Short Wave It's Okay To Sleep Late (But Do It For Your Immune System)
Mar 23, 2020
Dr. Syed Moin Hassan, a Sleep Medicine Fellow at Brigham and Women's Hospital, challenges the stigma around late sleepers and emphasizes the importance of quality sleep for immune health. He explains how our circadian rhythms and sleep patterns vary, advocating for a more inclusive perspective on sleep schedules. Hassan dives into the mental health issues faced by late risers and highlights how good sleep bolsters the immune system, urging listeners to prioritize rest without guilt.
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Late Sleeper Patient
- Dr. Hassan tweeted after seeing a young patient relieved to learn their late sleeping was normal.
- The patient's family pressured him to wake early, causing guilt, but his physiology favored later sleep.
Sleep 101
- Two factors control sleep: sleep homeostatic drive (brain waste buildup) and circadian rhythm (internal clock).
- Best sleep occurs when these two align, meaning your brain's garbage can is full when your brain clock says it's bedtime.
Unique Clocks
- Everyone has a unique circadian clock, and it's normal for it to vary like height or hair color.
- Society pressures everyone into the same sleep schedule, disadvantaging those with different clocks.