We all know the benefits of getting adequate sleep. Two recent studies points out the effects of sleep patterns on body weight.

In one trial, children who slept less than 9 hours per night were three times as likely to be overweight, independent of their level of physical activity. Children with shorter sleep duration were also more likely to be emotionally labile than children who slept longer. Read more →

It wasn’t uncommon for me to hear all about rated-R movies. The blood, the gore, and then, of course, the proceeding nightmares and sleep deprivation. I’m not slamming rated-R movies but there is a reason why they are given a Restricted Access rating. But yet, here were my 8 and 9 year old students chiming in, one after another, “Oh yeah, I saw that!”

I couldn’t hold back my opinion of them watching these murder-filled dramas… but, in the end, it didn’t matter. I wasn’t their parent and so it was up to someone else to make that decision. Read more →

For those of you who don’t know. The 80 hour work week is a relatively new limitation for resident physicians in training. This rule was put into effect a few years ago to prevent sleep deprivation among physicians in training. The rule was meant to curtail medical errors such as incorrect prescriptions, wrong procedures, or any time of malpractice that is more likely to occur when a physician does not have enough sleep.

Some of us trained in medicine at a time when there were no work hour restrictions. 100 plus hour work weeks were a norm. Read more →

I have an announcement so earth-shaking that I will, just for today, suspend all scientific citations. I am here to liberate you from a great deal of suffering.

I hereby give you permission to go to bed angry.

Here are ten perfectly good reasons: Read more →