The myth of the eight-hour sleep
The myth of the eight -hour sleep is a brilliant article on a history of human sleep patterns. In 2001, historian Roger Ekirch of Virginia Tech published a seminal paper, drawn from 16 years of research, revealing a wealth of historical evidence that humans used to sleep in two distinct chunks.
…references describe a first sleep which began about two hours after dusk, followed by waking period of one or two hours and then a second sleep.
These references start to disappear during the late 17th Century. By the 1920s the idea of a first and second sleep had receded entirely from our social consciousness. Doctors urge parents to force their children out of the pattern. At this point, people have become increasingly time-conscious and sensitive to ideas of efficiency and are recommended to sleep in an 8 hour block.
Why were people encouraged to sleep in an essentially unnatural manner? At the turn of the century, with the help of photography, criminals could be more easily tracked and archived so perhaps it was to keep people off the streets and on the straight and narrow. Perhaps it was to ensure that the working masses could work long shifts at the factories?
I wake up every night and feel the need to get up and have a drink, read, go online etc. After reading this article, I am starting to understand that my night time habits are actually more natural than most of my friends.
Hurra for the bi-modal sleep pattern!
“Sleepwalk With Me” Movie Raises Awareness about Sleep Disorders
Check out Rem Runner’s Julie Flygare’s writing on a new film:
“Sleepwalk With Me” Movie Raises Awareness about Sleep Disorders.
Brilliant work on your new blog/website Julie. It looks great!
via “Sleepwalk With Me” Movie Raises Awareness about Sleep Disorders.
Swine flu vaccine linked to child narcolepsy: EU watchdog
This is a newer article from the 21st of September – the number of children that have developed narcolepsy in Sweden as consequence of taking pandemrix/GSK have now risen to 200 confirmed cases.
Still, I wonder where are the UK figures? I know they exist. Do comment if you have heard anything about this…
Swine flu vaccine linked to child narcolepsy: EU watchdog.
Narcolepsy victims in new compensation bid – The Local
News from Sweden and the Pandemrix/GSK disaster.
Narcolepsy victims in new compensation bid – The Local.
This article is from February this year 2012. I have written on the topic in the past so this article is a kind of nice follow up. If there can ever be such a thing for these children who developed narcolepsy after taking the swineflu jab from GSK.
Foods that harm and foods that help Sleep
Best and Worst Foods for Sleep – Health.com. Who knew cherries were good to eat before bed time?
Paris plane passenger flown back to Lahore while asleep
I find this story quite unbelievable but possible. How could the airplane staff miss a person sleeping in a seat at landing? And now the traveller risks having to pay for the trip again!!! It’s a good idea to ask someone to wake you up when you are getting near your destination whilst travelling. I almost always do that when travelling by bus…they are soo sleepinducing.
BBC News – Paris plane passenger flown back to Lahore while asleep.
UK health officials probe possible flu jab link to narcolepsy in children | Society | The Guardian
It seems to take years to investigate the possible impact of Pandemrix. A little bit too long if you asked me. People’s lives have been affected.
UK health officials probe possible flu jab link to narcolepsy in children | Society | The Guardian.
Jane Brody on Narcolepsy – NYTimes.com
I believe that National Sleep Week has just started across the pond. Excellent awareness spreading – introductory article “Jane Brody on Narcolepsy” in the New York Times today.
BBC News – ‘Child behaviour link’ to snoring
1 in 10 children snore regurlarly. Scientists have linked snoring i.e. disturbed sleep such as sleep apneoa etc which restricts oxygen uptake in the brain and can result in interrupting the “restorative processes” of sleep or disrupting the balance of brain chemicals. Symptoms in young children such as disturbed night time sleep result in “unruly” behaviour/hyperactivity.
I find it strange that parents who have children that are active/lively in their sleep doesn’t link it to the reason why their day time behaviour is unusual or extreme. It makes perfect sense to me. Could it be bordering on parental neglect not to notice the symptoms at night?
I have been told by friends that many children in the UK with narcolepsy has been/was diagnosed with ADHD or similar hyperactivity condition before getting a correct diagnosis by a sleep specialist. Then on top of that the medication prescribed for both conditions is the same if not very similar. Seriously, how can they be so closely linked and so different?
Queen of Sleep 