A gene has been discovered for FASPS (familial advanced sleep phase syndrome ). This is the polar opposite of me and my delayed sleep phase syndrome - whereas I naturally fall asleep around 2-3am and get up about lunchtime, these are people who fall asleep around 5pm and wake up in the very early morning. I thought it was really interesting that the researcher specifically commented that "Some see it as a problem, while others enjoy being morning larks ... Whether you see it as positive or negative depends on your perspective". For me, DSPS means it's almost impossible for me to have a regular 9-5 job. I just can't make myself fall asleep early enough in the evening to get up early, so after a week of 8am starts with 2am bedtimes, I'm running on a severe sleep deficit. Should I attempt to continue this for several weeks, my immune system collapses and I go down with viruses and exhaustion. It's much more sane for me to work afternoons and evenings than to try to force myself onto a schedule that I simply cannot maintain. From the point of view of the social model of disability, I'm disabled by the fact society expects the majority of professional people to work 9-5.

Fan death. Fan death is an urban legend that originated in South Korea, where people believe that if they leave an electric fan running overnight in a closed room, they might die (by suffocation, poisoning, or hypothermia). It's very... :O See also Penis panic (Genital Retraction Syndrome). As for why we were looking this up, Richard is currently reading the book The Meaning of Tingo (and other extraordinary words from around the world), and found the word "koro". He didn't believe that people could believe their genitals could just disappear, so I googled it, and found the Wikipedia entry.

For the artists and those who enjoy art: Peter Callesen - papercut art. Today's link of the day on User Friendly. My fingers are far too fat & clumsy for me to be able to ever do anything this intricate - it's truly impressive!

Tags: boooks, links, sleep disorders
Current Music: Paradise Lost - "Believe in Nothing"