SLEEP — Yes, good old-fashioned sleep! Do you get enough or are you struggling to get that good night’s sleep? Not getting sufficient sleep is about more than not resting or being tired, but can have significant negative effects on overall health.
DID YOU KNOW chronic illnesses and conditions such as obesity, depression, diabetes and cardiovascular disease have been associated with the lack of or insufficient sleep?
Jaime Boero, MD, PhD, sleep specialist at Marshfield Clinic Neurosciences, Marshfield, WI says “The less you sleep, the sooner you die,” Those dramatic words resonate as lack of sleep can affect every aspect of life.” (Source: www.marshfieldclinic.org)
Obesity – The hypothalamus, which regulates appetite and the expenditure of energy, can be adversely affected by insufficient sleep.
Depression – Symptoms of depression may be reduced once they have been treated and sleep is restored according to recent research. This important correlation between sleep and depression must be closely monitored for persons with sleep disorders.Cardiovascular Disease – According to the Center of Disease Control, “persons with sleep apnea have been found to be at increased risk for a number of cardiovascular diseases. Notably, hypertension, stroke, coronary heart disease and irregular heartbeats (cardiac arrhythmias) have been found to be more common among those with disordered sleep than their peers without sleep abnormalities. Likewise, sleep apnea and hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) appear to share some common physiological characteristics, further suggesting that sleep apnea may be an important predictor of cardiovascular disease.”Diabetes – According to recent research one way of improving control of blood sugar in Type 2 diabetes is through better sleep and getting the most out of the time one sleeps. Lack of sleep has been connected to a greater risk of developing Type 2 diabetes
Source: Center of Disease Control
WAYS TO IMPROVE SLEEP:
· Develop regular bedtime routine. Go to bed and get up at same time each day.
· Exercise regularly but not within 3-4 hours prior to bedtime
· Clear your mind before going to bed by writing down your “to do” list for the next day
· If you MUST watch TV in the bedroom, set timer on TV to go off within 15-30 minutes before falling asleep so that it is not on all night. The light from TV can keep you awake.
· Put on soft, relaxing music to help calm down before and while sleeping
· Drink cup of calming tea such as chamomile or valerian tea to help relax and calm nervous system about 1 hour before bedtime.
HAVE A GOOD NIGHT AND SLEEP TIGHT!
