Book Review: Sleep Well Again

Sleep is possibly the most underestimated, under-appreciated part of our day. Browsing through an assortment of books for sale, I came across Lisa Morrone’s “Sleep Well Again” (pub. 2012) and decided to give it a try. I was rewarded with new insight into a fascinating common activity.

For starters, the day starts at night. One need look no further than the Biblical account of the first day: “there was evening and there was morning, the first day.” Makes complete sense in that we are to properly rest first to get ready for coming day.

Next is advice for parents: don’t use something as precious and valuable as sleep as a punishment, as in: “You’re going to bed an hour earlier tonight!”  Same as with writing or reading – don’t associate a good or healthy activity with the negative aspect of punishment. (Or like the cross country t-shirts: “Our sport is your sport’s punishment.”)

Experts say the average person needs a solid seven to eight hours of sleep each day, and make that 9.25 hours for teenagers.

The body has a Circadian rhythm on roughly 24-hour cycles, during which it undergoes numerous physical changes as it literally repairs itself for the next onslaught of wakefulness. Miss out on just two of those necessary eight hours and you lose 25 percent of the time that your body’s nerves are being fixed and tested to be ready to go for the next day.

Keep doing that and you quickly fall into sleep debt. Just like spending more dollars than your income, it is not sustainable and will catch up with you, generally to the degree that you overdo it.

Morrone offers numerous tips on preparing for a good night’s sleep such as lower lighting, a comfortable temperature, avoiding stimulation (noise and video) in the last hour before bedtime, and even doing certain things during the day to prepare for the night such as stopping caffeine intake early enough, etc.

Once in bed, posture goes a long way toward getting rest and even overcoming pain distractions. There are more details than we can go into here, but it is highly advised to never, never sleep on your stomach.

The book also has chapters devoted to dealing with physical and emotional issues that cut into sleep. If better sleep appeals to you, give it a read.

Good night – sleep in heavenly peace.