Counting sleep

The metabolic cost of a late-night bender could be steep. Clinical experiments conducted in the University of Colorado demonstrated that an average person could lose or save at least 135 calories for staying awake or sleeping eight hours at night.  Laboratory tests also showed that when wakefulness was extended to 24 hours, the energy expenditure further increased 7 percent. This loss, however, slowed down by about 5 percent during recovery episodes—which included 16 hours of wakefulness after an entire sleep-denied night, then eight hours of snooze.

In other words, the total displaced or stored amount of calories is equivalent to walking two miles, half an hour of shoveling or bike ride, a 12oz can of soda or a three-egg omelette.  Anyone who has been in the battle of the bulge would know the significance of 135 to 150 calories, and that sleeplessness could be an appealing slimming option.

Sleep deprivation, mind you, compromises your physiological and mental health and not the best method of shedding extra weight. Chronic sleep loss leads to impaired cognition and motor skills, and this fact, I am sure, does not require any further investigation. Some acquaintances of mine who often  render extra office hours tend to become forgetful of online passwords and keys, or on how to button blouses and shirts properly. Further, some are even apt to eat more during the day to compensate for lack of vigor.

The study, however, did not elucidate how sleeping can be non-fattening too. The researchers surmised that stored energy is diverted into other physiological functions.

-----------------------------

“I’ve reached my goal this early in the year,” remarked Brother Goy. One of the deepest dozers in the friary, he can switch on and off anytime his body surrenders to gravity. And he always gets seven hours.

“Good for us, brother,” said Nuckmunn, the friary’s watchman. "How’d you stop snoring?”

“Oh that?  No, no, no—I’m down from 250 pounds!”

“Okay...”

“The mat work and the new mantra worked!”

“I didn’t know you even had a mantra.” An intrigued Nuckmann whispered, “But it must be divine revelation- tell me, what is it?”


Goy stepped back and said emphatically, “I can 210!”

The guard frowned at him. “Say what?”

“I can two-ten!” said Goy.

“I can 210?”

“I can 210!”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.”

-----------------------------

Researchers have conjectured that the energy wastage could be much higher to those with sleep disorders. I think the study could serve as a baseline guide for those suffering insomnia and apnea, and allow them cautionary measures to offset the lethargic effects via catnaps or by rebooting the sleep cycle completely.

There are probably a hundred ways to go straight to dreamland. A $20 billion industry already addresses such need—from OTC and prescriptive drugs to mattresses and pillows, and from binaural recordings to sleep rental centers.

The friary does not have the best prescription to help anyone catch some Zs. What works for most of us is exceedingly idiosyncratic.  Brother Je, for instance, cannot snooze peacefully without a cutout polyester mosquito net wound around his feet.  Brother Juan can drop off anywhere but he fancies rooms that smell of books and old mattresses with deep body indentations.  Musty, smelly blankets lull Tio Jee to dreams.

Some guests of the monastery have shared their bedtime eccentricities too. One visiting old-timer is severely afraid of going to bed without a black cloth draped over his head. He says the fabric will hide him if Death passes by. Another rags-to-rich caller prefers beach towel than the most expensive blanket in the planet.

-----

Sue, a vegan, was once sent to a little island in the West Philippine Sea for some community development work.

“The days in the beach were swell,” she sighed, “but the nights were another thing.”

“What do you mean?”

“A lady staying alone in a room, no matter how safe and beautiful, is just dicey.”

“So how’d you sleep every night?”

“I always made sure I go around the neighborhood, called on good folks and bid them good night. I made them  feel I’m one of them so no harm would come to me.”

“That simple?"

“Of course, I have to say my prayers every night.”

“And you slept like a babe?”

“Oh well, a pistol and whip under the pillow aren’t much comfort, but you get used to them.”


-----
REFERENCE: Sleep mode: The energy cost of sleep deprivation, http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-01-mode-energy-deprivation.html