Good sleep, good learning, good life (2012)

| I have for years been interested in sleep research due to my professional involvement in memory and learning. This article attempts to produce a synthesis of what is known about sleep with a view to practical applications, esp. in people who need top-quality sleep for their learning or creative achievements. Neurophysiology of sleep is an explosively growing branch of science. Many theories that are currently contested will soon be forgotten as a result of new findings. Consequently, this text is likely to grow old very quickly. Still, some basic truths about sleep are well-established, and practical conclusions can be drawn with the benefit to human creativity and intellectual accomplishment. In this text, I provide some links to research papers and popular-scientific articles that advocate disparate and contradictory theories. This article includes some indications on how to use free running sleep in the treatment of insomnia, advanced and delayed phase shift syndromes, and some other sleep disorders. |

It is everyone's dream to wake up fresh, happy, and ready for action on a daily basis. Sadly, in the modern world, only a small minority lives that dream. Yet the dream is within reach for most healthy people given knowledge and sacrifice.

I hope that this article compiles all the basic ingredients of knowledge that are helpful in accomplishing refreshing sleep. As for the sacrifice, it is important to begin with the understanding that one cannot eat one's cake and have it too. Healthy sleep may be incompatible with some modern habits, some cravings, or some lifestyle choices. At worst, refreshing sleep may be incompatible with one's job or even long-term goals. However, let me state it emphatically, good sleep on most nights is feasible for most people!

This article was originally written a decade ago. In my job, sleep is as important as oxygen. As we all move deeper into the Information Age and Knowledge Economy, the issues discussed herein will become more and more important for each of us. I have witnessed a true epidemic of sleep phase disorders and an exponential increase in interest in the matters of sleep in general. Despite my pleas, many people just cannot avoid using an alarm clock, running all-nighters, or popping pills before sleep. The picture would be pretty sad were it not for the fact that there is hope in knowledge. With a degree of determination, everyone can improve their sleep.

This article is a compilation of the most important things about the biology of sleep. It is supposed to help you gain knowledge needed to achieve high quality refreshing sleep that will boost your mental powers. The article explains why sleep is vitally important for health and for the brain. It argues that sleep deserves highest respect, and that most people could get excellent sleep if they only followed the prescribed rules.

Too few people realize how important sleep is! The alarm clock is an often-used fixture in an overwhelming majority of households. By using electric lighting, alarm clocks, sleeping pills, and shift-work, we have wreaked havoc on the process of sleep. Over the last hundred years, we have intruded upon a delicate and finely regulated process that was perfected by several hundred million years of evolution.

Sleep isn't just a form of rest! Sleep plays a critical physiological function, and is indispensable for your intellectual development! Those who do not respect their sleep are not likely to live to their full mental potential!