TED - Sleep is your superpower | Matt Walker

 A better understanding of sleep

‘Human beings are the only species that deliberately deprive themselves of sleep for no apparent reason.’

 Sleep and the mind

Firstly, sleep has a big impact on our learning abilities and memory function. While we already knew that we need to sleep in order to fix new knowledge in our memory, there's now evidence showing that we also need sleep before learning. 

When studying the effects of sleep deprivation on memory, Walker saw a 40% deficit in the brain's ability to form new memories, for the group of people who pulled an all-nighter. It turns out, there are some powerful brainwaves during the deep stages of sleep that are crucial for restoring and boosting our memory and learning abilities. 

Sleep and the body

The impact of sleep on our mental function is undeniable, but sleep-deprivation actually affects all aspects of our health, including our physical health. Actually, the effect of sleep deprivation on our body is quite scary, as it negatively affects pretty much everything. Let's take a look:  

 Immune system: restricting our sleep to 4 hours for a single night can drop immune cell activity by 70%. 

Cardiovascular system: during spring, when we lose an hour of sleep while changing to Daylight Saving Time, heart attacks increase by 24% the next day. 

Reproductive system: Sleeping 4-5 h regularly will give you a level of testosterone of someone 10 years older, as a man, and there are equivalent effects in women. 

Cancer: sleep-deprivation is also linked to several forms of cancer, with the WHO classifying nighttime shift work as a probable carcinogenic. 

DNA: not even your DNA genetic code can escape the effects of lack of sleep. Limiting healthy adults to 6 hours of sleep for a week causes genes related to the immune system to switch off. In contrast, genes associated with tumours, inflammation, and stress increase their activity.  

‘Sleep, unfortunately, is not an optional lifestyle luxury. Sleep is a non-negotiable biological necessity. It is your life-support system, and it is Mother Nature's best effort yet at immortality.’

2 tips for better sleep 

Regularity: have a fixed bedtime and wake-up time (yes, even during the weekends). 

Lower the room temperature: We need to lower our core temperature and maintain it in order to sleep, and Walker recommends a bedroom temperature of around 18 degrees Celsius. 

 

If you’re having trouble sleeping, avoid caffeine and alcohol, and try not to nap during the day. Also, avoid lying in bed waiting to get sleepy, as your brain can start associating the bedroom with a place of wakefulness. Go to a different room, and only return to bed when you feel sleepy. 

 ‘I believe it is now time for us to reclaim our right to a full night of sleep, and without embarrassment or that unfortunate stigma of laziness.’ 

How Walker’s talk can help professionals

Nowadays, it’s all too common to restrict sleep due to our lifestyles. With a busy professional life, sleep can sometimes be the first to suffer, and especially in events, we can definitely relate to this. 

However, we saw that a lack of sleep affects learning and memory, and in a profession where you need a clear head, focus, and excellent attention-to-detail, it’s easy to see why not sleeping enough isn’t exactly the best idea. But let’s look at the big picture:

Walker presented some terrifying but eye-opening facts about the effects of sleep on our health and I believe everyone should watch this talk. While we all know sleep is important, we may not be aware of the extent of the power of sleep. Until now. 

https://www.eventopedia.com/blog/sleep-is-your-superpower