Amidst all the fuss and turmoil over Michael Jackson’s untimely death, we have seen his life picked apart by many, covering everything from unhappy childhood to rock star status to problems with drugs. Now we learn that just trying to sleep may be what killed him.
We have learned that Michael had such trouble sleeping that he wound up resorting to propofol, an anesthesia product used in surgery. There have been many articles on this subject, including this recent item in the Huffington Post.
Imagine that. Cause of death? Sleep issues.
Now that’s just staggering.
Sleep! Sleep? Yes, sleep.
So far, not many people seem to have noticed the connection between sleep issues and stress.
You may have heard that the Huffington Post is pro-sleep. And with good reason. Have you noticed how many people are looking as though a truck ran over them? We don’t just mean politicians and people who travel for a living – how about our neighbors, co-workers or even family members.
Remember the pictures of Larry Summers falling asleep during the credit card industry meeting? This one picture epitomizes the dilemma so many of us seem to be facing. We can be so concerned about dealing with pressing issues that we don’t take care of ourselves through something as simple and natural as sleep, and then wind up running at a much less effective rate when we most need to be on top of our game. Which then means we will have even more to do when we come back.
A March 30th LA Times article by Denise Gellene quotes Dr. Gregg D. Jacobs, an insomnia specialist at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester as saying: "The first stress symptom people experience is insomnia. The size of the sleeping pill market can only go up because of the economy and stress."
According to research firm IMS Health, prescriptions for sleeping medications reached an all time high of 56 million in 2008, up 54% from 2004.
It seems as though 24/7 not only means the ability to access anything, anytime, anywhere, it also means that if you are going to be seen as worthwhile, you too will run 24/7.
What is it about our culture that something as simple and natural as sleep can be seen as a sign of weakness or lacking real commitment? We have jobs that are so important that we won’t let something as silly as sleep interfere. Why does going home "early" translate into a sign of weakness for so many corporations these days? (Early means before 9:00 pm.) How many of us just can’t seem to turn off our Blackberries or I-Phones? What if something urgent shows up in our email?
Vacation? Without email? Come on, get serious.
Continue reading on The Huffington Post.
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