Woody Smith of Dayton, Kentucky killed his 28 year old wife in May of last year. The prosecution claims it was murder. Smith’s defense said he was insane, not aware of what he was doing due to caffeine pills and energy drinks, leading to such severe sleep deprivation that he strangled his wife. The defense […]
What happens when you “veg out?” (9/19/10)
Vegging out. You can hack, goof, hang, yet the meaning’s the same – idly and passively doing “nothing.” But is your body really doing nothing? Ask a plant. Americans are so used to working and living with machines, and seeing vegetables, fruits and cereals as commodities that magically appear on store shelves like industrial products […]
Pill=Sleep? Seven Secrets of Sleeping Pills (9/16/10)
Patients come to me frequently with this question: “Do you have a pill that will let me sleep through the night, lose weight, get rid of my stress and depression and not have side effects?” No, I don’t have that pill, but something better – a way for you to accomplish these goals and create […]
Awake, asleep, or both?
Sleep is local. Different parts of the brain are awake or asleep at the same time, just as people can be “active” while other parts of their body are rebuilding through what we call “rest.” These insights have actually been around for a while, but have been given further impetus by James Krueger’s recent work […]
Is lack of rest making kids fatter, dumber, angrier and sicker?
What is lack of rest doing to us? Recently I was asked that by Erin Andersen of the Lincoln Journal Star in an article that appeared today:http://m.journalstar.com/mobile/article_e6aae064-bf79-11df-8427-001cc4c03286.html. Here are some answers: Are kids fatter? Yes, and the data are worrisome. Recent articles here have talked about how relatively minor sleep deprivation in toddlers increases obesity, […]