In the Sleep Revolution Arianna Huffington encourages people to sleep their way to the top. Literally sleep their way to the top.
In her new book, she explains that sleep deprivation has taken a toll on our mental abilities and has reduced our capacity to perform both at work and socially. She cites a study that revealed that the performance of someone who gets 6 hours of sleep per night for two weeks straight is equal to the performance of someone that has gone twenty-four hours without sleep.
So then why are we all so tired and sleep deprived?
Huffington points to the Industrial Revolution as the origin of pervasive sleep deprivation. “Artificial light allowed the night to be colonized, [and] mechanization allowed for it to be monetized, and capitalism had no use for sleep.” As was the case with factory workers, sleep became devalued and scorned. After all another hour sleeping was another hour not working. And another hour not working was another hour not making money. And another hour not making money is an hour wasted.
In order to indoctrinate people with this capitalistic view towards sleep, going without sleep was framed as a sign of masculinity and strength. And to this day, this mentality towards sleep remains. In her new book, she encourages as to shuffle off this mentality, take pause, and perchance to dream.
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