Sleep Vital to Health

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Health Message from Wagoner Community Hospital

(May 2, 2008) Sleep refreshes us like nothing else can. Even though we spend 33% of our lives asleep, most people do not make sleep a priority. Since May is Better Sleep Month, it’s a great time to focus on the importance of sleep to our quality of life.

“More than half of women surveyed admit that they are sleep-deprived,” said Casey Hanna, M.D. “In fact, women are more likely to be sleep deprived than their male counterparts. Yet, the consequences of a poor night’s sleep are significant: higher stress, increased mistakes and difficulty concentrating. Like proper nutrition and exercise, adequate sleep is essential to feel better, think sharper and enjoy life more fully. Sleep allows your body to catch up on maintenance work such as replacing old cells with new ones and re-energizing organs and muscles. And sleep allows the brain to absorb the day’s learning and improves the ability to learn repetitive skills such as riding a bicycle or working on a computer.

“Chronic sleep deprivation may be part of America’s obesity problem,” Dr. Hanna continued. “Lack of sleep has a bad effect on leptin, the appetite control hormone. Leptin levels rise during sleep, but production depends on the duration of the sleep. During periods of insufficient sleep, low leptin levels in the brain may trigger a surge in appetite.”

How can you improve the quality of your sleep?

Check your mattress. If you’re not sleeping as well as you did a year ago – and there are no other health conditions or contributing factors – the culprit may be your mattress.

When mattress shopping, don’t go by price, appearance or even brand name. It’s important to lie down in your preferred sleep position on the mattress you are considering.

Most couples need at least a queen-size bed to be comfortable.

Make sure your pillow provides proper support and comfort. The head should be raised enough to draw a straight line from the middle of the head through the back.

Keep your sleeping area dark. If you must sleep during the day, use special drapes to darken the room sufficiently.

Keep the room quiet. If you are easily disturbed by noises, consider running a fan or providing some type of “white noise” to block distracting sounds.

Keep your bedroom cool. Most people sleep best when temperatures are between 60 and 65 degrees.

Exercise regularly – but not right before bedtime.

Finish eating two to three hours before bedtime.

Maintain a regular schedule of bed and wake time. Regularly sleeping in on the weekends is a sign that you are accumulating sleep debt during the work week, and it’s best addressed by getting to bed earlier during the week.

Establish a relaxing bedtime routine, such as soaking in a hot bath, reading a book or listening to soothing music.

“The problem of insufficient sleep is not limited to adults,” Dr. Hanna continued. “It is also an increasing problem among school-age children. Children typically need at least nine hours of sleep each night. Good sleep improves school performance, learning, memory, mood, behavior and overall health.

“The average adult needs 7 – 8 hours per night to feel rested,” Dr. Hanna concluded. “If you experience daytime sleepiness, you probably aren’t getting enough sleep at night, or may a have a sleep disorder that robs your sleep of its restorative quality. Sleep is not a luxury – it’s vital to our wellbeing. So, if you’re not getting the restorative sleep you need, visit with your health professional. There is a sleep services laboratory at Wagoner Community Hospital. You may qualify for a sleep study.”