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“Don’t Skimp on Sleep!!!” By Jacquelyn Matoian.

We all know that proper diet and physical activity are essential for a healthy lifestyle, but what about a third piece of the puzzle that we tend to forget? SLEEP. Believe it or not, sleep is just as vital to your health as eating right and exercising, and most of us do not get the quantity and quality of sleep that we need.

The average adult requires 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. The 2009 sleep poll (Sleep in America) conducted by the National Sleep Foundation reported that 20% of us are sleeping less than six hours a night! In addition, the percentage of us getting the recommended 8 hours every night dropped from 38% in 2001, to 28% this year. How can we be the amazing mothers, fathers, employees, co-workers, daughters, sons, students, etc. that we are when we’re not even getting the recommended amount of sleep for good health?

As a full-time employee and full-time graduate student, I understand the value of sleep as well as anyone else. Without it, my concentration throughout the day lapses, irritability sets in, and I pretty much turn into a person that I really don’t enjoy (so I can’t imagine anyone else does either!). As a health professional, I try to be very conscious about what I eat and how much I exercise, but I struggle to remember that sleep is just as important as either one of those things.

Let’s take a look at the basic benefits of sleep:

The sleep we have on any given night, not only affects us the next day, but also affects the overall quality of our lives.

Sleep influences how we look, feel, and behave each day, for the good, or the bad.

Quality sleep contributes to a healthy immune system, weight management, and decreases the risk for high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.

Sleep influences our ability to make decisions, handle stressors, and concentrate on completing tasks.

It can also have a major affect on our mood throughout the day.

Ok, now that I’ve explained the importance of sleep, how can I help you get a better night’s sleep?

Below are some things you should do and some things you should avoid doing when attempting to get a quality night sleep.

Things to Do:

Maintain a regular bed and wake time schedule. This helps put your body on an internal clock that will help you fall asleep and wake up when you need to. Establish a relaxing bedtime routine including reading a book, taking a bath, listening to soothing music, or meditating. Create the optimal sleep environment by making sure your bedroom is dark, quiet, cool, and that you have a comfortable mattress and pillows.

Things to Avoid:

Avoid anything that tends to excite you at least a couple of hours before bedtime. This would include working, focusing on a life problem, watching an eventful TV show or movie, etc. Make sure you finish eating and exercising at least two hours before you are going to go to sleep. Your mind and body need a chance to wind down. Also, avoid caffeine in the late afternoon and evening and alcohol close to bedtime. Caffeine acts as a stimulant and can take hours to leave your system. Although alcohol may help you fall asleep, it acts as a sleep interrupter, and prevents you from falling into the deeper stages of sleep. It may also cause you to wake up the next morning feeling tired and groggy.

As a health professional, it is a part of my job to spread the word to you about the importance of getting your “zzzz’s.” Try keeping a log this week and record what time you go to bed and wake up each day, and the actual amount of sleep you’re getting each night. The first step is to become aware of your sleep habits and from there you will be able to see where improvements are needed, and begin to take small steps toward change. If you have trouble sleeping on a regular basis and the above sleep tips don’t work for you, speak with your doctor about your sleep problems. He, or she, may refer you to a sleep specialist who can properly diagnose a potential sleep disorder.