| Copyright (c) 2007 BrainFit For Life | | | | group. |
| A couple of new reports came out this week | | | | The interpretation of this is that our gut |
| addressing sleep in our culture. Everyone knows | | | | reactions are not really that affected by lack of |
| that they feel a little cranky when they dont | | | | sleep (at least in this situation) but our ability to |
| get enough sleep. Its therefore no surprise that | | | | reason and monitor those reactions is weakened, |
| sleep affects your mood. What may be surprising, | | | | which can have all kinds of downstream |
| though, is that scientists know very little about | | | | consequences. |
| why thats true. | | | | Is a longer workday productive? |
| We understand quite a bit about why sleep | | | | Why is this important? Other studies show that |
| disrupts your immune function, your metabolism | | | | we are getting far less sleep today than we did a |
| and your ability to learn and remember things. I | | | | century ago and throughout history. The advent |
| have discussed each of these in past articles. But | | | | of artificial light has extended the length of our |
| we dont know much about how sleep regulates | | | | daily productivity, but many argue that this is |
| mood. An interesting new study published in | | | | actually counter-productive. By not getting optimal |
| Current Biology by Michael Walker, sheds some | | | | sleep, we are decreasing our ability to function |
| light on this subject. | | | | efficiently the next day, and actually getting less |
| A loss of reason | | | | done. |
| A complex brain circuit that involves both higher | | | | In fact, another study just released shows |
| thinking centers and reactive centers controls | | | | exactly that. In this one, researchers, Patricia |
| your emotions. Its the higher thinking centers | | | | Murphy and Scott Campbell, showed that napping |
| that separate us from other animals. We have | | | | is actually productive. First of all, midday napping |
| the ability (although we dont always use it) to | | | | did not cause people to sleep less well at night, as |
| evaluate our responses thoughtfully, before just | | | | many believe. Second, midday napping improved |
| reacting impulsively. | | | | performance on math, decision-making and |
| In the new study, volunteers were either | | | | reaction-time tests. This increased performance |
| deprived of a good nights sleep or allowed to | | | | was true after the nap and lasted all the way into |
| sleep normally. Researchers then looked at both | | | | the next day, following the nap. |
| their higher thinking and their reactive brain | | | | Many of us are so busy that we steal hours from |
| centers after presenting them with some | | | | our sleep to attempt to get more done. But |
| emotionally negative images to stir their reactions. | | | | science argues that we are not getting more |
| They found that specific reactive centers of the | | | | done this way. We are actually reducing our ability |
| brain acted the same whether or not the | | | | to be creative, make decisions, work efficiently |
| volunteers had slept well the night before. But | | | | and cooperate with other people. Perhaps a little |
| certain higher thinking centers responsible for | | | | more time invested in our rest could dramatically |
| keeping those reaction centers under control, | | | | improve our career and personal relationships. |
| were much less active in the sleep deprived | | | | |