Spring Break
The Daily OrangeSleeping, day or night, vital to maintaining a healthy body, lifestyle
By A.J. Donatoni
Posted: 2/13/07, 9:49 PM EST Section: News
Each person's biological clock can explain why a nap could be so helpful to an individual, Barlow said. The sleep-wake cycle can be eased with a midday nap.
"There's evidence that the body clock that controls the sleep-wake cycle has a secondary output, exactly 180 degrees out of phase from the middle of the night, which is the middle of the afternoon," he said. "So if you satisfy the sleep-wake cycle by sleeping at that time, it can be a refreshing thing to do."
Kathryn Cook, a sophomore civil engineering major, said she thinks her nightly sleep patterns are fine, but that she doesn't take naps during the day.
"During the week, I probably go to bed around 12:30 a.m. and wake up at 8:00 every day because I have a 9:30 class," she said. "I'm pretty comfortable with that, and I don't take naps during the day. I probably would consider taking them if they would be beneficial to reducing heart disease."
Despite the findings of each study, there is still a lot of mystery surrounding the science of sleep and that many other variables come into play for good health, Barlow said.
"Sleep alone would not promote cell birth, and the study says that," he said. "Even with prolonged deprivation, there was a rebound - even an increase in cell birth. There's still a lot we do not know about sleep, but it is undoubtedly critical for good health."
"There's evidence that the body clock that controls the sleep-wake cycle has a secondary output, exactly 180 degrees out of phase from the middle of the night, which is the middle of the afternoon," he said. "So if you satisfy the sleep-wake cycle by sleeping at that time, it can be a refreshing thing to do."
Kathryn Cook, a sophomore civil engineering major, said she thinks her nightly sleep patterns are fine, but that she doesn't take naps during the day.
"During the week, I probably go to bed around 12:30 a.m. and wake up at 8:00 every day because I have a 9:30 class," she said. "I'm pretty comfortable with that, and I don't take naps during the day. I probably would consider taking them if they would be beneficial to reducing heart disease."
Despite the findings of each study, there is still a lot of mystery surrounding the science of sleep and that many other variables come into play for good health, Barlow said.
"Sleep alone would not promote cell birth, and the study says that," he said. "Even with prolonged deprivation, there was a rebound - even an increase in cell birth. There's still a lot we do not know about sleep, but it is undoubtedly critical for good health."
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