Have you ever wondered why we spend a third of our lives in bed?  It is erroneously believed that sleeps provides our body an opportunity to recuperate from the daily grind.  1 However upon closer inspection, we see that the amount of energy saved during sleep is only 50 kCal, or the equivalent of a piece of toast.  In fact, our need for sleep is more closely associated with maintaining cognitive skills such as speech, memory and normal brain development.  When we are deprived of sleep, we become irritable, forgetful and ineffective. 2 Researchers equate as little as 17 hours of sustained wakefulness to a blood alcohol limit of 0.05% (two glasses of wine).  This minor lack of sleep has become rather commonplace in our highly-competitive, profit-driven society.  It is not uncommon for many employees to function under these taxing conditions especially when we consider doctors, nurses, pilots and truck drivers. 3 

Sleep is characterized as a recurring 90 to 110 minute cycle divided into two categories:  non-REM and REM sleep.  The pattern begins with a period of light sleep, in which muscle activity slows down and we are susceptible to noise and other disturbances.  Within 10 minutes, we enter stage two, a 20 minute period referred to as true sleep.  During this time, there is a decrease in heart rate and breathing.  4 Following this stage, we enter a period of deep sleep characterized by rhythmic breathing and a further decrease in heart rate.  If we are awakened during this period, we feel groggy and disoriented.  REM (rapid eye movement) is the final stage of the sleep pattern.  This generally begins 70 to 90 minutes after we fall asleep.  On average, we will have 3 to 5 REM patterns per night.  This is the time when dreams occur and there is a corresponding increase in heart rate and breathing.  Interestingly, during this period our bodies are paralyzed which is believed to be a natural mechanism to prevent us from harming ourselves during our dreams. 

Everyone agrees that body language plays a critical role in social interaction, but you may not be aware that your sleeping position also provides valuable insight into your personality.  Professor Chris Idzikowski, director of the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service, has linked common sleeping positions to a particular personality type. 41% of people assume a fetal position during sleep.  These individuals are characterized as being “tough on the outside but sensitive at heart”.   Those who lie on their side with their arms out “are said to have an open nature, but can be suspicious, cynical”.  People who lie on their back with both arms pinned to their side (referred to as “soldiers”), are generally “quiet and reserved”.  Whereas, starfish (people who sleep on their back with both arms up on the pillow) make “good friends because they are always ready to listen to others”.    Finally, the 7% of the population who prefer to sleep on their stomach are “gregarious and brash people and don't like criticism, or extreme situations”.

Any discussion of sleep would be incomplete without addressing the most common sleep disorder, insomnia.  Most people suffer from this complaint at some point and it can manifest itself from a mild interrupted sleep to a complete inability to fall asleep.  Most sleep specialists recommend some basic strategies to ensure a restful night: 

1.  Avoid caffeinated beverages in the evening.

2.  Ignore the clock, only go to bed when you feel tired.

3.  Remove all external stimuli in the bedroom such as a television or radio.

4.  Don’t languish in bed trying to sleep.  If sleep doesn’t come within a reasonable amount of time, then get up and do some quiet reading.

5.  Avoid afternoon naps.

1. The word “sustained” (in the 1^st paragraph) is: (a) a noun (b) a verb (c) an adjective (d) an adverb

2. Find an antonym in the first paragraph for the word “amble”. ___________________