The beginning of the year is exciting. It provides the perfect opportunity to take stock and reassess what is important to us. On January first we often are filled with high hopes, good intentions, and resolutions for the coming year.
Personally and professionally, we have a lot to accomplish in 2019. Big objectives. Big projects. Big goals. But to achieve these worthy aims, it may be helpful to make more time in our schedules for restorative rest.
Thomas M. Heffron, referencing a report done by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society, highlights insufficient sleep as a national issue. “‘Sleep: A Health Imperative’ notes that about 1 in 3 U.S. adults sleep less than 7 hours per night. The CDC has called this chronic sleep loss a ‘public health problem.’ Why is a lack of sleep such a big deal? It’s because ongoing sleep loss has been linked to several of our nation’s biggest health problems.”
As much as we love the holidays, it tends to be a hectic time of year. Often our schedule is packed from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day.
In an article titled, “The Benefits of Slumber: Why You Need a Good Night’s Sleep,” Dr. Merrill Mitler, a sleep expert and neuroscientist for NIH, emphasizes that “Sleep services all aspects of our body in one way or another: molecular, energy balance, as well as intellectual function, alertness and mood.”
Getting insufficient quality sleep has been shown to increase many physical health risks:
• Stroke
• Diabetes
• Heart Disease
• Kidney Disease
• High Blood Pressure
• Weight Gain and Obesity
• Hormone Imbalance
• Compromised Immune System
• Increased Inflammation
• Decreased Efficiency of Vaccines
• Dementia and Alzheimer’s
• Workplace and Auto Accidents
• Shortened Lifespan
The increases in mental/emotional health risks are also numerous, including:
• Impaired Learning
• Impaired Judgment
• Impaired Memory
• Impaired Decision Making
• Impaired Problem Solving
• Inability to Focus
• Increased Errors
• Increased Aggression
• Lower IQ
• Decreased Productivity/Performance
• Increased Relationship/Marital Problems
• Depression
• Anxiety
Caregiving roles, hectic schedules, and constant availability through technology can all erode the quality of nightly rest. It is essential to try and counteract these sleep disruptions as much as possible to safeguard quality sleep.
What about when we are ready to rest but cannot fall asleep or stay asleep? According to the National Healthy Sleep Awareness Project, this is a problem faced by nearly 70 million Americans. If we are tired of counting sheep, it is time to talk to our doctor about our lost sleep.
Insomnia, chronic pain, sleep apnea, and other sleep disruptors and disorders can make getting quality rest extremely difficult. Having resources and professional support in dealing with disordered sleep is critical. It is essential to address these conditions with health practitioners and sleep specialists until regular restorative rest is achieved.
What are some tips for better quality rest?
1. Choose a consistent bedtime, preferably before midnight to promote healthy melatonin production.
2. Create a completely dark bedroom, avoiding light pollution from windows or electronic devices.
3. Keep your sleep area quiet, blocking out noise pollution with a white noise machine if necessary.
4. Invest in a high-quality mattress and comfortable pillows and bedding.
5. Make your bedroom temperature cooler. Most sleep experts recommend 60-68 degrees.
6. Avoid coffee or anything else containing caffeine after lunchtime.
7. Try an earlier dinner time, preferably at least three hours before bedtime.
8. Contemplate a complete technology ban in the bedroom. If that is not feasible, try having a hard shut-off time well before bedtime.
9. Utilize helpful body and mind relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, visualization, and meditation.
10. Consider talking with your doctor or holistic health practitioner about the possibility of using natural supplements and herbs to support sleep: such as magnesium, melatonin, L-tryptophan, L-theanine, GABA, valerian root, chamomile, passion flower, and lavender. Be sure that anything you try is recommended by your doctor and safe with your personal health history and any medications you may take.
When everything gets crazy, what is the first thing that most of us tend to skimp on? Rest. Unfortunately, adequate sleep often becomes the first fatality in a schedule crunch. This is counter-productive both in the short-term and in the long run for overall health and wellbeing. Workplace productivity and proficiency increase dramatically with well-rested employees. People who get quality sleep are more creative, efficient and better able to problem-solve.
Most of us are very intentional about making sure we do not forget to recharge our cell phones daily. How much more important it is to remember to recharge our minds and bodies daily.
Finding the time and ways to get more restorative rest may seem difficult initially and likely will not happen overnight. Pun intended. But a good thing to remember when adapting to a new sleep schedule is that consistent, proactive effort can lead to healthier habits, which eventually can turn into a more natural routine.
So if we are feeling a little post-holiday weary and have resolutions for the new year, we may want to consider making sleep number one on the list. Because a little bit of restorative rest might just be the one thing that empowers us to accomplish all of our other New Year’s resolutions. Sweet dreams in 2019!
An Excellent Must-Read Article:
http://www.consumersadvocate.org/features/better-sleep-health-habit
Additional Sleep Resources & Info:
sleepeducation.org
newsinhealth.nih.gov/2013/04/benefits-slumber
http://www.health.harvard.edu/womens-health/repaying-your-sleep-debt
http://www.apa.org/monitor/2017/10/cover-sleep.aspx
Citations:
1. Heffron, Thomas M. “Do Sleep Problems Lurk Beneath Dismal U.S. Health Report?” Sleep Education. American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Updated Sept. 19, 2016. sleepeducation.org/news/2013/01/09/do-sleep-problems-lurk-beneath-dismal-u.s.-health-report-.
2. “The Benefits of Slumber: Why You Need a Good Night’s Sleep.” NIH News in Health. National Institutes of Health, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. April, 2013.
newsinhealth.nih.gov/2013/04/benefits-slumber
3. National Healthy Sleep Awareness Project. “Cost of Sleepiness Too Pricey to Ignore. Sleep deprivation impacts workplace safety, productivity and individual health.” News Release. 12 March, 2018. sleepeducation.org/docs/default-document-library/sleep-works-for-you.pdf.
Disclaimer: These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any condition. Always check with your doctor before making lifestyle changes or taking new supplements.