SLEEP IS MEDICINE! When I first heard the term sleep hygiene I was initially surprised by the term because I had never thought about sleep in hygienic terms. Throughout my life I just slept whenever I felt fatigued and pushed myself, pridefully, to get by on as little sleep as possible to enhance the productivity of my day.
Well, I was wrong to undervalue the significance of sleep because scientific research continues to accumulate about just how important sleep is to our overall health - almost as important as breathing and eating. Think for a moment about how every living organism from a tiny gnat to a huge blue whale requires sleep to sustain life. Adequate sleep is assessed according to its quantity (hours) and quality (uninterrupted deep sleep). Some research has shown that sleeping less than 6 to 8 hours a night increases the risk of early death by approximately 12% according to Lifestyle Medicine expert Dr. Beth Frates.
Frequent and significant symptoms of poor sleep hygiene are sluggishness, increased reaction time, increased irritability, weight gain, worsening diabetes, depressed mood and poor task and memory performance. Dr. Frates also states that poor sleep can negatively affect all 11 body systems: circulatory, respiratory, digestive, endocrine, immune, dermatologic, muscular, nervous, reproductive, skeletal and urinary.
Sleep recommendations for optimal health vary according to age but for most adults over 18 years of age, 7 to 9 hours per 24 hours is ideal but of course, there are some people who require less or more than this.
Some potential barriers to restful sleep are too much blue light from electronic devices, caffeine or alcohol use, excessive stress and anxiety, medications, inappropriate meal timing, certain medical conditions and lack of a sleep routine.
To improve quality of sleep try using your bed only for sleep and sex and not for reading or other activities, reduce bedroom noise, increase outdoor sun exposure, increase exercise, avoid high sodium foods close to bedtime and avoid alcohol within three hours before bedtime.
Current social norms tend to overemphasize work productivity and income generation at the expense of healthy living habits. This includes minimizing the importance of sleep and even sometimes adulating a person's ability to sleep less each night. Put your health first by allowing your mind and body to regenerate and most importantly, during this COVID-19 pandemic, enhance your immune system function by getting restful sleep. You will feel and function better.
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