For the lonely, sleep may suffer first, then health

It's not hard to imagine that when our distant ancestors began to band together for protection from predators, they probably slept better too (at least those who were on the inside of the tangle of sleeping bodies). A new study finds that all these years later, the link between sleep, society and survival remains fundamental: When we feel connected, we sleep better -- and very likely are better.

By Melissa Healy, Los Angeles Times / For the Booster Shots blog

November 2, 2011