Sleep Tracking (25)

So as I mentioned in my last post, I've decided to start tracking my sleep using my FitBit. With that being said, I tracked my sleep a few times this past week and I've learned some things! First of all, I got really close to sleeping about 8 hours a night, so I'm proud of myself in that matter. Second, as you can tell in the picture above, I tend to get more and more restless the closer it is to me getting up for the day. In this case, that was around 9 o'clock. What I've noticed on the weekends when I don't set an alarm is that I wake up at about 8:30 no matter what, but I can always go back to sleep with no problems. I think that's because my body has gotten use to waking up five days a week between 8 o'clock and 9 o'clock usually. I think that is a reason why I get more restless around that time. 

I've also discussed the effects of working out on my nightly sleep, and I'm going to expand on that a little bit more. Sleep is essential when trying to maintain good health. Because of this, I've been more conscious of my quantity of sleep, quality of sleep, and also my sleep hygiene before bed every night. For the past couple of weeks now I've decided to get up and workout in the mornings before my classes. That means I've been waking up anytime between 5:30 and 6:30, depending on the day and when my first class is. It's been hard for me to do because I most definitely am NOT a morning person, but I'm growing to like it more and more. I just talked about how my body naturally will wake up at around 8:30 because that's my typical time to get out of bed, but now I'm about to be changing that maybe! I don't really want to start waking up normally at 6 AM because that's just too early, but I guess we'll see what happens! Overall, I've enjoyed tracking my sleep to learn more about my sleeping patterns and habits, and I've also enjoyed going to bed a little earlier in order to get a good morning workout in. 

Alexander Pope, Insomnia, and Caffeine Addiction (24)

In Roger Schmidt's article entitled "Caffeine and the Coming of the Enlightenment," he discuses how Alexander Pope was possibly the first major author to be addicted to caffeine.  He illustrates how Pope stayed up night after night, continually writing and asking his servant for more coffee.  Schmidt writes, "Caffeine fuels insomnia as it simultaneously attempts to alleviate the symptoms:  the ceremony of tea and coffee becomes, as here, highly ritualized," which provides an interesting viewpoint on the subject of coffee and caffeine (Schmidt 137-138).  In the case of Alexander Pope, his supposed insomnia might be a learned disorder, but it is also related to his extreme intake of caffeine.  For example, his continual writing at night might have taught his brain to associate the bedroom or his bed as a place of work, not of rest.  Because of this, every time he was ready to sleep and went to bed, his brain possibly began to immediately think about many things instead of resorting to sleep.  As a result, Pope would more than likely begin to write in an effort to clear his head.  Once this became a learned behavior or habit, he viewed his writing time to be at night, which led to the intake of caffeine to stay awake to continue to write.  And like the domino effect, this led to an addiction to caffeine, which led to less sleep, which then led to more caffeine, and more addiction... It's a never-ending cycle once started, and it seems that Alexander Pope was one of the first documented writers in history to suffer from caffeine addiction.  
I find this entire assertion extremely interesting simply because of how it relates to what we've learned about insomnia and caffeine, and how it can greatly affect one's sleeping patterns.  Alexander Pope is obvious evidence of the severe effects both insomnia and sleep can have on a person.

Sleep and Exercise (and small spaces?) (23)

Lately, I've been trying to pay better attention to what settings I sleep better in, as well as certain things I do throughout the day or at night that might also effect the quality of sleep I get.  I've come to a few conclusions!
First of all, I always sleep better on the days that I get a good workout in.  I might've already touched on this, but ever since I've actually been paying attention to it, it has become extremely obvious to me that this is the case!  If I happen to miss a day of working out, it usually doesn't effect me a whole lot, but if I go more than 2 days without working out I can usually tell that I might not sleep as well, or I might wake up more frequently.  I think this is because of how the body and mind seem to rejuvenate or refresh while one sleeps, which we have discussed thoroughly in class, but I also think part of the reason might be because of my mindset about it.  I already think that I sleep better when I workout, so when I'm getting into bed and my muscles are already sore I immediately tell myself (sometimes a little excitedly) that I'm about to get a a great night of sleep that night. 
Second, I think I've realized that I don't like to sleep in the open.  I've always known this because I hate sleeping without any covers on, but I think it extends beyond that a little bit.  If I'm sleeping in a bigger room or a bigger area, I realize I don't feel as comfortable or relaxed as I do if I'm in a smaller space.  So, for example, I'm in a room in Davis, and they're fairly smaller than other rooms.  My room at my parents' house is bigger than this room, but I've noticed I feel almost more secure in a smaller room than in a larger one.  And interestingly enough, because of this I've actually started to sleep better in my smaller dorm room than in my larger bedroom when I go to my parents' house, and that makes me just a tad bit upset!  Hopefully I'll figure out a way to adjust a little better.
I've also decided to start tracking my sleep a little better.  I have a FitBit, which can track sleep if it's worn at night, and I'm going to start doing that more often to get a better feel of how I actually sleep at night.  We'll see what happens!

Medical and Religious Aspects of Segmented Sleep (22)

In the article "Sleep We Have Lost," Ekirch presents several interesting points pertaining to sleep and how it relates to medical practices and religion.  For example, on page 366, he states that medical books from the fifteenth to eighteen centuries recommended that people sleep on their right sight during the first sleep, and then switch to their left side during their second sleep in order obtain better digestion and a "... more tranquil repose."  This suggests a medical advantage to a segmented sleep, true or not.  In regards to religion or morals, Ekirch explains that in earlier Christianity, a pattern of segmented or broken sleep existed.   He elaborates on page 366 that, "Ever since St. Benedict in the sixth century required that monks rise after midnight for the recital of verses and psalms, this like other regulations of the Benedictine order had spread..." which further supports the implementation of segmented sleep in religious activities.  However, the church itself was not responsible for the implementation of broken sleeping patterns, according to Ekirch.
If segmented sleep was a necessity for people in earlier times, why do we no longer sleep in segments today?  Possible explanations for the change in the sleeping patterns of people today that is presented by Ekirch on page 383 lies in the effects of "Professional policing, nocturnal trade, evening employment for the workers, and, most important, improvements in both domestic lighting and the illumination of public streets..." which basically embodies industrialization.  The now fast-paced lifestyle practiced by people all around the world today has greatly influenced the sleep pattern of mankind.  With the use of light emitting devices and other modern technology and lighting, our brains and hormones are thrown off.  This links to what we've learned this semester about circadian rhythms within the human body, and through his explanation of the loss of segmented sleep, Ekirch provides more evidence as to the changes of circadian rhythms and sleep in general.

Benadryl (21)

This past week I have been battling a cold or some really bad allergies like most people do this time of year!  As a way to combat my coughing and congestion, I've been taking Benadryl at night.  Every time I take it, I always think of what the nurse told us about Benadryl and ZzzQuil, and how they're basically the same thing.  I don't notice Benadryl making me feel extremely drowsy once I take it, but I have been sleeping extremely well considering I can't really breathe that great right now, so the medicine must be doing its job!  Even though it was earlier in the semester, I'm thankful that Laurie Hall came and spoke to us about different sleep aids and the effects of the immune system when students are sleep deprived.  Learning that along with the other sleep topics we've discussed in class had made a huge difference in how I view sleep hygiene.  Now that I've been borderline sick, I've made an effort to go to bed earlier, as well as avoid electronics so that I can fall asleep faster.  Getting as much sleep as possible at this point would help me greatly and (hopefully) boost my immune system so that I'll get better faster! 

Sleep in Literature (20)

While reading the article Caffeine and the Coming of the Enlightenment by Roger Schmidt, I found it interesting how many different prominent authors and pieces of literature mentioned or discussed sleep.  For example, Schmidt refers to Shakespeare's Macbeth, and The Tempest, as well asNicholas Hart's sonnet titled Astrophil and Stella.  The idea that modern readers view sleep as "... A metaphor for death... [and] nullity..." is also presented by the author, and I believe this is an accurate assertion.  When analyzing text, sleep is viewed as something with a grave or negative connotation with a sense of foreboding for a specific character.  However, when analyzing the meaning to poets and authors like Shakespeare and Hart, sleep is much more than a mere metaphor.  These writers view sleep in such a way that it "... makes our waking life seem little..." and as a completely different world.  This interpretation embodies a sense of mystery.  The idea of sleep and the meaning of it in literature continues to change and shift as literature changes.  I'd like to learn more about sleep within different pieces of literature now that I have a scientific understanding of sleep!

Worrying About Sleep (19)

A few nights ago, I had a night where I didn't get very much sleep and I had some nightmares that kept waking me up. Needless to say, I was exhausted the next day, so the following night I slept really well.  However, the night after I got some rest, I began to worry about if I would sleep well or not since I didn't feel extremely tired when I got into bed.  As you might expect, I didn't sleep well that night either, and I actually had more disturbing dreams.  After reading from Sleep:  A Very Short Introduction, I learned that the process I just went through can actually lead to a form of insomnia (yikes!).  I've decided that when I start to worry about sleep from now on, I will take the time to do something that helps me relax, such as write or read for a short amount of time. I have a really bad habit of automatically getting on my phone when I can't sleep at night, but I've also learned that the light from electronics will prevent my brain from secreting melatonin, which is definitely something I need!  Having the ability to assess my sleeping problems and know the solution to each problem has been extremely beneficial to me throughout this semester.

Insomnia (18)

In The Promise of Sleep, the author, William C. Dement, gives two accounts of insomnia that led to two very frightening outcomes.  First, he writes about a story that occurred in 1991 when a woman who was, at the time, experiencing some very traumatic life changes that led to an extreme amount of stress.  She began losing sleep at night for an extended amount of time, and because of this, got into a serious car accident while she had her sister's children with her.  There were no deaths, but various injuries of different severities.  Because of the woman's sleep deprivation, she was caught off guard by her sleep debt while driving, which resulted in her running a red light.  The second story was about a friend of Dement's.  The man and his wife had travelled to France, and due to the intensity of the jet lag the couple was experiencing, they crashed into a ravine.  The man walked away from it, but his wife, however, sustained fatal head injuries.
What strikes me the most about this section of The Promise of Sleep is the serious effects of sleep deprivation and insomnia that aren't always taken into consideration.  For example, one's concern while experiencing insomnia is often limited to his or her ability (or lack thereof) to sleep at night.  Falling asleep while driving, on the other hand, will more than likely not be a huge concern of this particular individual.  Dement's discussion of these two accidents is eye opening when it comes to the effects of sleep deprivation as a whole, and I think it's important to be aware of these potential problems in order to prevent further accidents.