THE ARTICLE
Are you getting enough sleep? Current research says you are not. In the past century, we have reduced our average time in sleep. Before Thomas Edison's invention of the light bulb, people slept an average of 10 hours a night; According to the 2008 National Sleep Foundation (NSF) Sleep in America poll, today Americans average 6.9 hours of sleep on weeknights and 7.5 hours per night on weekends.
The poll also found that 74 percent of adults are experiencing a sleeping problem a few nights a week or more, 39% get less than seven hours of sleep each weeknight, and more than one in three (37%) are so sleepy during the day that it interferes with daily activities.
Part of the reason for this change is that in the last twenty years the amount of time people spend at their jobs has risen steadily. Each year the change is small, amounting to about nine hours, or slightly more than one additional day of work. In any given year, such a small increment has probably been imperceptible. But the accumulated increase over two decades is substantial. When surveyed, adults report that they have only sixteen and a half hours of leisure a week, after the obligations of job and household are taken care of. Working hours are already longer than they were forty years ago.
The Sleep-Stress-Illness Connection
All of this means less sleep and more stress. Stress has been shown to be the leading cause of sleeplessness, which can lead to illness. Experts believe that almost half of all sleep problems are due to stress. According to a new survey of approximately 2,000 people conducted by the Better Sleep Council (BSC), 51 percent of adults say stress disturbs their sleep.
With work, family and social life, adults can be overwhelmed by stress, resulting in sleep problems. And sleep problems can be one of the most important factors related to serious illnesses, such as Laryngo-Pharyngial Reflux Disease (LPRD) and lowered immune function, which in turn can aggravate sleep even further, since airway narrowing, colds, and congestion make sleeping more difficult. All of this can contribute to sleep disturbances such as sleep apnea, and the result is a vicious cycle of stress, sleeplessness and illness that can affect all aspects of your life.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Our mood can also be affected by the seasons and the change in light. Feeling mellow and low as the evenings draw in may be nature's way of helping us adjust to the changing seasons. Light summer mornings and long warm evenings make us feel more energetic and cheerful.
For some people, darkness brings more than seasonal gloom. SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) is sometimes called 'winter depression'. Sufferers feel depressed and exhausted as daylight light decreases and many find it hard to function and carry on their normal lives. Depression can also increase stress and affect our immune system, making us more prone to illness in general, which in turn negatively affects our sleep. Sleep disturbances are a hallmark of seasonal affective disorders (SAD), since depression can result in less activity and weight gain, which leads to a narrowed airway and impaired breathing during sleep.
Sleep Disorders
As if all that weren’t enough, millions of people suffer from sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, which further degrade the quality of their sleep each night. Sleep apnea is a common disorder that can be very serious. In sleep apnea, your breathing stops or gets very shallow while you are sleeping. Each pause in breathing typically lasts 10 to 20 seconds or more. These pauses can occur 20 to 30 times or more an hour. There are several kinds of sleep apnea, as well as other sleep disorders, that can disrupt our sleep and result in sleepiness during the day.
Quality vs. Quantity
Contrary to the popular belief that sleeping more must be sleeping better, it is important to remember that the quality of your sleep is as important (if not more so) than the quantity. Be sure to check with your physician if you have problems sleeping, such as waking up often during the night, inability to fall asleep or an inability to get back to sleep once awake. It’s important to remember that improving the quality of your sleep can have a major impact on your overall health, including stress levels, your immune system functioning, your mood, and your ability to function at your best at all times. Below are some suggestions to start with, and be sure to talk with your doctor for more ways to improve the quality of your sleep and your life.
- Avoid caffeine (coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate) and nicotine (cigarettes, tobacco products) close to bedtime, as they are stimulants.
- Avoid alcohol as it can lead to fragmented sleep.
- Exercise regularly, but finish your workout at least 3 hours before bedtime.
- Establish a regular relaxing, non-stimulating, bedtime routine (e.g. taking a bath or relaxing with a book).
- Avoid stimulating TV programs or video games close to bedtime. Switch to something relaxing.
- Create a sleep-conducive environment that is dark, quiet and preferably cool and comfortable.
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