Light is a Drug If reading this at night, you might want to dim the lights. Q: What is the drug everyone is sensitive to? A: Light. (Some, but not all blind people are exceptions – more below) Q:What does it do? A: Change body clocks; in the daytime improve mood and create vitamin D; […]
Dying to win – Internet gaming and sleeplessness (3/1/11)
An Unnecessary Death In 1967, Tom Simpson died on the 13th stage of the Tour de France. The superb British cyclist had won considerable fame in his short life, and was expected to join the greats of the sport. The autopsy showed small amounts of amphetamine and metamphetamine, a combination that killed him climbing stony […]
Lazy Cakes – waiting for a new non-prescription drug disaster (2/18/11)
Relaxation Brownies? Lazy Cakes is two ounces of sleeping medication masquerading as a chocolate brownie – an attempt at a “natural pot” brownie, as it’s advertising implies. It contains a warning on the back, four separate lines within a bracket of one quarter of an inch, lines small enough that children will not see them […]
Booze disrupts sleep – and you’re surprised? (2/16/11)
A Different Kind of Nightcap A study on alcohol and sleep from the University of Michigan has gained much press attention – though much of the news is not new. Yes, alcohol powerfully disrupts sleep. It disrupts lots of healthy processes necessary for body regeneration. The real news may be that media people find the […]
Who’s flying your plane? (2/7/11)
When Your Pilot Falls Asleep – and Locks the Door Sometimes folks fall asleep and you can’t wake them up – not for quite a while. When it’s your SAS pilot flying you from Copenhagen to Stockholm, it does provoke comment. Last year, as reported by Fran Golden in AOL Health, a short hop, one […]