Sleep Study

The August issue of National Geographic contains an article called "Sleep Science."  It is an interesting read for parents or anyone interested in improving performance in any area of their life.  It sheds light on the effects of sleep deprivation on health, work, cognitive function  and athletic performance. (The next time you read a crazy tweet that was posted at 2:00 a.m., consider the effect sleep deprivation is having on that person's ability to think.)   For a deeper look look at the ill-effects of sleep deprivation, read Arianna Huffington's book, The Sleep Revolution. 

The Sleep Revolution, by Arianna Huffington

I ordered Arianna Huffington's new book, The Sleep Revolution because I, like all moms, am interested in anything that protects the health and well-being of my children.  I was surprised however, by all of the data on how important sleep is at all stages of life, and that all of us could probably use a little (or a lot of) improvement in that area.

Sleep enhances performance in all aspects of life, no matter the age group.  Particularly surprising were the statistics on sleep and sports.  The book cites a study involving the Stanford basketball team. When these elite athletes increased their sleep average to eight and a half hours, their "sprint times were .7 seconds faster, free-throw shooting went up by 9 percent and three-point shooting increased by 9.2 percent." According to the book, "LeBron James swears by twelve hours a day when practicing."  No wonder Fitbits include sleep trackers!

You would think that a book on sleep would be a sleep aid in itself, but it wasn't. It was pretty interesting.  If you have a loved one you are trying to help sleep better, or if you want to improve your own sleep, try some of the tips in this book.

Happy reading (and sleeping),

Christine