Thought for the day

WHOEVER fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you. – Friedrich Nietzsche

IALMOST fell on my back over the weekend when I learned that the school year is almost over, but it may not have been shock that almost toppled me.

An aspiring matriculant was telling me that the exams – though going “pretty well” – was stressful; and the long hours of study was severely depriving him of sleep, but he was looking forward to the looming break, he told me.

I could almost relate to what he was saying, not because I was studying and staying awake all night, but simply because I had just returned from my trip overseas and was incredibly jet-lagged. I had left JFK International at 11.30am on Thursday and, after almost 14 hours in the air, landed at OR Tambo International at 8am on Friday.

Now do the math – 14 hours after 11.30am took my body clock’s time to 1.30am Friday, but here I was, back in good old SA, and the time here was 8am – almost 21 hours “later”. My body was trying to tell me that I should be fast asleep, but my geography was telling me that it was time to start my day.

Friends and family who are seasoned travellers had warned me that going to sleep would be a big mistake, no matter how badly I wanted to; and I had to do my best to stay awake and active till after sunset … so here I was speaking to a young Grade 12 pupil and hearing every second word he said as my brain fizzed, popped and crackled.

I remember high school and college producing its fair share of sleepless nights as I burned the midnight oil trying to cram my cranium with information – sometimes studying till the eastern horizon started getting brighter.

Recently I learned that this was not the best thing a studying student can do. According to research, if you don’t get enough sleep, the brain starts to falter, and, alarmingly, the first part of the brain that is impaired is the part that helps us reason, think, organise and plan. It’s that part of the brain that gives you a sense of calm and being in control, and which keeps you from being overwhelmed and moody.

Lack of sleep therefore apparently makes you edgy and you’ll find that you’ll struggle to problem solve; you’ll also be temperamental and irritable – which may explain my attitude during high school and college.

But there’s more. Memories consolidate in our sleep. Facts and details, when being memorised, are stored in a certain area of the brain for quick retrieval; but while you sleep that information is transferred into another part of your brain for long-term storage.

Therefore not getting enough sleep undermines memory consolidation and retention.

It’s also worth noting that a sideeffect of many medicines prescribed to aid sleep actually interferes with the process of memory retention.

A study was carried out on the masters of sleep deprivation – college students – of all people this sector of society do not understand the importance of good, nonmedicated, sleep. The students were divided into two random groups and were tasked with memorising a long list of made-up words and their “definitions”.

After the study period both groups were tested before researchers let one group go home to unwind and get some decent sleep. Meanwhile, they kept the other group awake doing various activities; and then 12 hours later they brought the two groups together and tested them again.

They found that not only did the group who slept score better than the group who didn’t sleep, they actually scored better than they themselves had directly after the study period.

So it appeared that sleep had actually enhanced their own ability to recall.

I realise that this information comes a bit late for those finishing up their exams, but maybe it could help the rest of us be less cranky, if we apply what we’ve learned … after we’ve consolidated all this information by, of course, sleeping on it a bit. HOME Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba is an intelligent and hard-working politician with a bright future in public service.

His meteoric rise as ANCYL president to occupying senior posts in the government has served to attest to his strong work ethic.

However, his controversial private life has often forced many observers to question if Gigaba has the temperament to serve as a cabinet minister.

The emergence of a video of Gigaba engaging in a sexual act is the latest in a series of controversies to engulf his colourful political career.

Other scandals in the recent past include extra-marital affairs, a public spat between his wife and an alleged lover, and the illegal naturalisation of the Gupta family, a matter that is the subject of an inquiry.

Gigaba has issued a statement saying the leaked video was meant for his wife only, and that it was through illegal interception that it landed in the wrong hands.

Assuming this is true, it would mean the whole hullabaloo is misplaced.

However, judging from his past misdemeanours it will be difficult for the public to take his word for it.

The political fallout from this sex tape will be too costly for future in government, and the embarrassment for the ANC will have far-reaching consequences.

The next few weeks will be crucial in terms of how Gigaba chooses to deal with this matter. However, those who hope he will finally fall on his sword must think again.

Gigaba enlisting the services of a spin doctor Vuyo Mkhize suggests the former finance minister has no intention of resigning.

The question that remains is how much can the public stomach?