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Chapter 2: Sleep
The foundation of human health and performance
Sleep remains a hugely undervalued element of life. Chapter 2 of the HHWPS project sets out to put things into perspective by 1) understanding the critical role of sleep in human health and performance and 2) figuring out how to sleep well in today’s crazy world.
We start with the summary article from this chapter where I present an elegant 5-part blueprint for sound sleep. All other articles are listed below.
Let Me Scare You to Sleep
Sleep science has progressed by leaps and bounds in recent years. Here is the central scientific message: Sleep is not just important for good health and performance — it’s the foundation. This article summarizes all the things that can go wrong when this foundation is poorly maintained.
It’s Time to Ditch Your Alarm Clock
Here’s the simplest test of whether you’re handicapping yourself through chronic sleep deprivation: Do you wake up with an alarm clock? If you do, I’m afraid you’re sleep deprived by definition because your brain is repeatedly yanked out of sleep before it is ready to awaken.
This article will help you return to a natural sleep pattern where your mind gets to wake up when it’s had its fill of regenerative sleep
Return of the Siesta: My Surprisingly Successful Afternoon Napping Experiment
Do you often feel sluggish in the afternoon? Well, your body is trying to tell you something: Take a nap!
Yes, the siesta is the most natural human sleep pattern, but it’s totally incompatible with our daily 9–5 corporate grind. Luckily, asynchronous remote work has arrived to restore this privilege to many of us. If this opportunity comes to you, I strongly recommend you take it!
My Data-Driven Review of Classic Sleep Advice
The world is slowly accepting the vital importance of healthy sleep. And this paradigm shift is filling the internet with sleep advice. But there’s a problem: very little of this advice comes with any indication of how well it actually works. In this article, I crunch the numbers to rank several classic pieces of sleep advice.
Are You a Skilled Sleeper?
The final article in this chapter presents two important tests: 1) whether you’re chronically sleep-deprived and 2) whether you give you mind and body sufficient sleep opportunity. A lifestyle that scores well in these tests will set you up for a long and prosperous life 🙂
