[Reposting] Catching up on sleep science – Science360 News Service | National Science Foundation

Catching up on sleep science – Science360 News Service | National Science Foundation.

From the 21 January 2015 article

[Unfortunately was not able to copy the accompanying 7:37 minute video here]

Humans are the only species that seems to deliberately deprive themselves of sleep. But if you’ve ever uttered a phrase like, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” scientists say it’s time for a wake-up call. Researchers have long known that adequate sleep is critical for good health. Insufficient sleep impairs the immune system, and is associated with everything from obesity to cardiovascular disease, stroke to cancer, depression to schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease. Now scientists are several steps closer to knowing how sleep keeps us healthy.