The Times this weekend features reviews of 'Why we sleep' by Matthew Walker. The author maintains that sleep is the 'pre-eminent' force in the health trinity of diet, exercise and rest. Lack of sleep does not just diminish memory and concentration. It 'triggers a domino effect that will spread like a wave of health damage throughout your body'. There is a long list of shock statistics quoted e.g. Adults over 45 who sleep less than 6 hrs are 200% more likely to have a heart attack or stroke, gain weight, catch colds more easily and are more vulnerable to cancer. He says a night with 4 hrs sleep destroys 70% of the natural killer cells in the immune system. Not to mention that men who sleep less have smaller testicles...
Sounds a bit sensationalist to me.
Personally I love the long audax rides, and had a 'quiet' season just ended (Only 5 rides recorded, but average per ride 400 miles). However, as I get older I certainly have noted a tendency to pick up colds on a too regular basis, so maybe I'll cut back on the very long rides involving sleep deprivation. Either that or ensure I get more sleep between events
Over to you folks to continue the discussion...