Healthy Sleep

"Early to bed early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise..."

-Benjamin Franklin

There is a large body of research going on in the field of sleep and sleep disorders because we are realizing how important good restorative sleep is but we don’t understand how to induce this type of sleep. Sleep disorders are becoming more and more prevalent as are the consequences of poor sleep: obesity, depression and other mood disorders, and chronic pain.

Restorative sleep is important for healing, memory, and mood. Unfortunately, not all sleep is equal. People can go for years sleeping several hours a day without getting much restorative sleep which can lead to the above dire consequences. I have several patients that realize they are not sleeping well and will come to me for help. Thanks to pharmaceutical commercials people are convinced that they need a sleep aid. I have to explain to them that a sleep aid may help you fall asleep but it does not guarantee deep restorative sleep. So what is the key to deep restorative sleep? The best we can suggest is good sleep hygiene.

What is sleep hygiene? The best way to explain this is to illustrate how the body functions. We have a circadian rhythm that is dependent on many environmental factors that allows us to go through sleep and awake cycles. Several hormones are involved in this process, including melatonin and cortisol. Bad habits have wrecked havoc on our circadian rhythm such as: excessive sleep and napping, no sleep schedule, alcohol and caffeine, staying up late watching TV… The key to good sleep is the return balance to the circadian rhythm through good sleep hygiene. Consider the body a machine that requires the right signals and send the right signals that it is time to sleep. Eating just before bed sends the signal “here is energy because we are going to do something.” The body gets confused when you then try to sleep. The following are some suggestions on how to return order and send the right signals. .

Personal Habits

• Fix a bedtime and an awakening time dependent on your age
• Avoid napping during the day (nap=>30 min)
• Avoid alcohol (at least 4-6 hours before bed)
• Avoid caffeine (at least 4-6 hours before bed)
• Avoid heavy, spicy, or sugary foods 4-6 hours before bed
• Exercise regularly (not within 2 hours of bed)

Sleep Environment

• Use comfortable bedding
• Comfortable temperature (cold is best)
• Block out noise and light
• Use bed for sleep and sex only (remember we need to signal the right messages to our body)

Getting Ready For Bed

• Have a routine
• Practice relaxation techniques
• Clear mind of worries (prayer)

If you have tried these techniques and cannot restore order there may be a medical problem that needs to be addresses such as an enlarged prostate that makes you get up several times a night to go to the bathroom, sleep apnea, pain, acid reflux, hot flashes…

It is my goal this week to establish a sleep time and routine, practice relaxation techniques, and pray every night. I suspect that I may have some sleep apnea; which I hope improves with weight loss. I may have to get this checked out.