This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/live/2016/dec/02/why-is-there-a-sleeplessness-epidemic-join-our-live-look-at-the-week
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| What does the Lib Dem victory in Richmond mean? Join our live look at the week | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 1.04pm GMT | |
| 13:04 | |
| Our colleague James Walsh has been speaking to readers in the Richmond Park constituency, resulting in this piece which is worth a read: | |
| 12.52pm GMT | |
| 12:52 | |
| The Liberal Dems – the only progressive party able to take advantage of Brexit schism? | |
| Toby Moses | |
| What does the Lib Dem victory in Richmond mean? Could a pro-EU message take a swathe of seats from the Tories? This graph by pollster James Kanagasooriam suggests that around 20-25 seats have enough people who voted Remain to overturn the Tory majority from 2015, so would be vulnerable to a similar swing – even without any drop in Tory popularity more generally. | |
| Richmond one of a small group of Tory seats vulnerable to Remain tactical voting. Graphic below indicates up to c.20-25 could be vulnerable pic.twitter.com/VeSWeylAaI | |
| The question then becomes, can Labour take advantage? The Lib Dems are well placed – there are very few loyalists not in favour of staying the EU. Labour has a whole other problem with a swathe of northern Labour seats with large leave majorities. If Corbyn pivoted to an anti-Brexit, block Article 50 position he might win over a few Tory seats, but he’d surely leave the north exposed to Ukip’s message that Labour is out of touch. That it wants to defy the will of the people and simple doesn’t understand what its base wants. | |
| It’s a pickle for the Labour leadership to be sure – and one that is unlikely to be easily solved, which means the Liberal Democrats will be the only progressive party able to take advantage of the Brexit schism in the country. If they take enough seats from the Tories, and Labour can hold on to what they’ve got at the next general election a progressive coalition government could be a possibility – which I would suggest makes the chances of an early election slim. The risk is simply too great for a prime minister with a small majority and a reputation for playing it safe. | |
| 12.41pm GMT | |
| 12:41 | |
| You’ve been sharing more vews in response to the question of sleep in the comments. | |
| I definitely keep myself awake far too long in the evenings, mainly because I feel robbed of time after a day at work. When I come home I'm desperate just to spend time enjoying not being at work, relaxing, feeling equilibrium return. I arrive home exhausted and annoyed. I get a second wave of energy at about 9pm and that's bed by 11 gone out of the window. | |
| 12.24pm GMT | 12.24pm GMT |
| 12:24 | 12:24 |
| Are we telling our bodies to do something totally unnatural? | Are we telling our bodies to do something totally unnatural? |
| For millennia, people went to sleep, then woke up for a few hours, then went back to sleep again. First sleep, second sleep. This is how we sleep. It's the natural way to do it. The idea of sleeping all night so we can go to work all day is entirely artificial, has only been around since the industrial revolution and not surprisingly, many people can't do it. What's surprising is that we can expect them to, or even ask them to do something so unnatural. | For millennia, people went to sleep, then woke up for a few hours, then went back to sleep again. First sleep, second sleep. This is how we sleep. It's the natural way to do it. The idea of sleeping all night so we can go to work all day is entirely artificial, has only been around since the industrial revolution and not surprisingly, many people can't do it. What's surprising is that we can expect them to, or even ask them to do something so unnatural. |
| 12.10pm GMT | 12.10pm GMT |
| 12:10 | 12:10 |
| Our sleeplessness epidemic: why we are not getting enough shut-eye | Our sleeplessness epidemic: why we are not getting enough shut-eye |
| Paula Cocozza | Paula Cocozza |
| This week a report claimed that poor sleep costs the UK £40bn a year. People sleep badly, go into work, and with foggy heads do their best. But, whatever your job, such days are less productive than they should be. | This week a report claimed that poor sleep costs the UK £40bn a year. People sleep badly, go into work, and with foggy heads do their best. But, whatever your job, such days are less productive than they should be. |
| If only we could all sleep seven to nine hours a night, the UK would be wealthier. (The figures also showed a sharp impact of sleeplessness on productivity in the US, Japan, Canada and Germany.) Some companies provide napping areas. Others try to make the workplace feel homely. | If only we could all sleep seven to nine hours a night, the UK would be wealthier. (The figures also showed a sharp impact of sleeplessness on productivity in the US, Japan, Canada and Germany.) Some companies provide napping areas. Others try to make the workplace feel homely. |
| But isn’t the real problem the endlessness of the working day, now revolving tirelessly around a world clock, the greed with which work wants to swallow the rest of our lives, so we stare at our smartphones when we should be sipping camomile and reading Marilynne Robinson? | But isn’t the real problem the endlessness of the working day, now revolving tirelessly around a world clock, the greed with which work wants to swallow the rest of our lives, so we stare at our smartphones when we should be sipping camomile and reading Marilynne Robinson? |
| Do you, like this reader, remember better times? | Do you, like this reader, remember better times? |
| In one of my first jobs about thirty years ago, one of the manager's I worked for used to have a short nap in his office after lunch. But those were definitely different, less pressured times. | In one of my first jobs about thirty years ago, one of the manager's I worked for used to have a short nap in his office after lunch. But those were definitely different, less pressured times. |
| Share your thoughts below. | Share your thoughts below. |
| 11.47am GMT | 11.47am GMT |
| 11:47 | 11:47 |
| Welcome to our weekly social | Welcome to our weekly social |
| Sarah Marsh | Sarah Marsh |
| We look forward to getting started. This is a space for our readers to discuss the week’s news and comment articles, with input from writers above the line. It’s been an eventful week, and we will talk about everything from the sleeplessness epidemic to the Richmond byelection. Join us now – and if you have any questions or comments about this feature get in touch (sarah.marsh@theguardian.com) | |
| Updated | |
| at 12.40pm GMT |