Story 3

The Sleep Doctor is In

Diana Gant, a psychology professor at Anoka Ramsey, knows the importance of beauty sleep. Actually, just sleep in general. Gant has made a career out of studying the sleepy, both her graduate thesis and doctoral dissertation on the lack of and need for more sleep. When she began her studies 17 years ago, Gant intended to study productivity in people who received little amounts of sleep, but when her subjects were presented with the “chance to sleep in dark, quiet rooms, they all slept for about nine hours.” This early observation and “other work convinced me that most people suffer from sleep deprivation.” 

Nine to ten hours, Gant claims, is the optimal amount of nightly sleep, while most people average seven hours. Gant's research is based on both personal research and studying statistics, such as the correlation between traffic accidents around daylight savings time in both the spring (loose an hour) and fall (gain an hour). Statistics show an 8% increase in accidents the day after spring daylight savings, which Gant likens to national jet lag, its effects lasting up to a week as the body’s biological clock resets. 

How can you tell if you’re sleep deprived? Perform this simple test: do you feel sleepy or desire to doze off after eating a large lunch? Being sleepy at your desk is considerably less hazardous, but Gant attributes sleep deprivation with severities such as the space shuttle Challenger disaster, Russia’s Chernobyl reactor accident, and the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Regarding the spill, Gant asserts that “the press focused on the possibility that the captain of the Exxon Valdez was drunk, but undershifting and long shifts on the ship may have led to the third mate’s falling asleep at the wheel.” Cutting back on sleep can also cause depression, falling asleep at stoplights, and has the same effects on a person as being drunk, making people “clumsy, stupid, and unhappy.” 

To counteract sleep deprivation, Gant prescribes several things. Find a place that is dark and quiet, lights off and shades drawn. Get a confortable bed and keep bed linens fresh and clean. A cool atmosphere, about 65, is optimal sleeping temperature. Equally important as getting more sleep in general and sleeping conditions is preparing for sleep. “It’s good to relax for an hour or so before going to bed,” Gant says, prescribing watching TV or reading a book. Pre-sleep diet also contributes; “don’t eat or drink a lot” and avoid tobacco, coffee, alcohol, or excessive sugars as these cause the brain to become more alert as their effects wear off. If we all followed this regiment, Gant may be out of a job.