Body: Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker

Why we sleep Written by Matthew Walker Amazing breakthrough - science has discovered a new treatment Live longer Enhances memory More creative Look more attractive Makes slim Lowers food cravings Protects cancer and dementia Wards off colds and the flu Lowers risk of heart attacks and stroke and diabetes Youll even feel happier, less depressed and less anxious Neglecting sleep undercuts your creativity, problem solving, decision-making, learning, memory, heart health, brain health, mental health, emotional well-being, immune system, and even your life span. Why do we sleep? After all, when you’re sleeping—and all animals do—you can’t hunt, gather, eat, reproduce, or defend yourself. Yet Walker concludes that the evolutionary upsides of sleep are far greater than these downsides. In brief, sleep produces complex neurochemical baths that improve our brains in various ways. And it “restocks the armory of our immune system, helping fight malignancy, preventing infection, and warding off all manner of sickness.” In other words, sleep greatly enhances our evolutionary fitness—just in ways we can’t see. What influences sleep quality Coffee Alcohol alcohol is one of the most powerful suppressors of REM [rapid-eye-movement] sleep Light Temperature Regular sleep and wake time Wakaing up forced =bad for heart, snoozing extra bad Sleeping pills no real sleep Tips Avoid blue light at night Go to bed only when sleepy Dont lie awake, go do somethimg relaxing Reducing sleep amxiety by limiting time in bed Circadian rythm A natural, internal process that regulates the sleep–wake cycle and repeats roughly every 24 hours. It can refer to any process that originates within an organism (is endogenous) and responds to the environment. of teens is shifted forward, there are also differences in people. 40% of ppl are morning persons, 30% night owls Smart heating and lighting will help circadian rythm Sleep enough in the week before your flu shot If you can possibly take a short midday nap like our ancestors used to and some Mediterranean and South American cultures still do, you should (but no later than 3 pm). It will likely improve your creativity and coronary health as well as extend your lifetime. Accidents caused by drowsy driving are more dangerous than those caused by intoxication 12 tips for a healthy sleep 1 Stick to a sleep schedule (set an alarm for bedtime) 2 Excercise is great, but not within 2-3 hours before sleep time 3 Avoid caffeine and nicotine 4 Avoid alcohol before bed 5 Avoid large meals and beverages late 6 Avoid medicines that influence sleep 7 Dont take naps after 3 PM 8 Relax before bed 9 Take a hot bath before bed 10 Dark, cool, gadget-free bedroom 11 Have sunlight exposure (or fake in morning) 12 Dont lie awake

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Body: Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker

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