Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams

by Matthew Walker

It is worth reiterating that which we learned in the chapter on the effects of sleep deprivation in humans and rats: a loss in the ability to maintain core body temperature, cardiovascular stress, respiratory suppression, and a collapse of the immune system. Why are we not designing NICUs and their care systems to foster the very highest sleep amounts, thereby using sleep as the lifesaving tool that Mother Nature has perfected it to be? In just the last few months, we have preliminary research findings from several NICUs that have implemented dim-lighting conditions during the day and near-blackout conditions at night. Under these conditions, infant sleep stability, time, and quality all improved. Consequentially, marked and significant improvements in neonate weight gain and significantly higher oxygen saturation levels in blood were observed, relative to those preterms who did not have their sleep prioritized and thus regularized. Better still, these well-slept preterm babies were also discharged from the hospital several weeks earlier!