Originally Posted by
Loose rivets
I wrote some yeas about about Matthew Walker's "Why we Sleep." I had expected it to be soporific in its own right but the weighty tome was more like a thriller from cover to cover.
Walker talks of micro-sleeps, and argues that they are more dangerous than being intoxicated. Indeed, while I write this, I realised I was acquainted with two people that died due to falling asleep at the wheel and not one while intoxicated. The notion being, that while drunk, you make some sort of decision. Asleep, nothing.
Like a lot of science literature, he delves into statistics. Some sleep related issues are more serious than alcohol and illegal substances combined. (sorry, I couldn't find what I wanted since there are five separate reverences, some of them quite long.)
He has a great deal to say about sleeping tablets, especially those that give a blast and then leach out slowly 'till dawn. Then folk drive . . . or fly.
Possibly the most highly qualified man in the world (it would take me too long to type out) though the book did receive some criticism. However, I'd like to know where that came from as he's been a thorn in the side to some very big-name companies and he doesn't pull any punches. The book is still on some university library shelves in the US.
People like p7lot do exist, but they are fairly rare and I'm not so sure about their broad-spectrum abilities while they're awake. Indeed, my personal anti-sleep Colonel Blimp managed to take off on our first flight on type, having become confused about which hands work what. Tillers, lever, spectacles, or indeed, none of them. The latter came tops on his list on this bright clear day at LHR. At some stage he walked across Palma tarmac with my jacket on. It wouldn't have been so bad, but he had twice my mass and half the altitude. I thought he was simple, but dare to close one's eyes for a moment and it was 'Hauled off the chief pilot's office etc, . . ."
Thank you , I got the book and it truly is eye opening, especially the chapter on Micro - Sleep.