Deep Dive into Sleep as a Superpower | Part 1

VitalityExplorers.com

This is the first in a series of DEEP DIVES. We will explore fundamental components of vitality in extended posts with detailed references. Some of this post will be available for free and some will be only for paid subscribers.

SLEEP is a Superpower. That is a phrase I start my lectures with when I discuss sleep. The origin of the phrase comes from the Robert Ludlum character Jason Bourne played by Matt Damon in the movies.

Bourne in the Ludlum books is trained by an operative in the jungle to value sleep. He called sleep a weapon. I am a big fan of Ludlum’s books and took that message about sleep being a weapon to heart when I was in medical school. I often slept 7-8 hours before any set of exams instead of pulling an all-nighter cramming until the last minute. Over time, that idea of sleep being valuable has served me well. I now value sleep as sacrosanct.

Let’s begin by defining sleep.

It is a state of consciousness associated with limited interactions with our surroundings. This is a very odd thing to do in general. I’m still baffled as to why we sleep.

Researchers have tried to explain why sleep is mandatory. Here are a few theories:

• Sleep is required to restore function. It allows for the body to relax and repair itself.

• The brain plasticity theory suggests sleep is required to help wire the brain and that sleep helps us learn. Newly published data also suggests sleep helps the brain flush out waste products during sleep. This means sleep may really help you clear you head.

• The energy conservation theory follows the data that we burn less calories when we sleep. This decreases the need to find and consume food.

My take on sleep is we need a fundamental breakthrough to truly understand its pivotal role to living a vital life.

And, not all sleep is the same. There are many stages to sleep. Clinicians and researchers study how long people are in each stage. No one to my knowledge has identified the precise number of hours that is optimal. It varies by person. It is partially related to your genes and the mechanisms that control your internal or circadian clock.

An interesting historical finding is the concept of two sleep times. Prior to the revolution of electric lighting, most people slept for about four hours. They then engaged in some activity for about an hour and then slept for another four hours. Published historical records found over 500 references to “segmented sleep”.

We also know when we have slept well and when we have not slept well. I think we should simply give ourselves a number from 0-10 each day about how well we slept the night before. We can then review why we may have slept well or not.  We can then try to identify patterns that will improve our sleep. Exercising for example helps us burn off energy and stress. This is an excellent way to improve sleep.

We know one thing for sure. Poor sleep is terrible for our physical and mental health. Even a single day of not sleeping well can impact your vitality. Some researchers believe we can pay back a sleep debt. Other researchers are skeptical about sleeping for example on the weekends to make up for poor sleep during the week.

The data also suggests poor sleep is associated with impaired athletic and academic performance. We will explore these topics below and provide a link to download the Vitality Explorer Sleep Diary Worksheet.

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