Winston ChurchillÕs Afternoon Nap

by Jeremy Campbell

Explains how biological clocks control a variety of daily activities and routines and also examines "psychological clocks" and the relationship between them and the sense of self

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, History

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1986

Reviews

[Trevor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember enjoying this book, but very little else about it. I've read a number of books by Campbell and have enjoyed them all. I come away from them knowing things I would never have even thought were things one might know. This one is about our perception of time and our various body clocks. The best part of the book, for me, was the story of the man who spent months in the bottom of a mine while scientists stuffed around with his various body clocks. Still suffering years later from the effects of this - it just goes to show that maybe there are some things we ought not to play around with.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this nonfiction "inquiry into the human nature of time" shortly after it first came out in 1987, but wanted to re-read it because I remembered it as full of fascinating information. It still is, although some of the research may be a little dated for those who have kept up with the study of the brain and biorhythms. The best parts are the ones on our many body clocks, how they affect us, which cycles can be gradually adjusted and which can't. For instance, whether we are "Larks" (morning people) or "Owls" (afternoon-evening people) affects our body-temperature peaks and is closely connected with our secretion of epinephrine. Being a lark or an owl is not a free choice and is very difficult to overcome (and as an "Owl" I can attest to this). It rules everything from glucose metabolism to our response to jet lag. The body also has potassium cycles, hormone cycles, cortisol cycles, and many many others, all operating on their own "clocks." When dealing with illnesses, the importance of timing when to take certain kinds of medicine can make a big difference to the body, as can the timing of chemotherapy as related to cell division cycles. There is even a 24-hour rhythm in the width of bronchial tubes (widest between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.), which will be of interest to those with asthma. And it's of interest to us all to know that different kinds of food are metabolized differently at different times of day.

There's a lot of interesting material here about sleep and its various stages, about the different kinds of memory, and as well as fascinating facts about the pineal gland. It turns out that, in frogs, the pineal gland actually IS a third eye, being directly receptive to light. The larger the pineal gland in an animal, the more important timing is to their survival. (In evolutionary terms, mammals who gave birth at the wrong time of year would have a hard time keeping their young alive, for instance.) And a number of the time periods enshrined in our culture (the 7-day week, the 90-minute film) actually have their roots in our recurrent body rhythms. The reader will also pick up tips on when the perfect time for a nap is based on your sleep schedule or when and how much coffee to drink before a transatlantic trip.

If this sort of information fascinates you, you probably won't find a more readable version of it. I'm sure some of this research has been taken further by now, certainly in medical journals, but Winston Churchill's Afternoon Nap will still be new to the average reader.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

an exploration of the science of  biochronology, how the clock and course of the day affects our brains  and health.  Written back in 1986, the book summarizes much of the  research on temporally related behavior that is still used today. Our biological clock. Our circadian rhythms, our sensitivity to seasonal  lighting.  Explores the history of our relationship with time. Very  interesting read,

[Alec · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dense yet illuminating read filled with surprising bits of wisdom and insight.

[Jonnie Enloe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Subject matter is excellent. A real Churchill fan reads everything Churchill. This is not different.
It is rather abstract and the story line becomes heavy at points. Implications for many disciplines is obvious but author, in my opinion has a hard time getting to the point of his book.

[Marty Mayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rediscovered this when I retired and began to dig into my bookshelves! Still fascinating. Even more relevant now than when I initially read it decades ago! Campbell pithy style appeals to me.