Sleep Speech

Sleep
(Speech from CL manual - the basic manual)

(Intro)
Many of you tonight will have trouble even following my speech. Why? Chronic sleep deprivation.

By show of hands, how many of you typically fall asleep within minutes of your head hitting the pillow?

If you say yes, you are probably chronically sleep deprived.

We all need at least 7 to 8 hours per night to feel rested. Many don’t get this much.

Why?
Busy 24/7 society.
Television.
9/11.
The amount of sleep has dropped 25% since the invention of the lightbulb in 1879

40% of Americans are so sleepy during the day that it interferes with daily activities.

(Body)
What are the consequences of sleep deprivation?

Sleep deprived doctors have been found to make more mistakes [mention to Sal that he would be in trouble if one of his pharmacists gave out the wrong drug in Greenwich]

People on night shifts sleep 2 hours less per day – 40 times more likely to have an accident driving home [find an audience member with a long commute and ask them if they get enough sleep]

Sleepy motorists may now kill more than drunk drivers

Accidents more likely
Chernobyl
Three Mile Island
Bhopal
Exxon Valdez

As horrifying as these accidents are – I want to talk about something more insidious, what lack of sleep can do to you:

Symptoms:
Impaired performance
Immune system
Irritability
Lack of concentration
Depression
Forgetfulness
Impotence

Sleep is perhaps the best indicator of mortality (better than whether you smoke, exercise, blood pressure, or cholesterol)

Bad sleepers are 5 times more likely to have health problems (Finland study)

(Conclusion)
Tips for getting a good night sleep
Bed for sleep only
Exercise (not just before sleep)
Alcohol (disrupts your sleep)
Time - Go to sleep and wake up at the same time

Sample: Competitive Eating Speech
An advanced speech about eating contests, and differs strikingly from this example in that it is scripted almost word for word.