Good sleep is the most important determinant for wellbeing and health, according to sleep researcher, Dr. Matthew Walker. His book, “Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams,” is both a bestseller and a “must read” for anyone concerned about their health and wellbeing. Learn more about Walker's findings and how they affect you at a Lunch & Learn being held in at the Boothbay Harbor Community Center. We'll watch videos of interviews with the author and read selected sections from his book. We'll have a lively discussion about our own sleep habits and what we can do to improve them. Bring a lunch and enjoy drinks and dessert at the Community Center on Wednesday, Nov. 28 from noon to 1:30 p.m.

According to Matthew Walker, if you get less than eight hours of good sleep, your immune system is negatively impacted, your vitality and sexual function are diminished, your memory is bad, you can't learn, and you have trouble healing and losing weight. Dr. Walker explains that being “under-slept” has now been determined to be one of the causes of cancer--so much so that night-time shift work has been declared a probable carcinogen by the World Health Organization. In his book, Walker cites research by David Gozal at the University of Chicago in which sleep-deprived mice suffered a 200 percent increase in the speed and size of cancer growth.

Walker also describes the role of the hippocampus in the brain as the "filing system" for memory during sleep and admits that, as we age, we lose at least 60 percent of its function. His research has shown, however, that stimulating the brain with electricity during sleep can dramatically improve the function of the hippocampus and restore our ability to remember, even with Alzheimer's.

So, come to this free Lunch & Learn session to discover why sleep is so important to your wellbeing and what you can do to improve the quality and length of your sleep, and that of your family members. This free program is co-sponsored by the Boothbay Region Health Center's Fit, Flexible & Strong Wellness program and the Community Center's Empowered Patients' group. It is open to all.