An article on the online Independent website http://news.independent.co.uk/health/article2841543.ece mentions the formation of the B-Society in Denmark. The B-society is a movement comprising of 5000 members campaigning for the right to be a B person. So what is a B-person?
A B- person has a natural inclination to be sluggish and bed-bound in the morning, but whose energy levels & productivity rises in the afternoon and evening. Essentially this definition of a B-person is identical to that of the chronotype ‘owl’ as described by Professor Jim Horne, a sleep researcher.
Horne says that people are often genetically predispositioned to be either larks (A- people, morning people) or owls (B-people, night people).
The B-Society is calling for "an uprising against the tyranny of early rising", and has persuaded the Danish government to support B-certified companies in offering flexible working hours. Of course, the traditional 9-5 job are ideal for larks, but surely, with the rise of the 24/7 society and shift work, now it is easier to find a position which is compatible with your natural body clock rhythms.
We are familiar with the concept of personality typing and how they are used by career advisors to help determine suitable occupations for their clients. So why not also take into account of whether these clients are ‘larks’ or ‘owls’. But then again, what if you want to take up a profession where the jobs are traditionally 9-5 and you have owlish tendencies. Should you be able to demand of your boss for the right for flexible working hours, as advocated by the B- Society? Let me know what you think?
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Thursday, August 09, 2007
No compensation for lost sleep
A couple of bad nights sleep, or a pressing deadline – that exam tomorrow – can push us to miss much-needed sleep, but we know that after the crisis has passed we can catch up again with a long lie in. But how long can a crisis like that last, and what if we stay in ‘crisis mode’ indefinitely?
A study on mice (yes, I know it’s only mice, so you have to be careful about drawing too many conclusions!) suggests that animals may not always be able to spring back after losing a lot of sleep.
Dr Fred Turek and colleagues at North-Western University in the US sleep deprived mice and then looked at how they returned to normal afterwards. With one night of poor sleep, the mice just caught up the following night. But when they were deprived for five nights in a row, and an interesting thing happened. The mice stopped trying to catch up on sleep. And even when they were allowed to take as much sleep as they wanted for 72 hrs, they still remained on the sleep deprived timings. Turek calls this an allostatic as opposed to homeostatic response (homeostatic = tendency of a system, to return to normal, allostatic = tendency to remain in abnormal state).(http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/HealthScience/No_compensation_for_lost_sleep/articleshow/2171115.cms)
In other words, like a piece of springy material that has been bent beyond it’s breaking point, once an animal has been sleep deprived for a long period, it’s ability to return to normal sleep patterns is reduced. We know that people who are chronically sleep deprived suffer health consequences (risk of diabetes, obesity, heart attack, stoke and so on), as well as psychological effects (reduced performance, low mood etc).
But what this suggests is that the effects of being sleep deprived are a bit like the effects of being drunk – you lose the ability to realise that you are sleep deprived and fail to catch up sleep to compensate.
Why would animals have evolved this sort of response? Turek suggests that allostatic response to chronic sleep deprivation is a stress reaction which could be very useful in disasters, like floods, which go on for many days. In this situation, an animal which stopped feeling sleepy would have a survival advantage over one that kept trying to catch up on lost sleep.
But there’s a price to pay. Like the ‘flight or fight’ stress response, this response was evolved as a short-term measure, NOT as a long-term lifestyle. By putting your sleepiness on hold, you might feel better and believe you’re coping, but the health consequences will still catch up with you – like the drunk who believes he’s safe to drive – believing it doesn’t make it true!
A study on mice (yes, I know it’s only mice, so you have to be careful about drawing too many conclusions!) suggests that animals may not always be able to spring back after losing a lot of sleep.
Dr Fred Turek and colleagues at North-Western University in the US sleep deprived mice and then looked at how they returned to normal afterwards. With one night of poor sleep, the mice just caught up the following night. But when they were deprived for five nights in a row, and an interesting thing happened. The mice stopped trying to catch up on sleep. And even when they were allowed to take as much sleep as they wanted for 72 hrs, they still remained on the sleep deprived timings. Turek calls this an allostatic as opposed to homeostatic response (homeostatic = tendency of a system, to return to normal, allostatic = tendency to remain in abnormal state).(http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/HealthScience/No_compensation_for_lost_sleep/articleshow/2171115.cms)
In other words, like a piece of springy material that has been bent beyond it’s breaking point, once an animal has been sleep deprived for a long period, it’s ability to return to normal sleep patterns is reduced. We know that people who are chronically sleep deprived suffer health consequences (risk of diabetes, obesity, heart attack, stoke and so on), as well as psychological effects (reduced performance, low mood etc).
But what this suggests is that the effects of being sleep deprived are a bit like the effects of being drunk – you lose the ability to realise that you are sleep deprived and fail to catch up sleep to compensate.
Why would animals have evolved this sort of response? Turek suggests that allostatic response to chronic sleep deprivation is a stress reaction which could be very useful in disasters, like floods, which go on for many days. In this situation, an animal which stopped feeling sleepy would have a survival advantage over one that kept trying to catch up on lost sleep.
But there’s a price to pay. Like the ‘flight or fight’ stress response, this response was evolved as a short-term measure, NOT as a long-term lifestyle. By putting your sleepiness on hold, you might feel better and believe you’re coping, but the health consequences will still catch up with you – like the drunk who believes he’s safe to drive – believing it doesn’t make it true!
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
New viable alternative treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) ?
Untreated OSA leads to severe fragmented sleep and sleep deprivation in addition to an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes and diabetes as well as work-related accidents and driving accidents.
The gold standard treatment for OSA is CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure), i. e air delivered by a pump via a tight fitting mask and hose. However, it’s often not well tolerated .Common complaints include noise, inconvenience, air leakages, uncomfortable masks, and sore dry mouths. Thus, there may be a significant minority of OSA patients who are refusing CPAP treatment at all despite having being diagnosed and counselled.
I was therefore, intrigued to read the pre-publication abstract of a small study, known as proof of concept, of a possible alternative to CPAP for obstructive sleep apnea, (OSA). http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-07/ats-ncm071107.php
Nasal cannulas are common place in hospitals in operating rooms, and on respiratory departments, where they’re used to deliver oxygen therapy. It certainly seems less intrusive and more comfortable to wear. You can find pictures here. (http://www.glasgowfirstaid.org/images/cannula.jpg ).
If I had OSA I certainly would find nasal cannulas more acceptable than a face or nasal mask. I know I move around a lot in my sleep, often lying on my side and front. No doubt, if my nocturnal movements were limited by a hose and mask I would perceive a loss in sleep quality initially before I fully adapt.
If further studies show nasal cannulas can be a viable alternative to nose and facial masks during cPAP, then treatment compliance would be less of an issue. Certainly, it could lead to far fewer expensive cPAP machines ending up at eBay and at car boot sales!
The gold standard treatment for OSA is CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure), i. e air delivered by a pump via a tight fitting mask and hose. However, it’s often not well tolerated .Common complaints include noise, inconvenience, air leakages, uncomfortable masks, and sore dry mouths. Thus, there may be a significant minority of OSA patients who are refusing CPAP treatment at all despite having being diagnosed and counselled.
I was therefore, intrigued to read the pre-publication abstract of a small study, known as proof of concept, of a possible alternative to CPAP for obstructive sleep apnea, (OSA). http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-07/ats-ncm071107.php
Nasal cannulas are common place in hospitals in operating rooms, and on respiratory departments, where they’re used to deliver oxygen therapy. It certainly seems less intrusive and more comfortable to wear. You can find pictures here. (http://www.glasgowfirstaid.org/images/cannula.jpg ).
If I had OSA I certainly would find nasal cannulas more acceptable than a face or nasal mask. I know I move around a lot in my sleep, often lying on my side and front. No doubt, if my nocturnal movements were limited by a hose and mask I would perceive a loss in sleep quality initially before I fully adapt.
If further studies show nasal cannulas can be a viable alternative to nose and facial masks during cPAP, then treatment compliance would be less of an issue. Certainly, it could lead to far fewer expensive cPAP machines ending up at eBay and at car boot sales!
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Power Napping in New York – again!
A new wellness centre, Yelo, has opened doors in the Big Apple- the city that never sleeps- offering deluxe power napping in their YeloCabs™, salon type rooms with a “zero-gravity” chairs with the option of reflexology and aromatherapy treatment as added extras. This follows the opening of MetroNaps in the Empire Building in 2004.
Is this a sign that power napping is no longer seen as a passing and laughable fad but a useful strategy to cope with chronic partial sleep deprivation due to modern living and culture of long working hours?
A New York Times reporter, Natasha Singer, writes, “Sleep is the new bottled water. Although it can be had free, it is being marketed as an upscale amenity.” Are entrepreneurs & business owners helping to make sleep a fashionable commodity? Or are they just responding to the zeitgeist? A report on TimesOnline (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/body_and_soul/article1558037.ece)
seems to suggest the latter.
A recent UK poll carried out, on behalf of the budget hotel chain Travelodge, with 1700 respondents, revealed that only 3% claim that they manage the daily recommended eight hours of sleep per night. Saturday night is the main night Brits have a good night’s sleep and Sunday night was voted the worst night for sleep deprivation. When questioned about the reasons behind their poor sleeping habits, respondents listed work stress (23%) as the second biggest cause behind long work hours.
With these polls and others in mind, lack of sleep is a widespread problem in the UK and this will impact on work productivity. Enlightened employers should encourage their staff to discuss how work is affecting their sleep patterns, try to understand what is causing the problem and help them identify ways to help them improve their sleep.
My suggestion? Workers, Unite! Reclaim your sleep. Recharge with a 20 minute powernap. Boost your productivity and your wellbeing. Sleep should not be the new bottled water but seen as critical to overall health.
Is this a sign that power napping is no longer seen as a passing and laughable fad but a useful strategy to cope with chronic partial sleep deprivation due to modern living and culture of long working hours?
A New York Times reporter, Natasha Singer, writes, “Sleep is the new bottled water. Although it can be had free, it is being marketed as an upscale amenity.” Are entrepreneurs & business owners helping to make sleep a fashionable commodity? Or are they just responding to the zeitgeist? A report on TimesOnline (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/body_and_soul/article1558037.ece)
seems to suggest the latter.
A recent UK poll carried out, on behalf of the budget hotel chain Travelodge, with 1700 respondents, revealed that only 3% claim that they manage the daily recommended eight hours of sleep per night. Saturday night is the main night Brits have a good night’s sleep and Sunday night was voted the worst night for sleep deprivation. When questioned about the reasons behind their poor sleeping habits, respondents listed work stress (23%) as the second biggest cause behind long work hours.
With these polls and others in mind, lack of sleep is a widespread problem in the UK and this will impact on work productivity. Enlightened employers should encourage their staff to discuss how work is affecting their sleep patterns, try to understand what is causing the problem and help them identify ways to help them improve their sleep.
My suggestion? Workers, Unite! Reclaim your sleep. Recharge with a 20 minute powernap. Boost your productivity and your wellbeing. Sleep should not be the new bottled water but seen as critical to overall health.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Sleeping at work
There is a strong scientific evidence to support the argument that napping is good for your health, creativity, vigilence and fatigue management. Books have been written about napping at work, the latest by Sara Mednick, “Take a Nap! Change your life”.
Fewer errors, fewer accidents, improved job satisfication, less absenteeism will ultimately improve any company’s bottom line- that of productivity and profits. Some enlightened corporates have taken this on board and have installed facilities. The German civil service are actively encouraging their bureaucrats to sleep on the job as reported here.
But how long should one nap for? I’ve always advocated 20-30 minutes, ideally timed for the mid- afternoon slump most of us experience. This is for two reasons. One, snoozing for more than 40 minutes allows us to enter slow wave sleep and if we awaken during this stage, we experience disorientation and grogginess aka ‘sleep inertia’. Two, the mid- afternoon trough in alertness is due to a natural biological rhythm in which we feel more sleepy than awake. It has nothing to do with heavy lunches.
I recognise that for office workers it’s probably more convenient to take that nap during the lunch hour, where the time is their own and not that of the employer. Home workers, however, have more flexiblity and should take full advantage.
Sara Mednick suggests for those who wish to harness the benefits of slow wave sleep during naps for stress mangement, memory and creativity boosts to sleep in the afternoon for about 60 minutes. Intuitively, I can see corporate bosses baulking at this, 20 minutes may be more acceptable, but what if the loss of time to the company is outweighed by enhanced performance.
Famous nappers include Napoleon, Edison, Einstein, Churchill, Kennedy and Salvador Dali. I wouldn’t hardly call them workshy or non-productive, would you?
Fewer errors, fewer accidents, improved job satisfication, less absenteeism will ultimately improve any company’s bottom line- that of productivity and profits. Some enlightened corporates have taken this on board and have installed facilities. The German civil service are actively encouraging their bureaucrats to sleep on the job as reported here.
But how long should one nap for? I’ve always advocated 20-30 minutes, ideally timed for the mid- afternoon slump most of us experience. This is for two reasons. One, snoozing for more than 40 minutes allows us to enter slow wave sleep and if we awaken during this stage, we experience disorientation and grogginess aka ‘sleep inertia’. Two, the mid- afternoon trough in alertness is due to a natural biological rhythm in which we feel more sleepy than awake. It has nothing to do with heavy lunches.
I recognise that for office workers it’s probably more convenient to take that nap during the lunch hour, where the time is their own and not that of the employer. Home workers, however, have more flexiblity and should take full advantage.
Sara Mednick suggests for those who wish to harness the benefits of slow wave sleep during naps for stress mangement, memory and creativity boosts to sleep in the afternoon for about 60 minutes. Intuitively, I can see corporate bosses baulking at this, 20 minutes may be more acceptable, but what if the loss of time to the company is outweighed by enhanced performance.
Famous nappers include Napoleon, Edison, Einstein, Churchill, Kennedy and Salvador Dali. I wouldn’t hardly call them workshy or non-productive, would you?
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
How to Improve at Sports - Get to Bed!
An intriguing article caught my eye today about a little study conducted at Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic and Research Laboratory, which appeared to show that athletes running times and throwing accuracy improved when they got a good nights sleep.
This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone with any interest or knowledge about the benefits of sleep (and the effects of sleep deprivation on performance), but it's nice to have it confirmed. In this study, a small (only six) group of college basketball-playing students aged 18-21 had their sleep patterns split into two phases. First phase was a control normal sleep phase - during which they averaged 5-6 hours a night (typical teenagers!). The second phase was a 'sleep feast', during which they were told to aim for 9-10 hours a night. Running speeds and basketball throwing accuracy was measured in both phases, and they showed a noticeable improvement in both skills during the 'sleep feast' weeks. The improvement was around 7-10%, or a second off a 100m sprint and 1 extra basket out of 10 shots - these could easily be the difference between a team winning and losing a game.
Dr Cheri Mah, in charge of the study made an interesting comment on the experience "A lot of athletes think that fatigue is normal". I'm beginning to wonder if this is a common experience of many sleep deprived people - they don't realise that their hazy, sluggish existence is abnormal, and that something better is actually possible.
This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone with any interest or knowledge about the benefits of sleep (and the effects of sleep deprivation on performance), but it's nice to have it confirmed. In this study, a small (only six) group of college basketball-playing students aged 18-21 had their sleep patterns split into two phases. First phase was a control normal sleep phase - during which they averaged 5-6 hours a night (typical teenagers!). The second phase was a 'sleep feast', during which they were told to aim for 9-10 hours a night. Running speeds and basketball throwing accuracy was measured in both phases, and they showed a noticeable improvement in both skills during the 'sleep feast' weeks. The improvement was around 7-10%, or a second off a 100m sprint and 1 extra basket out of 10 shots - these could easily be the difference between a team winning and losing a game.
Dr Cheri Mah, in charge of the study made an interesting comment on the experience "A lot of athletes think that fatigue is normal". I'm beginning to wonder if this is a common experience of many sleep deprived people - they don't realise that their hazy, sluggish existence is abnormal, and that something better is actually possible.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Where Are All the Insomnia Support Groups?
Have you ever been in a situation when two facts don't seem to fit together, and yet you know that they're both true? It's puzzling and frustrating.
I'm in that situation with insomnia. Survey after survey shows that insomnia is a very common problem - affecting about a third of the adult population, and causing long term problems for at least 10%. This is backed up by sales of hypnotics (sleeping pills), both on prescription and over the counter. So, there is fact number one - insomnia is a common problem.
As part of my research for Sleep Care, I decided it might be useful to get involved in some online forums for insomnia sufferers or give a talk at a local insomnia support group. So, I searched for insomnia support groups - both online and real world. And there aren't any! Well there are a few online forums, but most have tiny membership and only a few sporadic postings. And searching both online and at my local library found no real world insomnia support groups. So, here's the fact number two - there are no insomnia support groups.
Do you see my dilemma? Given that there are support groups for EVERY medical condition in existence, from common things like depression and obesity to the rarest of rare syndromes - where are all the people with insomnia going for help?
This is a real puzzle for me! Has my searching missed some big obvious organisations? Am I searching the wrong words? Are all the surveys wrong, and all the sleeping pills being bought for no good reason? Are all the insomniacs just too tired to form support groups (like the joke about the Apathy Support Group inaugural meeting - no one could be bothered to turned up)?
I'd love to hear what I'm missing here.
I'm in that situation with insomnia. Survey after survey shows that insomnia is a very common problem - affecting about a third of the adult population, and causing long term problems for at least 10%. This is backed up by sales of hypnotics (sleeping pills), both on prescription and over the counter. So, there is fact number one - insomnia is a common problem.
As part of my research for Sleep Care, I decided it might be useful to get involved in some online forums for insomnia sufferers or give a talk at a local insomnia support group. So, I searched for insomnia support groups - both online and real world. And there aren't any! Well there are a few online forums, but most have tiny membership and only a few sporadic postings. And searching both online and at my local library found no real world insomnia support groups. So, here's the fact number two - there are no insomnia support groups.
Do you see my dilemma? Given that there are support groups for EVERY medical condition in existence, from common things like depression and obesity to the rarest of rare syndromes - where are all the people with insomnia going for help?
This is a real puzzle for me! Has my searching missed some big obvious organisations? Am I searching the wrong words? Are all the surveys wrong, and all the sleeping pills being bought for no good reason? Are all the insomniacs just too tired to form support groups (like the joke about the Apathy Support Group inaugural meeting - no one could be bothered to turned up)?
I'd love to hear what I'm missing here.
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