GETTING TO SLEEP, PLEASE
I thought Richard Stockton’s article on sleep issues was well written. What spoke to me was the idea that as we age sleeping well can become harder – that is certainly true for me. I now use a CPAP attachment [Continuous Positive Airway Pressure]and find it very helpful although I had to get used to using it.
Also I would suggest not drinking alchohol before going to bed. You may feel it makes you feel sleepy, but it also disturbs the sleep pattern.
Richard also presents lots of ways to deal with sleep concerns. As for someone who doesn’t always sleep well, it spoke to me.
Nick Royal | Santa Cruz
SERIOUS ABOUT SLEEP
I read your article on sleep apnea and though well-intentioned it is also quite misleading in the recommendations made and also downplayed the seriousness of this condition. I had severe sleep apnea and snored loudly and could never recall my dreams in the morning. My breathing would stop more than 90 times each hour.
My ear nose, and throat doctor recommended throat surgery, a uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP, or UP3) as an alternative to using a CPAP machine for the rest of my life. In 1999 I chose the surgery and have had restful sleep for the past 25 years. The surgeon told me at the time that I would start to have vivid dreams as my brain was not entering a REM state as a result of my sleep apnea and he was correct.
There are the health benefits in terms of reduced risk of stroke but more important was the quality of life benefits. Surgery is usually most beneficial for obese people but in my case it was still effective with my BMI of 25.
Bruce Stenman | Prunedale
DEEP THANKS FROM DEEP READS
What an unforgettable finale to this year’s Deep Read! Our culminating event on James featuring author Percival Everett in conversation with our own Deep Read Faculty Co-Lead, Vilashini Cooppan, was an inspiring conclusion to the program. First and foremost, thank you to Percival Everett for joining us in Santa Cruz for our main event—and congratulations on James winning the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction! A heartfelt thank you to Renata Bratt and Brian Fitzgerald for the moving performance that set the perfect tone for the evening, and thank you to Jose Reyes-Olivas and the Quarry Amphitheater staff for hosting a beautiful event. And to the almost 1,300 Deep Readers who joined us in person: your enthusiasm and engagement made the event truly special.
The full event is now available online for the next two weeks.
Irena Polić | Founding Director, The Deep Read Project, Managing Director, The Humanities Institute
