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Sleep Report 2022

string lights hanged on bed frame
Photo by Tan Danh on Pexels.com

Summary

This document provides information about why and how to get better sleep. Entries are chronological with the most recent at the top. The title of each entry includes the source and date. [View 2023 Report]

Dr. Jen Gunter (2 Nov 2022)

“Do You Really Need 8 Hours of Sleep Every Night?” — When you can’t sleep, you’re desperate for help. And there’s a booming industry waiting to tell you all the ways a lack of sleep can ruin your health — and to sell you fancy gadgets to help you finally doze off. Shedding light on this flawed doomsday messaging, Dr. Jen Gunter explains why you shouldn’t lose sleep over sleep — and what to do instead. [Source]

Washington Post (18 Oct 2019)

“Medical experts explain why sleep is just as important as nutrition and exercise” — YouTube host “Dr. Mike” Varshavski and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center’s Dr. Anne McTiernan say the three pillars of health — nutrition, exercise and sleep — are integral to good health, but patients often think they can skip out on sleep. [Source]

Matt Walker via TED (3 Jun 2019)

“Sleep is your superpower” — Sleep is your life-support system and Mother Nature’s best effort yet at immortality, says sleep scientist Matt Walker. In this deep dive into the science of slumber, Walker shares the wonderfully good things that happen when you get sleep — and the alarmingly bad things that happen when you don’t, for both your brain and body. Learn more about sleep’s impact on your learning, memory, immune system and even your genetic code — as well as some helpful tips for getting some shut-eye. [Source]

Harvard Medical School (2 May 2019)

“Why Sleep Matters” — Many of us burn the candle at both ends, as we stay up late into the night to study, work or have fun. But going without adequate sleep carries short- and long-term health consequences. In this seminar, Harvard Medical School sleep experts illuminate the importance of getting a good night’s rest and demystify how much sleep is needed and why it’s so vital to keep our bodies at their best during every hour of the day. [Source]

Dan Gartenberg via Penguin (29 Jan 2019)

“How To Improve Your Sleep”

Sleep is one of the most important aspects of our life, health and longevity and yet it is increasingly neglected in twenty-first-century society, with devastating consequences: every major disease in the developed world – Alzheimer’s, cancer, obesity, diabetes – has very strong causal links to deficient sleep. In this book, the first of its kind written by a scientific expert, Professor Matthew Walker explores twenty years of cutting-edge research to solve the mystery of why sleep matters. Looking at creatures from across the animal kingdom as well as major human studies, Why We Sleep delves into everything from what really happens during REM sleep to how caffeine and alcohol affect sleep and why our sleep patterns change across a lifetime, transforming our appreciation of the extraordinary phenomenon that safeguards our existence. [Source]

Dan Gartenberg via TED (11 Oct 2017)

“The brain benefits of deep sleep — and how to get more of it” — There’s nothing quite like a good night’s sleep. What if technology could help us get more out of it? Dan Gartenberg is working on tech that stimulates deep sleep, the most regenerative stage which (among other wonderful things) might help us consolidate our memories and form our personalities. Find out more about how playing sounds that mirror brain waves during this stage might lead to deeper sleep — and its potential benefits on our health, memory and ability to learn. [Source]

CBS (11 Oct 2017)

“How lack of sleep affects health and tips for a good night’s rest” — Nearly two-thirds of Americans do not get a full eight hours of sleep per night. Now, researcher Matthew Walker is sounding the alarm about what he calls “the silent sleep loss epidemic.” Walker has spent more than 20 years studying sleep and its impact on mental health and disease. Walker joins “CBS This Morning” to discuss what happens to the body when it’s lacking sleep, why some people shouldn’t nap at all and some tips for healthy sleeping habits. [Source]

Claudia Aguirre via TED-Ed (12 Nov 2015)

“What would happen if you didn’t sleep?” — In the United States, it’s estimated that 30 percent of adults and 66 percent of adolescents are regularly sleep-deprived. This isn’t just a minor inconvenience: staying awake can cause serious bodily harm. Claudia Aguirre shows what happens to your body and brain when you skip sleep. Lesson by Claudia Aguirre, animation by TED-Ed. [Source]

By Greg Johnson

Greg Johnson is a freelance writer and tech consultant in Iowa City. He is also the founder and Director of the ResourcesForLife.com website. Learn more at AboutGregJohnson.com