Biology Week 2: Sleep

As someone who has always valued and prioritized sleep, I was quite interested in the articles we read last week.  Particularly The University of Surry Study on the impacts of an extra hour of sleep (or lack there of). Though the short term impacts of sleep deprivation are disruptive, a night or two of crap sleep may be temporarily alleviated by caffeine or adrenaline.  However when we start to talking about long term impacts i.e. diabetes, obesity, immune system dysfunction, inflammation and cancer, things start to get real.  We strive to be perpetually at our best, though life doesn't always allow 8 hours of Z's.  Perhaps more education on the long term effects of sleep deprivation could help our western minds prioritize this essential restorative practice.

Despite my interest on the impact of lunar cycles on sleep, this particular week was a lousy data sample as I was traveling back east for my sisters graduation.  Jet lag, a packed schedule and uncomfortably hot weather lent itself to an average of 6 hours/night this week.  Not enough for me.  On top of that, my sleep has been effected by the beginning of school as has involved a major life transition and a great deal of cognitive, emotional and spiritual stimulation.  Such conditions are not conducive to uninterrupted slumber.  So though times are exciting, I look forward to getting back on the sleepy train.

All that being said, I am curious on how the moon impacts my sleep. My guess is that observations may need to span several months to get an accurate assessment.  I also wonder for those of us woman who experience regular, non-hormone regulated cycles, how we might isolate variables as these rhythms are often synchronized. 

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