November 23, 2019
Today... sleep. Why it matters, how to get enough of it...
"First, most people underappreciate the impact that a lack of sleep has on both the brain and the body. I think the simple statement that most people in the street do not know is this: the shorter your sleep, the shorter your life . Short sleep predicts or causes mortality. 

The second thing that many people do not know is that every major disease that is killing us in the developed world now has significant and causal links to a lack of sleep . That list currently includes Alzheimer’s disease, depression, dementia, and suicide, as well as cancer, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, stroke in both brain and body, and also hypertension."   - Matthew Walker, PhD

Sobering
“ Sleep, unfortunately, is not an optional lifestyle luxury.  Sleep is a nonnegotiable biological necessity. It is your life-support system, and it is Mother Nature’s best effort yet at immortality. And the decimation of sleep throughout industrialized nations is having a catastrophic impact on our health, our wellness, even the safety and education of our children.   It’s a silent sleep loss epidemic , and it’s fast becoming one of the greatest public health challenges that we face in the 21 st century.” 

Matt Walker, PhD


Sleep - fountain of youth for the aging brain?
"As we grow older our nights are frequently plagued by bouts of wakefulness, bathroom trips and other nuisances as we lose our ability to generate the deep, restorative slumber we enjoyed in youth.

But does that mean older people just need less sleep? 

Not according to UC Berkeley researchers, who argue in an article published April 5 in the journal Neuron that the unmet sleep needs of the elderly elevate their risk of memory loss and a wide range of mental and physical disorders."
"How do I know if I'm getting enough sleep?"
Take the short SATED test...
S - Satisfaction with sleep
A - Alertness during waking hours
T - Timing of sleep
E - Efficiency of sleep
D - Duration of sleep

Apply to the questions below:

Rarely/never = 0
Sometimes = 1
Usually/always = 2

Total it up:

0 = Poor sleep health
10 = Good sleep health
S - Are you satisfied with your sleep?
A - Are you alert during the day without dozing?
T - Are you asleep or trying to sleep between 2 and 4 am?
E - Do you spend no more than 30 minutes awake at night, including time going to sleep and time awake during the night?
D - Do you sleep between 6 and 8 hours per day?
"What is dreaming and what happens and are there any real benefits to dreaming?

Well, to take a step back I think it's important to note that dreaming essentially is a time when we all become flagrantly psychotic. And before you perhaps dismiss that diagnosis, I'll give you five good reasons, because last night when you were dreaming, first you started to see things which were not there, so you were hallucinating .
What about dreaming?
... Second , you believe things that couldn't possibly be true, so you were delusional .

Third , you became confused about time, place, and person, so you're suffering from disorientation .

Fourth , you had wildly fluctuating emotions like a pendulum, something that we call being affectively labile .

And then, how wonderful ? You woke up this morning and you forgot most if not all of that dream experience, so you're suffering from amnesia .

And if you were to experience any one of those five symptoms while you were awake, you would be seeking psychological or psychiatric treatment, yet during sleep and dreaming it seems to be both a normal biological and psychological process."

Matthew Walker, PhD

Maybe a little help?
Top Sleep Apps of 2019
"Living with short-term or chronic  insomnia  can be challenging. It can affect your physical and mental health in ways that extend far beyond waking up feeling groggy. But a resource for getting more restful sleep may be right in the palm of your hand.
We chose this year’s best insomnia apps for Android and iPhone devices based on their quality, reliability, and user reviews. See how learning about your own sleep patterns may be the key to deeper, more restful sleep."


Looking forward to the feasting and fun to come... !


Roasted Acorn Squash with Apples & Cranberries
Wishing You a WondrousThanksgiving!
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