Sleep tight

A balanced diet and good habits are important for optimal health. Fortunately, Saipan gets high marks on this count: Beer and canned meat provide a broad nutritional foundation, while cigarettes offer the relaxing satisfaction that helps manage stress.

But we don’t want to get too complacent about things, since, yes, even for us there’s room for some improvement. So here’s something from the experts that might be an easy sell: Get your sleep.

Modern science has apparently awakened to the fact that plain ol’ sleep is actually a critical component of health. I think I noted this topic last year, but it doesn’t lack for press this year either, so it sure isn’t going away.

In fact, the warnings about sleep deprivation seem to be getting more dire; heck, it’s enough to keep us awake at night.

One big idea is that sleep unleashes the cleanup crew for the brain, which flushes out toxins so they can be tossed overboard. It’s possible, so they say, that a lack of sleep can cause actual brain damage.

Meanwhile, some really nasty afflictions, such as cancer and heart disease, are said to be linked to a lack of sleep.

Normal slobs like me will never understand all the fancy science, but all of us have to make our own decisions about this stuff anyway.

As for me, all-nighters for work or travel never bothered me much. Maybe it’s not healthy, but it’s easier for me to face this stuff than the zombie-like regularity that is so common these days.

In fact, like it or not, and healthy or not, being able to function with very little sleep is simply a demand for some professions. This isn’t news to anyone who has served in the military and who associates that groggy, fog-minded “zero dark hundred” feeling with their days in uniform.

As for a longer-term nocturnal schedule, as opposed to the occasional all-nighter, my pals and I agree that the older we get, the more grinding those gigs are. These are hard miles to put on the odometer, especially when you’re well beyond your warranty point.

The paradox, however, is that of the most deeply unhappy people I’ve seen, the vast majority had safe, comfortable, daytime jobs and routines.

So, while modern life alleviates many a man from having to, say, stand watch on a ship’s bridge at 3am in some lonely fold of the south Pacific, I’m not convinced that modern life can fill the gap with anything better. There’s no formal way to tally the balance, but at some point you have to sit in your beach chair and live in your memories.

For those needing a bit of occasional help to shift into the sleep mode, I’ll note that one popular method is to take a pill called Melatonin. This is a hormone the body produces to, among other things, regulate the sleep routine. The last time I looked it was easily found, over-the-counter, on Saipan. It’s cheap. Note that I’m saying it’s popular, but I’m not saying that you ought to take it, since that’s sure not my call.

If you get inspired to do some Web surfing about the topic, you’ll see that Melatonin is pretty interesting stuff. It apparently plays a role even in plant life.
Speaking of plant life, one thing I’ve noticed over the years is that many people seem to prefer watching TV to getting enough sleep. I suppose the more recent twist on this is computers, smartphones, or whatever.

Smartphones are proving to a great example of this effect. The draw of that electronic screen is so compelling that it can override even basic biological signals, such as (a) it’s time to go to sleep, or (b) you’re about to drive your car into an oncoming pickup truck.

When I was young the very notion of sleep was an affront to my sense of efficiency. But now that I’m older I reckon that efficiency is overrated, so the only affront I’m dealing with is a cheeseburger that’s sitting right affront of me now. And, after heeding this opportunity for good nutrition, I’m going to take a nap. How’s that for healthy?