Why We

Sleep
✦

UNLOCKING THE POWER

OF SLEEP AND DREAMS
✦

Matthew Walker, PhD

WhyWeSleep_TO_1_circadian.pdf 1 5/11/17 10:27 AM

Figure 1: Typical Twenty-Four-Hour Circadian Rhythm

(Core Body Temperature)
37.2

Rectal Temperature (°C)

37.1

37.0

36.9

36.8

36.7

36.6
12 pm 4 pm 8 pm 12 am 4 am 8 am
Time (Twenty-Four Hours)
WhyWeSleep_TO_2_melatonin.pdf 1 5/11/17 10:29 AM

Figure 2: The Cycle of Melatonin

50
Melatonin (pg/mL plasma)

40

30

20

10

0
Noon 6 pm Midnight 6 am Noon
Time

WhyWeSleep_TO_3_effects.pdf 1 3/16/17 10:40 AM

Figure 3: Effects of Various Drugs on Spider Web Building

Normal LSD Speed

Marijuana Caffeine

2
Figure 4: The Two Factors Regulating Sleep and Wakefulness

Sleep reduces adenosine

(Decreasing sleep pressure, or Process-S)

Process-S
(Sleep drive)

Process-C
Circadian
(Wake drive) sleep sleep
7 am 11 pm 7 am 11 pm 7 am

WhyWeSleep_TO_5_urge.pdf 1 5/11/17 10:31 AM

Figure 5: The Urge to Be Awake

Strong urge to be awake

(Small distance between Process-C and Process-S)

Process-S
(Sleep drive)

Process-C
Circadian
(Wake drive) sleep sleep
7 am 11 pm 7 am 11 pm 7 am

WhyWeSleep_TO_6_urgetosleep.pdf 1 5/11/17 10:31 AM

Figure 6: The Urge to Sleep

Greatest urge to sleep

(Greatest distance between Process-C and Process-S)

Process-S
(Sleep drive)

Process-C
Circadian
(Wake drive) sleep sleep
7 am 11 pm 7 am 11 pm 7 am

3
 WhyWeSleep_TO_7_ebbandflow.pdf 1 5/11/17 10:32 AM

Figure 7: The Ebb and Flow of Sleep Deprivation

Overpowering urge to sleep
Weak urge to sleep
Strong urge to sleep
Process-S
(Sleep drive)

Process-C
Circadian
(Wake drive) awake awake sleep
7 am 11 pm 7 am 11 pm 7 am

WhyWeSleep_TO_8_architecture.pdf 1 3/16/17 10:48 AM

Figure 8: The Architecture of Sleep

Cycle 1 Cycle 2 Cycle 3 Cycle 4 Cycle 5

Wake

REM

NREM Stage 1

NREM Stage 2

NREM Stages 3 and 4

(Slow wave sleep)

11 pm Midnight 1 am 2 am 3 am 4 am 5 am 6 am 7 am

Time of Night

WhyWeSleep_TO_9_brainwaves.pdf 1 3/16/17 10:49 AM

Figure 9: The Brainwaves of Wake and Sleep

Awake

Deep NREM sleep

REM sleep

50µV
1s

4
WhyWeSleep_TO_10_sportsinjury.pdf 1 3/14/17 10:46 AM

Figure 10: Sleep Loss and Sports Injury

80
70

% Chance of Injury
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
6hr 7hr 8hr 9hr
Average Sleep

WhyWeSleep_TO_11_nba.pdf 1 6/15/17 1:00 PM

Figure 11: NBA Player Performance

More than Eight Hours Sleep vs. Less than Eight Hours Sleep

+12% Increase in minutes played

+29% Increase in points/minute

+2% Increase in three-point percentage

+9% Increase in free-throw percentage

+37% Increase in turnovers

+45% Increase in fouls committed

WhyWeSleep_TO_12_car.pdf 1 3/16/17 10:51 AM

Figure 12: Sleep Loss and Car Crashes

<4 Hr 11.5
Hours of Sleep

4–5 Hr 4.3

5–6 Hr 1.9

6–7 Hr 1.3

x2 x4 x6 x8 x10 x12
Increase Crash Risk

5
 WhyWeSleep_TO_13_obesity.pdf 1 3/14/17 11:26 AM

Figure 13: Sleep Loss and Obesity

10 hr 35%

Obese Individuals (US)

Average Sleep Amount
9 hr 30%

25%
8 hr
20%
7 hr
15%
6 hr
10%
1960 1980 2000 1940
Date
WhyWeSleep_TO_14_memory.pdf
(Year)
1 3/16/17 8:55 AM

Figure 14: Example of a Memory Association Network

UC Berkeley

Berkeley Courses Sports

California Quake Graduate Academe Football

Sun Tsunami Job Knowledge Stanford

Beach Ocean Money

WhyWeSleep_TO_15_sleepingpills.pdf 1 Advance
6/15/17 1:03 PM Rivalry

Figure 15: Risk of Death from Sleeping Pills

6X
Odds Risk of Death

5X

4X

3X

2X

(baseline) 1X

NONE ½–18 18–132 >132

Sleeping Pills Used/Year

6
 WhyWeSleep_TO_16_globalecon.pdf 1 3/16/17 8:24 AM

Figure 16: Global Economic Cost of Sleep Loss

(A) $450 $411 (B) 3.5%

2.9%
$375 3.0%
2.3%
2.5%
$300
Billions (US $)

1.9%
2.0%
1.6%
$225

GDP
1.4%
$138 1.5%
$150
1.0%
$60
$75 $40 0.5%
$21

$0 0.0%
US UK Canada Japan Germany US UK Canada Japan Germany

Nation Nation

WhyWeSleep_TO_17_intervention.pdf 1 3/16/17 9:11 AM

Figure 17: Levels of Sleep Intervention

Societal

Public Policy/
Government

Organizational

Educational/
Interpersonal

Individual