Sweet Dreams

Modern life bombards us with stimulation. Television sets, cell phones, radios, and pagers are constantly reminding us to stay alert. Even the electric lightbulb, a relatively recent invention, can be an obstacle to good sleep.

Researchers at both Stanford Medical Center and the University of Oregon have concluded that bright light can trick our brains into thinking that we should be awake and alert. The importance of this fact cannot be underestimated. The simple acts of watching television late at night, keeping your house well lit prior to going to bed, and checking your e--mail in the evening can all have the effect of jump-starting your metabolism. Our early ancestors did not have these impediments to sleep. Homo sapiens living 50,000 to 100,000 years ago did not have houses with dark shades to avert morning sunlight, nor did they have lightbulbs and e-mail to stimulate them in the evening. Consequently, their biological clocks were constantly being tuned to the systematic dark and light cycle of the earth's changing seasons, which was beyond their control. Although it is impossible to gauge the sleeplessness of our ancestors, we do know that sleep problems are becoming much more frequent as we enter the 21st century.

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pennsylvania found that the amount and quality of sleep actually affects how sick people get. The immune system is the body's primary defense against viruses and bacteria that invade the body, causing disease. This mounting evidence that sleep may help strengthen the immune system is quite important. A good night's sleep must be considered an integral part of any rejuvenation strategy. But how do you know if you are getting enough sleep?

William Dement, M.D., one of the world's foremost authorities on sleep, has a term for the physical condition of lacking enough sleep--sleep debt. Dement feels that the simplest way to measure sleep debt is to assess your daytime sleepiness. If you feel sleepy more than a couple of times during the day, you may be suffering some type of sleep debt.

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