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Q: How Does Sleep Make Us Function Better? (Jack P.)
Approximately a third of our lives is spent sleeping. Although the mechanics of sleep may differ among animals, most of them share our need for sleep—even insects and more simple-brained creatures. While no one is really sure of the biological reason for sleep, despite decades of research, most scientists agree that sleep is critical for physiological and mental health. Some researchers hypothesize that sleep allows the brain to shut down in order to process memories; others suggest that sleep helps regulate the body’s hormones. What we do know is that sleep deprivation adversely affects organs such as the brain, heart, and lungs as well as one’s metabolism, immune function, and tendency toward obesity.
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Q: What time would you recommend night owls get up and go to bed? (Charlie K.)
Night owls should go to bed when they are sleepy. Advising a night owl to go to bed at a certain time that conflicts with their inherent circadian rhythms will not work. They need to discover what time they actually get sleepy when all electronics are off. Sometimes a vacation is the best time to reacquaint ourselves with our natural circadian rhythms. However, they need to take into account when they need to be up in the morning and try to guarantee themselves at least 6 ½ to 7 ½ hours of sleep. Night owls tend to drift to later and later bedtimes, so once established, stick to a set sleep/wake schedule.
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