Insomnia and poor sleep are frustrating, debilitating conditions that can have a significant impact on your overall health. Many people are unaware of the importance of maintaining a regular sleep schedule and how it can affect the various systems of the body. According to statistics released by the CDC, one in three adults don’t get enough sleep, with a further 10% of the population suffering from chronic insomnia that can have serious and potentially harmful consequences.
The Sleep Revolution is a new book from Huffington Post Editor in Chief Arianna Huffington. Written as a follow up to Huffington’s bestselling book Thrive, The Sleep Revolution is an exploration of the various facets of sleep and the role that it plays in our lives. Ranging from scientific observations to metaphysical and eschatological musings on the philosophical implications of sleep and dreaming, The Sleep Revolution is primarily concerned with the importance of sleep in the health and decision making aspects of our lives.
What is The Sleep Revolution About?
At its core, Huffington’s book is about the interactions between the systems of the human body and the mechanism of sleep. Despite the fact that most of us spend fully one third of our lives asleep, many of us neglect this critical bodily function, and as a result our health sufferers. Sleep plays an incredibly important role in the physical health of the body. During deep sleep cycles, the body performs repair processes and fixes damage that has occurred during the day, as well as neutralizes and removes built-up toxins.
How Important Is Proper Sleep?
Sleep is also critical to the function of the brain. During the hours in which the body is asleep, the brain creates new neural pathways that assist with the process of learning and memory retention. Several clinical studies demonstrate that learning progresses faster and easier when students achieve a regular sleep cycle, promoting higher levels of concentration and alertness. Sleep deficiency, inversely, causes a number of neurological problems such as anxiety, depression, mood swings and a lack of motivation.
Sleep has a similarly profound effect on the health of the body. While the body is asleep, the endocrine system of the body produces critical hormones that are used to regulate bodily functions like appetite, fat metabolism, digestive function, and more. The insulin levels of the body, or the factor that controls blood sugar levels, are also closely related to proper sleep hygiene. Sleep is also critical in the manufacture of human growth hormone, or HGH. HGH is the hormone that promotes growth and the natural development of the human body.
Sleep Deficiency Issues
Poor sleep hygiene can lead to a wide variety of symptoms. The physical symptoms that may occur due to a lack of a proper sleep schedule can include an increased risk of developing diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and kidney disease, as well as cause high blood pressure and even stroke. Sleep deprivation leads to obesity, with several clinical studies demonstrating a relationship between every hour of sleep lost and an increased chance of developing an unhealthy BMI.
One of the most concerning symptoms of ongoing sleep deprivation is a loss in immune system function. The immune system is the first line of defense in the body against external diseases, pathogens, and bacteria. Low immune system function can increase your chance of contracting diseases of bacterial and fungal infections, or even cause systemic disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome.
The Sleep Revolution explores the reasons why modern societal culture ignores the health risks that are caused by poor sleeping habits and why we choose to undermine our health, leisure time, and sex lives in favor of professional and work commitments that destroy healthy sleeping schedules. The Sleep Revolution also looks forward to current and future sleep science in an attempt to provide a solution to this endemic issue.
Other issues covered in Huffington’s breakdown of the mechanism of sleep include the effects of the sleeping pill industry on the sleeping habits of the American population, and the role of dreams in our waking lives. Also offered by Huffington are a number of helpful tips and advice on achieving healthier sleeping habits, provided by leading sleep scientists, as well as methods for harnessing the natural restorative power of sleep.
The Sleep Revolution Availability
The Sleep Revolution can be ordered in ebook, trade paperback, digital audiobook and an unabridged audio CD from the Arianna Huffington website. If you’re interested in learning more about the profound effects of sleep on our lives, The Sleep Revolution is a must-read
