SLEEP ON IT
Recent research could have big impact on sleep.
Earlier this month, a trio of scientists won the 2017 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for their work on something known as circadian rhythms. My friend Elaine, who was a good sport when I prodded her for a question, asks, “Why should anyone care about this research?”
Dr. Prescott Prescribes
Do you ever sleep? If so, then should be interested in the research that earned Jeffrey Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael Young Nobel honors.
Using fruit flies, the scientist isolated a gene that controls the rhythm of a living organism’s daily life. They then used this discovery to understand the biological rhythms of plants, animals and humans.
Specifically, through decades of experiments, they came to understand how circadian rhythms — those that operate in a 24-hour cycle — regulate critical functions such as behavior, hormone levels, sleep, body temperature and metabolism.
The scientists isolated a gene and discovered that cells use it to make proteins that build up at night, during sleep. During the day, the protein degrades.
Why is this important? It may seem obvious now, but this work taught us that the misalignment between our lifestyle and our inner timekeeper could affect our well-being. And by well-being, I don’t just mean short-term effects like decreased attention span and memory and increased risk of accidents. We’ve since learned that prolonged disruption in our circadian rhythms also can contribute to heightened rates of a variety of illnesses, including heart disease and diabetes.
What’s more, the work also provided us with means to reset our biological clocks when they get knocked out of kilter by things like intercontinental air travel or irregular work schedules. Thanks to this research, we now understand that strategies like exposing ourselves to light immediately after a long flight can recalibrate our sleep cycles. Similarly, we’ve discovered that using a blackout mask can coax the body into sleep in unlikely — but, often, necessary — circumstances.
The reason these approaches work is not psychological. Rather, it’s because we’re manipulating the biological machinery that this trio of scientists discovered. And by manipulating, I mean controlling it in a way that’s advantageous to us in the short run (quickly morphing us from jetlagged zombies into our functional, happy selves) and the long term (helping reduce our risk of cardiovascular illness).
Like anyone who’s ever tossed and turned in the wee hours, I know that we don’t have perfect answers for every sleep problem. But we’ve come a long way in both recognizing the importance of sleep to our health and in taking steps to combat sleep deprivation.
That knowledge should help us all rest a little easier.