Why We Sleep

Matthew Walker's discussion on Peter Attia's podcast (The Drive, Episodes 47 - 49) is one of the most interesting things I've ever heard. At six hours long, I was sad when it ended and immediately wanted to listen to it again. If you've any interest in sleep, I highly recommend you check it out immediately.

I picked up this book after hearing that podcast, and the book just isn't on the same level as those interviews. It's an entirely serviceable piece of science communication, but that's about it.

The text is a high level synopsis of key pieces of research and related anecdotes. It's interesting enough, but it just isn't very engaging. Dr. Walker does go through practical recommendations on how to get better sleep, but the focus is really on explaining what sleep is and isn't.

If you don't know much about sleep, and are looking for an overview of the science, this is probably a really good place to start. But I would honestly recommend just listening to the aforementioned podcast and using the book to reference terminology later.

Der Autor bzw. sein Verlag bieten dankenswerterweise eine Zusammenfassung an (Link: www.grahammann.net/book-notes/why-we-sleep-matthew-walker)

Die positiven Effekte von ausreichendem Schlaf werden anhand zahlreicher Studien und anderer Beispiele erörtert. Sei es die Fehldiagnose bei Kindern von AHDS, bei Jugendlichen und Erwachsenen von Depression anstelle von Schlafmangel, die Gefahr von Alzheimer, der schlechteren Erholung von körperlicher Belastungen, uvm.

Leider ist das Buch sehr Amerika zentriert und es fehlen teilweise die Umrechnungen von °F in °C. Dem Autor ist aber bewusst, dass beispielsweise europäische Ärzte im Praktikum nicht im gleichen Maß Überstunden anhäufen und trotzdem top ausgebildet sind.

Die vielleicht wichtigste Info des Buchs sind die nachfolgenden 12 Regeln, wobei im Buch noch auf weitere Faktoren eingegangen wird.

Twelve Tips for Healthy Sleep

1.) Stick to a sleep schedule
2.) Exercise is great, but not too late in the day. Try to exercise at least thirty minutes on most days but not later than two to three hours before your bedtime.
3.) Avoid caffeine and nicotine.
4.) Avoid alcoholic drinks before bed.
5.) Avoid large meals and beverages late at night.
6.) If possible, avoid medicines that delay or disrupt your sleep.
7.) Don’t take naps after 3 p.m.
8.) Relax before bed. Don’t overschedule your day so that no time is left for unwinding. A relaxing activity, such as reading or listening to music, should be part of your bedtime ritual.
9.) Take a hot bath before bed.
10.) Dark bedroom, cool bedroom, gadget-free bedroom.
11.) Have the right sunlight exposure. Daylight is key to regulating daily sleep patterns. Try to get outside in natural sunlight for at least thirty minutes each day. If possible, wake up with the sun or use very bright lights in the morning.
12.) Don’t lie in bed awake.