Ashwin Lewis
Sleep is a basic need for life, just like eating and drinking. Scientific evidence suggests that critical functions occur during sleep that are connected with maintaining health and life. Sleep researchers warn that adequate sleep is as important for living as food and water. The Barenaked Ladies' song *Who Needs Sleep?* explores the topic of insomnia.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Song Title | Who Needs Sleep? |
| Performer | Barenaked Ladies |
| Location | Lexington, KY |
| Date | 3-05-04 |
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What You'll Learn
Sleep is a basic need for life
The biological patterns that help humans live according to the 24-hour day-night cycle are called circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms are internally driven cycles of biochemical, physiological, and behavioural processes of living beings that rise and fall across the 24-hour day. Sleeping in one consolidated block at night allowed early humans to simultaneously avoid predators, conserve energy, and meet their need for rest. It also kept them from having to adapt to life in two very different conditions—daylight and darkness.
Sleep researchers warn that adequate sleep appears to be as important for living as food and water, and people should get the amount of sleep they need. 'Insufficient sleep', 'poor sleep', and 'inadequate sleep' refer to sleep that is not long enough for the person, is poor in quality due to frequent arousals or awakenings, or is not appropriately timed with circadian rhythms.
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Insufficient sleep is associated with a broad range of health and safety risks
Sleep researchers warn that adequate sleep is as important for living as food and water. Scientific evidence is mounting that sleep is a basic need for life, similar to the need to eat and drink.
Although science does not have the full answer about why we sleep, evidence is mounting that critical functions occur during sleep that are connected with maintaining health and life. Healthy sleep is linked to feelings of wellness, good mental health and body weight, safety, and preventing infections and the development of many types of chronic illnesses.
Insufficient sleep, on the other hand, is associated with a broad range of health and safety risks. These include premature death, obesity, vehicle crashes, worker errors, and various chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
The biological patterns that help humans live according to the 24-hour day-night cycle are called circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms are internally driven cycles of biochemical, physiological, and behavioural processes of living beings that rise and fall across the 24-hour day.
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Circadian rhythms are internally driven cycles of biochemical, physiological, and behavioural processes
The master circadian pacemaker, or circadian clock, in the hypothalamus of the brain, synchronises and controls the timing of peripheral circadian oscillators (clocks) throughout the human body. The pacemaker has an internally driven 24-hour rhythm that tends to run longer than 24 hours but is reset every day by external timing cues to keep the cycle at 24 hours.
Disruptions of circadian rhythms have been linked to sleep disorders, diabetes, depression, and bipolar disorder. These ailments can increase employee absenteeism, which is costly for employers. Employees who are sleep-deprived are also less prone to work at their maximal productivity.
Scientific evidence is mounting that sleep is a basic need for life, similar to the need to eat and drink. Healthy sleep is linked to feelings of wellness, good mental health, and body weight, safety, and preventing infections and the development of many types of chronic illnesses. Insufficient sleep, on the other hand, is associated with a broad range of health and safety risks, including premature death, obesity, vehicle crashes, worker errors, and various chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
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Who Needs Sleep? by Barenaked Ladies
'Who Needs Sleep?' is the tenth track on Barenaked Ladies' 1998 album, *Stunt*. The song is about the experience of insomnia.
The lyrics describe the narrator's inability to sleep, even when they "lay [them]self down not to sleep". They "swim in sweat three inches deep" and are filled with "lists of things to do and things [they've] done". The narrator questions the purpose of sleep, asking, "Who needs sleep? Tell me, what's that for?". They suggest that being awake has its benefits, as there is "so much joy in life, so many pleasures all around". However, they also acknowledge that insomnia can be a burden, as they "count sheep" and "count heartbeats" instead of sleeping.
The song also references alcohol as a "permanent accessory" and a "party-time necessity". It's possible that the narrator's insomnia is related to alcohol consumption, although this is not explicitly stated in the lyrics.
Overall, 'Who Needs Sleep?' is a playful yet thought-provoking take on the experience of insomnia and the challenges and unexpected pleasures that come with it.
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Sleep and wellness
Sleep is a basic need for life, just like eating and drinking. Scientific evidence suggests that critical functions occur during sleep that are connected with maintaining health and life. Healthy sleep is linked to feelings of wellness, good mental health, and body weight, safety, and preventing infections and the development of many types of chronic illnesses. On the other hand, insufficient sleep is associated with a broad range of health and safety risks, including premature death, obesity, vehicle crashes, worker errors, and various chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
According to some theories of sleep, sleeping in one consolidated block at night allowed early humans to simultaneously avoid predators, conserve energy, and meet their need for rest. It also kept them from having to adapt to life in two very different conditions—daylight and darkness. The biological patterns that help humans live according to the 24-hour day-night cycle are called circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms are internally driven cycles of biochemical, physiological, and behavioral processes of living beings that rise and fall across the 24-hour day.
Sleep researchers warn that adequate sleep appears to be as important for living as food and water, and people should get the amount of sleep they need. 'Insufficient sleep', 'poor sleep', and 'inadequate sleep' refer to sleep that is not long enough for the person, is poor in quality due to frequent arousals or awakenings, or is not appropriately timed with circadian rhythms.
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Frequently asked questions
Insomnia.
Workers in the motion picture industry and the dangers of sleep deprivation.
Sleep is a basic need for life, similar to the need to eat and drink. Scientific evidence suggests that critical functions occur during sleep that are connected with maintaining health and life.
Insufficient sleep is associated with a broad range of health and safety risks including premature death, obesity, vehicle crashes, worker errors, and various chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
Circadian rhythms are internally driven cycles of biochemical, physiological, and behavioural processes of living beings that rise and fall across the 24-hour day.
