Table Of Content
Sleep
and
9tssecrets
1be.River ~
Crystal Li9bt
Sleep
and
]tsSecrefs
1heRiverof
Crystal Light
Michael S Aronoff, D
JV[
" INSIGHT BOOKS
SPRINGER SCIENCE+BUSINESS MEDIA, LLC
Library of Congress Cataloging-In-Publication Data
Aronoff. Michael S.
Sleep and Its secrets the river of crystal light I Michael S.
Aronoff.
p. em.
"Insight books."
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-306-43968-1 ISBN 978-1-4899-6056-6 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-1-4899-6056-6
1. Sleep. 1. Title.
[ONLM, 1. Sleep. WL 10e A769s1
QP425.A76 1991
~54.6--dc20
ONLM/DLC
for L1Drary of Congress 91-24100
CIP
Cover photo by Michael S. Aronoff, M.D.
ISBN 978-0-306-43968-1
© 1991 Springer Science+B usiness Media New York
Originally published by Plenum Press, New York in 1991
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1991
An Insight Book
All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming,
recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher
To the memory of my father, William R. Aronoff,
and to my daughters, Amanda and Jessica.
They have anchored me, and are an inspiration
to me . . . more than he knew or they know.
Prefatory Note
Wynken, Blynken and Nod one night
Set sail in a wooden shoe
Sailed on a river of crystal light
Into a sea of dew. ...
Eugene Field,
Wynken, Blynken & Nod
The wellspring of this book actually derives from two sources.
First, the fascination with human behavior and the mechanisms by
which it is piloted. Secondly, the joy of adventure and discovery.
With regard to the first, consider this venture a guided
expedition ... not through the Amazon Rain Forest, along the
Great Barrier Reef, nor round the limitless corridors of space, but
closer. Much closer. Within us all, just over the boundary from
wakefulness, and occupying fully one-third of our lives, lies a
mysterious world both timed and timeless. This realm of sleep,
with its rules, mechanisms, and inventions, and with its dreams,
soundlessly whispering in our unguarded ears, is subject to vaga
ries which affect the very pulsing and throbbing of life itself. It is
into this dominion that we sail.
Regarding the second fount from which this work springs, we
shall be like travelers in a fascinating but foreign land. . . sharing the
explorers' delights of discovery, carried along by interest and bol
stered by the building knowledge about what we observe. Through
out, our curiosity will serve as a beacon to help illuminate the way
as we embark on this journey down the "river of crystal light."
vii
Acknowledgments
No endeavor, such as this project, reaches completion without the
input, both direct and indirect, of many supporters. I am in
debted to a large number of such colleagues, friends, and family.
And I am now privileged to have a platform from which to express
my appreciation and my gratitude, both of which have always
been felt but perhaps not completely articulated.
With regard to my colleagues, they come in two forms. The
first is my professional mentors and peers through whom I have
been exposed to a level of intellectal discipline, sophistication, and
challenge that was, and continues to be, extraordinary. They
include Drs. Francis H. Parker, Eliot Stellar, Daniel X. Freedman,
Willard Gaylin, Frederick K. Goodwin, Howard F. Hunt, Shervert
H. Frazier, Roger A. Mackinnon, and Robert Michels ... thought
ful teachers and superb researchers and clinicians who proved to
be not only sources of seasoned knowledge but also of sage advice.
A special acknowledgment to three colleagues, in particular: Dr.
Leith McMurray, with whom I initiated preliminary discussions
about this book many years ago, and Dr. Richard C. Friedman and
Dr. Zira DeFries, stimulating and supportive friends through thick
and thin.
The second group of colleagues comprises patients who pro
vided me with the opportunity to know them and to grow with
them. They must indeed be acknowledged.
I am grateful to two friends, especially, A. Joseph Lipton and
ix
x ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Caroline Edwards, who have generously and selflessly supported
me and my endeavors. And to my editor, Norma Fox, whose iron
hand never once showed through her silken glove, I am indebted
for her faith and for her sensitive and gentle guidance. The three
have much in common: they are all competent, full of insight and
humor, and are never heavy-handed.
I must also acknowledge a man I have never met personally,
but whose writing and breadth of interest exerted a profound
influence on my own thinking and whose books provided me with
the model for this one ... Dr. Carl Sagan.
My parents, Reva and Bill, provided my brother and me with
an atmosphere of humor, optimism, and intellectual curiosity. It
has stood me in good stead and for it I will always be grateful.
Finally, I want to thank my wife, Dara, for her loving support,
editorial help, and understanding throughout this venture and
through our lives together. I am indeed fortunate.
Contents
Chapter 1
Introduction 1
Chapter 2
The ABCs of Catching Zs-Normal Sleep, What It Is: From
Rest to Slumber to Hibernation 21
Chapter 3
From Stuffed Teddies to Hot Toddies: Sleep in the Young
and Sleep in the Old 47
Chapter 4
The Elephant and the Blind Men: Various Approaches
to the Brain and Behavior ... Sleep Efficiency and
Naps 65
Chapter 5
The Early Bird Catches the Worm, so let Me Sleep on It:
Sleepiness, Performance, and Creativity 89
Chapter 6
It Must've Been Something I Ate: Nutrition and
Sleep 107
xi
xii CONTENTS
Chapter 7
The World of REM Sleep: One Side of Alice's Looking
Glass 131
Chapter 8
Sweet Dreams: The Other Side of the Looking
Glass 155
Chapter 9
Ondine's Curse-and Other Sleeping Sicknesses 185
Chapter 10
Getting on a First-Name Basis with Mr. Sandman: Pills,
Potions, and Remedies 215
Chapter 11
Wake Me Up When It's Over: An Overview 245
Bibliography 263
Index 271
