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Sleep Should Be Prescribed
Article

Sleep Should Be Prescribed

What Those Late Nights Out Could Be Costing You

The Guardian, 2017

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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Scientific
  • Applicable
  • Eye Opening

Recommendation

Do you burn the candle at both ends? Modern life tends to demand nothing less, but as journalist and writer Rachel Cooke reveals, lack of sleep takes a terrible toll on human health and well-being. Sleep isn’t only a chance for the body to rest; the brain also prepares itself for the next day. If people shortchange themselves on sleep, they quickly become unhappy, unwell and unproductive. For no cost at all, a good night’s sleep protects you from a vast array of nasty diseases and leaves you mentally and physically refreshed. getAbstract recommends this article to anyone who would like to get more sleep.

Summary

Matthew Walker is the champion of getting a good night’s sleep. As director of the Center for Human Sleep Science at the University of California, Berkeley, his focus is on how sleep affects well-being throughout people’s lives. His book Why We Sleep explores the dangers of sleep deprivation, which start taking effect when people get less than seven hours a night. Cancer, obesity, mental health issues, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes and car accidents all become more likely with sleep loss. Lack of sleep disrupts hormone production, making it easier to...

About the Author

Rachel Cooke is a journalist and writer. She has written for the New Statesman, The Observer and The Guardian.


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