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Feel lousy? Get some sleep

While sleep remains one of the great mysteries of life, one thing we know for sure is a good night’s rest is the cornerstone to ensuring good health.

When we don’t receive a good night’s rest, we can experience a variety of challenging symptoms the next day, such as fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, increased pain and overall not feeling well. If poor sleep habits continue for long periods of time, longer-term conditions can set in, such as weight gain, depression and worsening of any chronic health conditions.

So how much sleep do you need each night?

Although the amount of sleep needed varies from person to person, research suggests the optimal amount of sleep is six to eight hours per night for most adults. For teenagers, it is even more – 10 hours.

When we consistently receive more than or less than the recommended amount of sleep, it can have an adverse effect on our health and mood. For example, lack of sleep can cause serious consequences to our health from weakening our immune system to increasing stress-related disorders, such as heart disease, stomach ulcers, constipation and mood disorders, such as depression and anxiety.

Fortunately, there is good news for people who have poor sleeping habits. There are many natural techniques you can apply to restore healthy sleeping habits. If you have difficulty falling asleep, waking up too often or are feeling inadequately rested when you wake up in the morning, you can apply a few helpful strategies to help improve your ZZZ’s and get you back on the path to a good night’s rest.

Maintain a regular bedtime schedule. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends. Being consistent trains and reinforces your body’s sleep-wake cycle and helps promote better sleep at night.

Establish a relaxing bedtime routine. Do the same things each night to tell your body it’s time to wind down, such as taking a warm bath, listening to music or having a cup of decaffeinated, herbal tea. Relaxing activities can promote better sleep by easing the transition between wakefulness and drowsiness.

Avoid watching television or browsing the Internet an hour before bedtime. More stimulation to the brain will only make falling asleep more difficult.

Watch what you eat and drink as bedtime approaches. Avoid alcohol, eating too much or feeling hungry before bed, as it disrupts sleep and causes nighttime awakenings. Limit nicotine and caffeine intake in the afternoon and evening; effects can take hours to wear off. Limit daytime naps to 10 to 30 minutes and make it during the mid-afternoon.

Be sure to get 20 to 30 minutes of exercise every day in the morning or afternoon. This will not only help you sleep, but also will help improve your overall health, control weight and improve heart health.

Make your sleeping area conducive to rest by keeping it cool, dark and quiet.

Manage your stress. Consider healthy ways to manage stress like getting organized, setting priorities and delegating tasks. Before bed, jot down what’s on your mind and then set it aside for the next day.

If you wake up during the night, avoid turning on the television and electronics. Overstimulating the brain will hinder the ability of falling asleep.

Almost all of us have an occasional sleepless night. However, if you have trouble sleeping on a regular basis, even after applying some of the above helpful tips, contact your health-care provider. Your provider can help you to identify and treat any underlying causes that may be contributing to your inability to sleeping healthy.

Be well. Sleep well.

Liza Fischer, Clinical Project coordinator for Axis Health System, can be reached at 335-2206 or lfischer@axishealthsystem.org.



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