The Science of Willpower

And a man comes to your office and says, I've experienced lack of quality of sleep daily for 47 years. I have had SBD and sleep apnea with co-morbity of high BP, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, insulin resistance, obesity, cancer, behavoir disorder, impulsiveness and poor self-control, impaired cognition, impaired learning, and impaired productivity.

A nightmare, a Flowers For Algernon kind-of nightmare. SBD since early childhood due to complex facial abnormalities - deviated nasal septum and polyps, recessive chin and large neck.

And to know, Dr. Albert Einstein realized his full cognitive abilities with quality sleep of 10 hours. His earlier problems with cognition amd learning is not attributable to ADD or ADHD, it appears to be sleep hygiene and/or sleep disorder related.

And this leads up my perspective. Now that I've started CPAP two years ago, have had exceptional intelligence and "potential" and realize all that was not gained due to SBD and sleep apnea (and alluding to FFA - I don't want to clean crappers ever). Having the poor quality of sleep is having a poor quality of life and having not built a satisfying cornerstone and foundation for education, career and social life. Perhaps it is I was just born under a bad star, Al-Gol the Asphysiator, a pre-destined astological formula. But, since I am awake and alert, I ask my inner self, do I have will, health, time and financial resources enough to architect, construct and set a self-satisfying capstone in my prevailing years? I suppose the mice don't ask this question of themselves when their induced sleep deprivation is suppressed no longer.

This article seems to suggest that 10 hours of sleep is ideal. But I've always heard 7-8 hours for an adult is the best. I believe there some research that suggests oversleeping (sleeping 10-12 hours) can actually lead to health problems in the brain. I, of course, don't have references so if I'm wrong please correct me. Can anyone comment to this effect?

Hi Neal,

I think this Stanford study was an exceptional case b/c it involved athletes who were in training both physically and academically (as Stanford students). Most people's lives are probably not both physically and cognitively taxing to the same degree. Since sleep restores energy and consolidates learning, more intense training should lead to greater sleep needs. But the research I've seen for most adults is the 7-8 you mentioned (which is still a good deal more than most adults get). In an ideal world we'd probably all sleep as much as we needed to depending on the stress of our lives, and as fits our individual needs.

Kelly

It is interesting to notice that Descartes as a child had a special deal with his school - he could simply show up when he had had sufficient sleep. This deal was only granted him because he suffered from an illness. The short biography I read (from a mathematics magazine) wrote of his success in school that it was his extraordinary intellect that helped him pass exams without having participated in morning lessons, but I suspect he had an easier time learning and understanding while well rested.