With the upcoming presidential debates, we're reminded of Rick Perry's trouble during the Republican primary. At his worst, he couldn't remember the third government agency he would eliminate if he became president. (It was the Department of Energy.)

A new book, "Oops," blames Perry's failings on his insomnia for weeks during the campaign. Author Jay Root, who covered the  campaign, says that Perry was finally diagnosed with sleep apnea, for which he was given a machine to help regulate breathing.

In his book, "Sleep for Success!," Dr. James Maas, professor at Cornell University, warns that lack of sleep "significantly affects mood, performance, relationships, health, and even longevity."

Discussion Starters:

• Do you believe that lack of sleep caused Perry's debate problems? Here's an embarrassing sequence of his failings during the campaign.
• Other than getting more sleep, how could Perry have improved his debate performance?