A good night makes for a good day
If you're one of those folks who pride themselves on needing only four or five hours a sleep at night, you may be putting yourself at risk.
Sleeping too little at night is associated with a variety of chronic health issues, including Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, depression and obesity.
And while sleep doesn't guarantee good health, it certainly doesn't hurt. According to Harvard Medical School's Division of Sleep Medicine, "Major restorative functions in the body such as tissue repair, muscle growth and protein synthesis occur almost exclusively during sleep."
What does it mean to get a good night's sleep? And how can you get it?
For a healthy adult, the recommended amount of sleep is at least seven hours and no more than eight or nine. A common belief is that the older you get, the less sleep you need. Actually, the National Institutes of Health says that, although older people tend to go to sleep earlier and get up earlier, they still need that seven to nine hours.
Count yourself lucky if you usually fall asleep easily and stay asleep until it's time to get up. We have so many disruptions, both internal and external, that sometimes a good night's sleep feels like an impossible goal. Some disorders, like restless leg syndrome, can keep you up, as can pain and anxiety.
We can all manage a few sleepless nights now and then, but if sleeplessness (or middle-of-the-night wakefulness) is impacting your well-being, it's time to act.
First, analyze what may be keeping you awake or waking you up. Some possible answers are room temperature (too hot or too cold), noise, lack of air movement and discomfort. There are simple solutions for each of these. Sometimes a white noise machine helps. A ceiling fan keeps the air moving. If you're hot, dress more lightly for bed and use a lighter blanket.
Are your mattress or pillow leaving you with a soreness and pain? Today, there are so many more options. Not only is there a mattress store on every corner, there is a growing number of online mattress manufacturers, some of which let you try out their mattresses for up to a year. Mattresses that adjust firmness and temperature are also available - usually expensive, but maybe a solution for bed partners who have different ideas of comfort.
Food and drink impact your ability to sleep. A heavy meal before bedtime, especially if it causes heartburn, will keep you awake. Look at when you're consuming caffeine in the form of coffee, tea or soft drinks. You may need to cut yourself off earlier in the day. And while intuitively we think of alcohol as sleep-inducing, it's just as likely to cause sleep disruptions - and leave you a headache in the morning.
Other common suggestions are to stick to a sleep schedule, avoid naps, use your bedroom only for sleeping, and don't use electronic devices before bed. The blue light emitted by phones and tablets has been shown to cause sleep latency - the time it takes you to fall asleep.
Do you ever find that you just can't shut off your brain? A mindfulness meditation might help you relax. A body scan, for example, involves you giving full attention to different parts of your body, and that concentration may be enough to quiet your mind. Solutions are available online - search "meditations for sleep." Just practicing mindful breathing might do the trick.
A cup of warm milk to fall asleep is sort of a myth; there isn't enough of the amino acid tryptophan in a serving of milk to trigger sleep. Still, milk is the best dietary source of tryptophan, according to the Mayo Clinic. I know someone who swears by warm milk with a bit of vanilla and nutmeg when she can't get to sleep.
If home remedies don't help your sleeplessness or sleep disruptions, it's time to consult your doctor. Fortunately, sleep disorders are well recognized in the health care industry, and most insurance plans cover sleep studies, CPAPs for sleep apnea, and other treatments. Medicare covers sleep studies if you show clinical signs of apnea; you will likely have a co-pay.
An Irish proverb says, "A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book." Amen to both!
• Teri Dreher is a board-certified patient advocate. A critical care nurse for 30+ years, she is founder of NShore Patient Advocates (www.NorthShoreRN.com). She is offering a free, 30-minute phone consultation by calling (312) 788-2640 to make an appointment.