Sleepy Decisions

My good friend Bob sent me a very interesting article from a recent story from BBC NEWS:
Published: 2006/02/17 11:07:40 GMT

Scientists discovered what we have all known for years: Big decisions need a bit more time. Time to sleep that is.

"A Dutch study suggests complex decisions like buying a car can be better made when the unconscious mind is left to churn through the options. This is because people can only focus on a limited amount of information, the study in the journal Science suggests."

Several experiments showed that "conscious thought" means that the brain can only focus on a few things at the same time, which can lead to some aspects being given undue importance.

This leads to what I have heard called "analysis paralysis" or someone's inability to actually make a decision. The good news is that many of these decisions are not critical but ones that require data collection at a normal pace. When making a life or death decision I would not want my doc saying, "hmmmmmmm that looks like a big brain tumor cutting off all the blood to Dr. Mike's brain, but I'm just not sure. I think I will 'Sleep on it' to see if I order another MRI or do surgery..."

This study concerns decisions more along the lines of large purchases such as a house or car.

There is also a flip side to this in that if one is sleep deprived we still do not know how this would affect complex decision making even if left to the unconscious mind. My guess would be that we may not process all of the information on a sleepy brain and could still make the "wrong" choice.

The moral of the story is simple: If you don't sleep on your big purchase decisions you could easily end up with a 2-seater convertible as your only car for a family of 4. But hey -- you sure would get to drive it a lot!

Related Topics: Quiz: Is Lack of Sleep Hurting Your Job Performance?, What Is Your Sleep Personality?

Technorati Tags: sleep, decisionmaking, focus

Sleepwalking to Jail

In a recent bizarre state of events, jurors did not believe a sleepwalking defense mounted by a man accused of breaking and entering. He was convicted of "house break-in with intent" in the town of Nevis on St. Kitts Island.

A gentlemen walked into his spare bedroom to find someone asleep under the bed his father was sleeping in. The accused denied being there but eventually was convicted of the crime and sentenced to 18 months in jail on top of the 18 months he had already served.

What is interesting to me was that there have been far more serious cases of sleep walking (the Sleepwalker Murder case. for instance) where the accused was found innocent due to a situation called REM Behavior Disorder. This is where people act out their dreams while in a REM state, which is a bit different than sleep walking. Both are treatable with a medication called Klonopin.

I cannot tell you if this person was sleepwalking or not when he entered a stranger's home and went to sleep under the bed, but it does seem highly unlikely that he would break in and then go to sleep.

Moral of the story: Put an alarm on your door next time you are in St. Kitts.

Related Topics: WebMD Video: Sleep Apnea, Personal Reporter: Answers About Sleep Problems

Technorati Tags: sleepwalking, REM Disorder

Melatonin: A Safe Sleep Supplement?

A recent comment had several questions about Melatonin and I thought it may be best to describe it more in blog format. Here are the basics:

• Melatonin is made by the body's pineal gland.
• When the sun goes down, darkness activates the pineal, and melatonin production begins. Melatonin has been called the "Dracula Hormone"
• As melatonin levels in the blood rise, we also become less alert - and sleepy.
• Melatonin is available as a dietary supplement, synthetic melatonin is the only hormone sold in the United States without a prescription. Thus it is not harvested from animal pineal glands, but made synthetically.
• In many cases it is manufactured from organic substances, one of which is cow vomit.
• Light and darkness can be important factors in natural melatonin release. In addition to sunlight, artificial indoor lighting can be bright enough to prevent its release.
• Studies where Melatonin has been shown to be effective include: Travelers for Jet Lag, and Shiftworkers, however these were very controlled dosages at certain times.
• Research on insomnia however has not been very clear cut.
• Some studies show Melatonin helps shorten the time it takes to fall asleep and reduce the number of awakenings and other research shown little to no effect.

The next question might be: Well if it may work then should I just try it and see?

My answer is: "Well, it depends" and here is why:

• For melatonin to be effective, you will require the correct dosage, and to take it at the right time of day for your sleep problem.  That means you should see a sleep professional about its use and dosage.
• There is also the question of safety and purity. In most countries, including Canada, use of Melatonin is closely regulated and requires a prescription written by a physician. In the U.S, it is not regulated as a medicine. Since it is not regulated by the FDA, the dosage listed on the bottle may not be accurate, may not be pure, and side effects at these dosages may not have been determined. The producer does not have to do any of that with unregulated drugs. Further, melatonin can increase blood pressure and affect fertility in animals, which may mean similar problems can occur in humans..

Proceed with caution and and the assistance of a qualified sleep specialist before using Melatonin.

Related Topics: Melatonin Modestly Effective For Sleep, Stopping Jet Lag Before It Starts


Technorati Tags: melatonin, sleep