Christiana Care issued the following announcement on Oct. 31.
I’m always a little envious when I hear someone say that they fall asleep as soon their head hits the pillow. Even on the best of nights, that’s not typical for me — and it appears that I have a lot of company. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put out some updated statistics earlier this year indicating that an estimated 50 to 70 million U.S. adults suffer from sleep disorders or sleep deprivation. They estimate that nearly 9 million U.S. adults take prescription sleep aids, and that doesn’t even include the many more people using over-the-counter “PM” products to help them sleep.
The medical community increasingly recognizes insufficient sleep as a serious public health problem. Lack of sleep can play a role in motor vehicle crashes, workplace accidents and our general ability to perform tasks well. We also know that those who habitually get insufficient sleep are at increased risk for chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, depression and obesity, not to mention the overall negative impact on our quality of life and general feeling of well being.
During the course of my work at Christiana Care’s Family Medicine practice, I would say that insomnia is one of the most common reasons that a patient is referred to me for help. Given the well-founded reluctance of many physicians to prescribe sleep medication for extended periods of time, it’s wise to approach sleep difficulties with a set of behavioral strategies that increase the likelihood of falling asleep and staying asleep through the night with greater ease. In addition to teaching these strategies to others, I’ve used them myself over the years, and I can attest to the fact that they make a difference if you really stick with them.
Sleep hygiene
Researchers have identified a variety of practices that fall under the category of “sleep hygiene.” These habits can help us to maximize the number of hours we spend sleeping, even when we are challenged by a bout of insomnia, jet lag or the impact of shift work. Look these over and see which ones might be areas for you to focus on as you work toward reducing or eliminating the tossing and turning of sleepless nights.
Avoid caffeine, alcohol and nicotine. Although alcohol may initially make you drowsy, a few hours later it acts as a stimulant and may increase the number of awakenings and decrease the quality of sleep later in the night. Caffeine is a stimulant found in coffee, tea, chocolate and cola, so avoiding these products in the afternoon and evening may help your sleep. Nicotine can also act as a stimulant that will delay the onset of sleep.
Stick to the same bedtime and wake-up time, even on the weekends. Keeping a consistent schedule helps to regulate your body’s internal clock. It’s not always easy to do this on the weekend, when many of us want to catch up on sleep, but it is a strategy that works. Also, avoid naps during the daytime. Napping, especially late in the day, tends to decrease the drive for sleep at bedtime. Try to reserve napping for situations where it becomes a health or safety concern, such as becoming drowsy while you are driving.
Exercise earlier in the day. We know that people who exercise regularly tend to sleep more soundly, but doing so within a few hours of your bedtime may have the effect of energizing you due to the production of the stress hormone cortisol, making it harder to fall asleep.
Create a good sleep environment. A room that is quiet, cool and dark helps to promote sound sleep. Using room-darkening shades to block out light or a white noise machine to block outside noises can be helpful. A room temperature around 65-70 degrees is best for sleeping. And, of course, a comfortable mattress and pillows are important.
Have a good pre-sleep routine to wind down. Your body needs some time to shift into a slower gear in order to fall asleep. Taking an hour or so before bed to engage in a calming activity such as taking a warm bath, reading or doing some type of relaxation practice helps to quiet your mind down. Avoid stressful activities such as dealing with your finances or that project for work.
Our high-tech sleep robbers
The pervasiveness of technology has introduced a new obstacle to sleep. We have so many electronic devices now — laptops, tablets, smart phones, e-readers — all of which emanate light from their screens. This light tends to activate the brain (along with the content of whatever it is that we’re engaged in), so it’s a good idea to go low-tech for an hour or so before bedtime. Given how plugged in some of us are, this is not always an easy thing to do. It may be even harder for your sleep deprived teenager.
Seek help for chronic insomnia
If you consistently practice good sleep hygiene but still experience too many sleepless nights, it’s a good idea to see your primary-care physician to make sure that your sleep difficulties aren’t related to some other medical or psychiatric issue. Once that has been addressed, a few visits to a mental-health provider who practices cognitive behavior therapy for sleep might be the solution. Developing the skills to promote a good night’s sleep is a lot healthier, effective and less expensive than indefinitely relying on the use of prescription or over-the-counter sleep aids. With regular practice and a little luck, you might even become one of those who drift off easily when your head hits the pillow.
Original source can be found here.
Source: Christiana Care
