Excuses, Excuses

"Surely a nap is better than nothing!” many protest. I would reply “dream on,” except they would only be dreaming if they were sleeping. Research at the University of Michigan reported that while naps can help slightly, the effect is so minor as not to be meaningful. In college I did my share of short-sheeting my sleep in favor of studying, yes, but often just hanging out with friends. After a year of that, my immune system protested loudly. It took a couple of months to build it back up. I began studying the phenomenon of sleep and all the tasks that must be done during slow-wave sleep, and I made a decision. I enjoy living. Sleep deprivation is not an option. Period.