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Sleep
deprivation, even one or two hours less can impair learning,
memory, concentration and creativity. This is particularly
important for children’s classroom performance and behavior.
Children who don’t have enough sleep can be hyperactive,
whereas adults get sleepy.
Too
little sleep is associated with a shorted lifespan. Last
month, I wrote about the dangers of inflammation in the
body. With less than five hours of sleep per night, an
increased amount of inflammatory proteins are produced. This
increased inflammation is associated with heart disease,
stroke, diabetes, arthritis, premature aging and premature
death. A vicious cycle occurs because too little sleep is
associated with disease, and people who have chronic
illnesses don’t sleep as well.
Decreased sleep is associated with increased stressed,
increased blood pressure, increased cholesterol, and
decreased immune system function. Lack of sleep, especially
chronic lack of sleep, causes depression, irritability, and
you just don’t handle pain as well – which can make you
irritable, too.
Are
you trying to lose weight? Try getting more sleep. When you
have an adequate amount of sleep, your body is able to
promote more fat loss; but when you don’t get enough sleep,
you’re at risk for losing muscle mass. Also, the hormone
that increases when you are sleep-deprived – ghrelin, drives
your appetite. You seem hungrier. At the same time leptin
decreases. This is the hormone that signals fullness. So
you never feel full. You may seem more tired, with less
stamina; so you don’t want to exercise.
If you
recognize that you are not practicing good sleep hygiene,
here are some lifestyle changes to incorporate:
·
Try to have a more stable and
consistent schedule around bedtime.
·
To decrease stress, do some
relaxation activities, such as light reading, meditation or
prayer.
·
Avoid caffeine before
bedtime. It can stay in your system as long as 14 hours.
·
Avoid smoking before bed; the
nicotine can cause frequent awakening during the night.
·
Avoid alcohol before bed.
Although it is a sedative, it can also cause frequent
awakening two to three hours after it is cleared from your
system.
·
Before sleep, the bed is for
sex only – not TV, eating, or talking about emotionally
charged issues.
·
Minimize light, noise, and
temperature extremes in the bedroom.
·
Sleep in your bed, as opposed
to a couch or chair.
·
A clean environment seems to
be relaxing for some people.
·
Avoid fluids after 8 p.m.
·
If you must nap during the
day, limit it to 30 minutes.
·
Avoid heavy meals before bed.
If you need a snack and can tolerate it, try a little milk.
Milk has L-tryptophan which helps sleep.
Contact
Dianne Pettis, MS, FNP-0BD at 724-375-7519
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