.supermemo.com/articles/sleep.htm#Myths_and_facts
hkmurakami 14y ago
I tend to wake up within the first 3 hours of falling asleep, and wake up 3-5 times over a 8 hour period. (When I had serious stress/anxiety issues, I'd wake up every night 1 hour after falling asleep). I haven't found a good remedy other than eating well and relentless exercise.

Xcelerate 14y ago

Just what I wanted to read after pulling two all nighters. So how do periods of no sleep followed by equal periods of very long sleep affect the body? And to what extent, if at all, are these changes reversible?

jacques_chester 14y ago

Here's a little PSA: If you have: * High blood pressure * Depressive or angry episodes * Wake up tired no matter how long you've slept * Loud snoring Take a sleep study. You may have obstructive sleep apnea. I got it badly enough that sleeping for 14-15 hours daily did nothing for me. I didn't realise it at the time but I was on track to die, tired, at about 50. Today I sleep with a little CPAP machine that keeps my throat open by pumping air into my mouth. It's changed my life enormously.

patrickk 14y ago
Thanks. I've got #3 on your list, and working in front of a screen is unbearable most days. I've thought about doing a sleep study, this just reinforces it.
- jacques_chester 14y ago
  I wish you all the best.
  - patrickk 14y ago
    If I got diagnosed with sleep apnea, it would be the best news I've gotten in years - it would be like winning the lottery, as I could put a name to the root of the problem, and take steps to deal with it. I want to do my own startup, and solving my sleep issues could easily be the difference between doing it and not. So thanks again, it means a lot.
    - jacques_chester 14y ago
      I can absolutely relate to that. True names are power and all that jazz.
JabavuAdams 14y ago
Yes! This has been a huge win for me. I'd typically fall asleep at my desk around 3pm, or be fighting micro-sleep episodes. In any case, sitting there felt like torture. Never mind the effect on coding and debugging. Been doing that for decades. Tried ADHD remedies, etc. etc. I started using a machine on a Friday, and noticed that although I was still a bit tired, I didn't take my usual 2-hour afternoon naps on the weekend. With the initial settings, I would still get a bit tired by mid-afternoon on a work-day, but it was an improvement. After a second sleep-study and further calibration, I don't get tired at all in the afternoon. This is going to bed at 11:30 to 12:00 and waking up at 6:30 to 7:30. It's hard to describe the practical effects of sleep-deprivation on programming effectiveness. It's like every programming problem just got a bit easier, and every tool just works a bit better. The difference between being slightly too dumb to do the job well, and being a monster is a small one. Unanticipated benefits are that colds are not really tiring, and my alcohol tolerance is back to University levels (not sure if that's a win). On the flip side, I'm less inclined to drink alcohol, because I don't want to mess with my new mental powers.

darxius 14y ago

So how much sleep SHOULD I be getting then? I assume it's based on a few things (age, weight, etc).

awjr 14y ago
Well your genes are different to mine so it comes down to your body type. Personally I'll go to bed at 1AM and naturally wake up at around 7:30AM. I usually fall asleep quite quickly and don't usually get woken up by any noise. For you this might be a nightmare. I know people that try and get into bed for 10:30PM. I tried that once. I was awake at 4:30AM. I basically need 6 hours sleep. More just doesn't work for me. The problem is more that people with sleep issues don't ever feel like they have got a proper nights sleep. It can affect them deeply. You need to get to the root cause of the issue. As an aside I went through most of my early life with sleep apnia caused by large tonsils. Luckily on a skiing holiday with some friends, we hit it off with a bunch of nurses, who heard very vocally from my friends about the nightmare that was sleeping in the same room as me and the choking noises I would make. 5 weeks later I had my tonsils removed as they were huge. It was life changing. I'd spent most of my early 20s half asleep.
- mratzloff 14y ago
  You tried that once... but changing your sleep schedule is not something that happens literally overnight. For awhile I was going to bed at 10:30pm and waking at 4:30-5am. It took several weeks before I could train my body to sleep until 6-6:30am. As a result I feel more alert in the evenings.
gz5 14y ago
Your answer is different than my answer. We have 7B different answers if every combo of genes is different. Have to start somewhere, so this study helps, but 6 hours versus 10 hours for small sample size is only a starting point.
oftenwrong 14y ago
The only way to really know is to record your natural sleep-wake cycles. Go to sleep when you feel sleepy, and wake up naturally, without an alarm.

moondowner 14y ago

Worth reading: http://www.supermemo.com/articles/sleep.htm http://www.supermemo.com/articles/sleep.htm

michaelgrafl 14y ago

In the past few weeks I've been shitty to my girlfriend a few times after a night of bad sleep (interrupted sleep and more dreaming than normally). I figured out that I sleep a lot better - especially when sharing a bed with her - when I omit drinking alcohol, even small amounts. So maybe that's worth a try for people suffering from light sleep.

mogrim 14y ago
I've also noticed that even small amounts of alcohol at night can have a serious effect on quality of sleep, even just a couple of beers - nowhere near enough to cause a hangover, so you wouldn't necessarily notice the effect it's having until you cut it out completely.
jberryman 14y ago
I've found this to be true. I also find I sleep more soundly and feel much better in the morning if I drink a big glass of water before bed too sort of "tank up"; otherwise I end up waking several times throughout the night. Oh, also the amount of light in a room is huge for me, which I didn't realize until I moved and had thick curtains installed.
- svachalek 14y ago
  Or vice versa. I sleep a lot better when I time things such that I sleep with an empty bladder.
littledot5566 14y ago
From my personal experiences, having a quality roommate (not in same bed) forces me to adopt a normal sleep schedule. I don't want my activities to wake my roommate up and turn his day bad, so I sleep shortly after my roommate goes to bed. But when I live alone, I procrastinate my sleep, I would rather watch videos than go to bed, it wouldn't disturb anyone anyways, and the chances of having an abnormal sleep schedule becomes the norm. Perhaps there is some psychological/social aspects to sleeping and what you and I have described falls into this aspect.
14y ago

markprovan 14y ago

I've been stressing out a lot about Uni recently, maybe getting a few hours sleep a night (last night I got an hour). Never have I felt worse in my life.

_stephan 14y ago
If there's no other way to reduce your workload, get a certificate of illness from a doctor and delay some of the work or examinations or whatever is stressing you out. Don't ruin your health. If exam preparation causes you so much stress that you can't sleep or focus anymore, please see a doctor, there's a good chance the doctor can help you with coping with the stress.

guylhem 14y ago

Has anyone noticed how people who do not sleep a lot "look old" - I mean with wrinkles, spots, etc. Look at investment bankers - their chronological age does not seem to match their physical appearance. This article gives a potential explanation - bad sleep changes protein expression, but I'm curious about the visible outcomes. Hopefully there are many sleep deprived founders, and well rested lifestyle entrepreneurs (sorry for the cliché!) reading this thread. Do people tell you you look younger/older than what you are? And how old are you??

droidist2 14y ago
Good point. They always say that about Presidents, they age like 20 years in 8 years.
- philwelch 14y ago
  Stress is a contributor too, even if you sleep well. Clinton was known as a night owl but Bush, by most reports, got plenty of sleep and he still aged a lot.
- eCa 14y ago
  Obama 2004 (43 yo): http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/worldnews/9657962/Barack-Obamas-life-and-career-in-50-pictures.html?image=8 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/worldnews/9... Obama 2011 (50 yo): http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/worldnews/9657962/Barack-Obamas-life-and-career-in-50-pictures.html?image=47 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/worldnews/9... Not much hair color left..
  - username111 14y ago
    Well that is a time where a lot of people lose their hair color.
    - liber8 14y ago
      People lose their hair color due (primarily) to a lack of catalase, which normally removes hydrogen peroxide. It is now thought that much of this work is done during sleep. So, assuming this theory is true, a lack of sleep (an effect every president has mentioned) does cause people to go gray.

KeyBoardG 14y ago

While I don't doubt the findings and won't argue the results, a group of 26 people is hardly a study. Give us the results of 260 or 2600 people, from different backgrounds.

nakedrobot2 14y ago

This might explain why new parents look 5 years older after 1 year of having their first child (in my admittedly anecdotal sample, including myself)

colmvp 14y ago
As a single guy, I didn't realize how much sleep a parent loses until staying with my cousin and her newborns. It's like being a soldier constantly living on the front line.

septerr 14y ago

WHat stood out to me from the article - "The findings also tie into research attempting to do away with sleep, such as by finding a drug that could eliminate the effects of sleep deprivation." Every now and then I get upset with myself for sleeping too much, not utilizing all my time after work to work on side projects and learning new skills. I wish I could stay up till late AND wake up early or be able to do away with sleep altogether (and the need to eat)! How I wish I could do away with sleep!! Recently after a few days of skimping on sleep, I had a few days where I let myself sleep enough and noticed how much more alert I felt during the day, I had forgotten that feeling! For now I have accepted that I need to make time for sleep. Side projects, new skills will just have to be done at a consistent even if a slow rate. [EDIT: fixed typos]

sev 14y ago

I wonder if the opposite is true as well, where good/proper sleep dramatically alters one's body.

Mz 14y ago
No clue, but dramatically altering my body has equalled sleeping better, fwiw.

larrys 14y ago

Suggestions of things that works for me. Custom made ear plugs AND ear lube when you insert them. Custom ear plugs are under $100 can be made by any audiologist or ENT. Much better sound reduction than the ones that you buy that are throwaway. The ear lube by the way creates an additional sound barrier and adds to comfort as well. Good "bucky" brand eyshades. White noise (a fan) going.

j45 14y ago

Wow, all the years I didn't sleep like a rockstar. Used to be able to stay up 2, maybe 3 days without an ounce of caffeine and maybe a quick 15 minute nap here or there. Looking back, how much of that time I really needed to spend awake, I don't know. You get more effective with age.

alphadogg 14y ago

This is yet another example of bad science journalism. The fact is: Different sleep patterns correlates to different gene expression patterns. From that, wild conjecture. How do we know "great sleepers" express only more of the better proteins? I could just as much theorize that better sleep leads to more proteins which could lead to more deposits. Did they control for cognitive function? We know that different people need different amounts of sleep to function properly. How do the patterns shift for a long sleeper vs a short sleeper. My general approach is to tease out the facts and go to the original source. As an ex-neurosceintist, I often get irritated at the "sciencey press" that follows.

gdilla 14y ago

I was diagnosed with OSA, and chose to use a newish alternative to surgery or CPAP, the provent strip http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/07/14/sleep-apnea-fix/ http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/07/14/sleep-apnea-fix/ I keep ripping it off in my sleep and can't tell if it's working. Ultimately, they said I would get used to it. You need a prescription and after getting used to it, you have to go in for a follow up sleep study so they can see if it actually works for you.

Kaivo 14y ago

I used to sleep from 9:30 PM to 7:30 AM when I was in High School and I never had to study a single bit. I just remembered what I was taught in class without any trouble and aced most of my classes. When I reached college, I got a late night job and started to sleep from 4 to 6 hours a day for about 2 years. My grades dropped badly; I couldn't remember what I was hearing in classes, I wasn't able to stay focus for as long and I ended up failing classes on my last semester. It's probably the things that I fear the most from the lack of sleep, not being able to use my brain efficiently when I'm awake. I remember reading about the fact that the first few hours of sleep are mostly there to physically rebuild the body, while the last hours of sleep are helping mostly with the memory. I don't have sources and considering the current article, I doubt it's as definite as what I read a while ago but might be interesting to read about more extensively.

Tycho 14y ago

Did humans evolve to sleep more than 6 hours at a time?

lukevdp 14y ago
Considering that a lot of people do sleep more than 6 hours at a time... yes

johnm 14y ago

For those who've tried cpap machines and struggled with the masks, try the so-called "nasal pillows". They are a lot easier to get a good, consistent seal; are much smaller and so don't trigger that "omfg their's an alien on my face" freak out in the middle of the night; and they allow for more variety of sleeping positions.

changdizzle 14y ago

A lot of people have mentioned sleep studies here - any idea on the process to obtain one in the US? Do I need to go to my general physician or can I call up a sleep study center?