100 Year Old Marathon Man, Sleep Deprivation, and Naps

Today Secretariat, Randall, and I ran a short loop.  The Secretariat Man is tapering for his Malibu run this weekend.  Unfortunately, I will be in the desert partying with Jack and Joan Sholl and Jonathan and Tara Jordan .Secretariat’s mother and sister live in Southern California, and he will visit them as well.  Have a safe trip Secretariat.

Randall, almost 57, is intending to run more consistently so that he can increase his mileage and be like Mr. Singh the 100-year-old youngster that ran the marathon. The last mile or so of our run,  Randall continued running, and even did repeats, while  Secretariat and I leisurely walked for our cool down.  In essence, we were door-to-door within the hour.

At about 9:30 Secretariat had his beer and I drank my smoothie.  They also munched on muffins, while we talked.  Incidentally, Randall had to go to work and Secretariat and I smiled.  Randall said something about working to support a lifestyle and retiring.  Keep running Randall.

Yesterday, some of you took the self-assessment test to determine if you are sleep deprived.  Scoring key is as follows: 0-15; no, you’re not sleep deprived. 16-24; you are on your way to sleep deprivation.25-36; yes, you are sleep deprived.

Now for physiological symptoms of sleep deprivation: 1. Increased reaction time or slower response time ;2.  Decreased body temperature; 3.  Decreased immune function, or increase in colds, flu; 4.  Stomach problems, like heartburn indigestion or menstrual irregularities; 5 .Higher blood pressure.

Psychological symptoms: 1. Mood swings, irritability, impatience, anxiety, depression; 2. Fatigue, sleepiness, decreased alertness and concentration, impaired memory; 3. Impaired judgment, increased errors or accidents especially traffic.

Which statistics are you?  A national poll indicated that 65% of people report that they do not get enough sleep.  Are you one of them? Lower marital satisfaction impacts sleep habits according to a poll taken by the National Sleep Foundation.  Almost ½ of those with less marital satisfaction say that they are sleeping less than five years ago, and more than 3/4 are more likely to experience a sleep problem than their more happily married counterparts.  34% of all adults report sleeping alone.  12% of married adults report sleeping alone.  Some medications used for sleep or depression have sexual side effects.

If you are experiencing excessive daytime sleepiness you might consider: 1. if you cannot get enough sleep or feel drowsy, naps as short as 20 minutes can be helpful.  Naps can maintain or improve alertness, performance, and mood.  Some feel groggy after napping, but these feelings usually go away within 1 to 15 minutes, while the benefits may last for hours. 2. Studies show that napping at the workplace is especially effective for workers who need to maintain a high degree of alertness, attention to detail, and who must make quick decisions.

For me, I enjoying naps and recommend it wholeheartedly.  I always feel so much better after a nap.  It helps me to relax and get centered.  Tomorrow, I head for Palm desert, to talk about my book, “It Has Nothing To Do With Age.”

Mr. Singh the Centenarian Marathon Man and Insomnia

"When you get into a tight place and it seems that you can't go on, hold on — for that's just the place and the time that the tide will turn."– Harriet Beecher Stowe

Do you have any idea as to what drives Mr. Singh the 100-year-old man, who completed the Toronto Marathon? First of all, he is a centenarian, which is a feat in and of itself.  Anybody that can live that long, must be doing something right.  I wonder what his secrets are?  I am sure that his diet has something to do with it; how he handles the stress in his life; his social connections; the amount of daily exercise; his thinking process; and the amount of sleep he gets are factors that I would be interested in learning about.

What do you think he told himself  (his self talk )during the 8 plus hours that special day in Toronto?  Do you think he asked himself why am I doing this?   What do you think his friends said to him, when they found out about his goal?  We all know that it begins with a goal if we want to accomplish a task.  It is clear that Mr. Singh is mentally tough.  I certainly would like to interview him.

My guess is that Mr. Singh does not have difficulty with his sleep patterns.  Do you have difficulty with sleep deprivation or excessive daytime sleepiness?   Let’s find out. The following is taken from a continuing education class by the Inst. for   Natural Resources.  The average amount of sleep needed: 1. newborn-14-18 hrs. 2. six months-12-16 hours;3. Six months to four years-12-13 hours; 4 .5 to 13 years- 7-8.5 hours; 6.  13 to 21 years-7-8.75 hours; 7.  Adults under 60-6-9 hours; 8.  Adults over 60-7-8 hours. It appears there is no data for Mr. Singh’s age group.

Are you getting enough sleep or are you not?  Take this self-assessment test.

The following is a self-assessment to determine if you are sleep deprived?

Rate the following statements: 0 equals never; 1 = sometimes; 2 = often; 3 =always

1.       I sleep through the alarm clock

2.      I have morning grogginess

3.      I need caffeine to help me wake up in the morning

4.      I need caffeine to help me stay awake during the day

5.      I have difficulty concentrating

6.      I turn down social engagements because of fatigue

7.      It is difficult to keep my eyes open while driving at night

8.      I fall asleep within five minutes of going to bed

9.      I am forgetful during the day

10.  I am irritable with family members and co-workers

11.  It takes me longer to get things done

12.  I experience the mid-afternoon slump

Tomorrow I will provide the scoring key.  Hopefully, you will have a good score and not be on the sleep deprived continuum.  Stay tuned and get your score tomorrow.