Better Sleep = Better Life
What is the scope of the problem?
- Insufficient sleep syndrome occurs when there is a persistent failure to obtain the amount of sleep that is required to feel alert.
- This happens when there is a disparity between the amount of sleep needed and the amount of sleep one is getting.
- In this situation, your ability to fall asleep or stay asleep is normal and there is no other explanation (like a medical condition) for daytime sleepiness. In other words, you are choosing to not sleep, prioritizing other things.
What are the common consequences
of insufficient sleep?
- Drowsy Driving – a dangerous consequence of sleepiness is motor vehicle accidents.
- Other common symptoms of insufficient sleep may include irritability, reduced motivation, fatigue, incoordination, and restlessness.
- You are more likely to get sick if you consistently get insufficient sleep.
- Other health problems – several medical disorders such as depression, high blood pressure, diabetes and heart problems have been linked to insufficient sleep in the long term.
Good sleep habits – what should you do
Allow enough time for sleep, go to bed at the same time and wake at the same time in the morning, avoid things that disrupts sleep like caffeine and alcohol and make your bedroom your sanctuary, free of work, projects and electronics.
Interesting Fact:
Only a small percentage of the population are truly “short sleepers” – Yet, more than 1 in 4 adults reports sleeping less then the recommended 7+ hours. They are depending on caffeine, naps and denial to get them through the day.
2/3rds of teenagers (who needed 8-10 hours) report insufficient sleep due to multiple factors including; early school start times, electronics use and over-scheduling
What can you do to promote better sleep?
- Have a “wind-down” period before bed. At a minimum, this should be an hour before your usual bedtime. Set this as a curfew for digital devices in
your home. - Find alternatives to using your device as part of your bedtime routine. Take a bath, gently stretch, listen to music or read printed books by lamplight.
- Consider using an e- ink reader rather than a tablet or smartphone. These devices do not emit the kind of light that affects sleep.
- Keep electronics out of the bedroom.
- Don’t use your smartphone as your alarm.
- If you must use your laptop, computer or phone close to bedtime, place your device in “night” mode. This setting may help reduce the intensity of blue light emitted by your devices. Blue-light blocking glasses are an option, but not ideal.
Why electronic and sleep don’t mix
Most people in the U.S. admit to using electronic device during the hour before they go to bed. For the most part, these devices are used for relaxation. What most people don’t realize, however, is that these devices can actually make it harder to settle down and get to sleep. The bottom line: Electronic devices with screens are stimulating and can adversely affect your sleep.
How does this happen? Using tablets, laptops or smartphones before bed has the effect of delaying your body’s internal circadian clock. This occurs because short wave blue-light emitted by these devices suppress release of the sleep promoting hormone Melatonin.
Take the “4 Week Sleep Challenge” to learn more about your sleep pattern.
The better your sleep habits, the better you’ll feel!