Americans are so sleep deprived that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention two years ago declared insufficient sleep a national “public health epidemic” that effects productivity and can damage health.
As many as 48 percent of Americans report experiencing occasional insomnia, according to the National Sleep Foundation, while 22 percent report having difficulty sleeping every, or almost every, night.
Health organizations such as the National Institutes of Health, the American Psychological Association and the Mayo Clinic have warned for years that Americans aren’t getting enough sleep, linking the condition to increased health risks, motor vehicle crashes, workplace accidents and decreased productivity. “Adequate sleep improves daytime functioning and concentration, and may improve the body’s immune system,” said Dr. Larry Ayers, a pulmonary diseases physician affiliated with the Sharp Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa.
The CDC estimates that between 50 and 70 million U.S. adults have a sleep or wakefulness disorder, a term that includes insomnia, as well as other sleep-related conditions such as sleep apnea, characterized by breathing interruptions during sleep, restless leg syndrome — a tingling or prickly sensation in the legs — and narcolepsy, a condition that causes overwhelming daytime sleepiness and daytime “sleep attacks.”
With so many people experiencing so many different sleeping issues, it can be difficult to know exactly what qualifies as “healthy sleep.”
“Healthy sleep leaves the individual ‘rested’ and not feeling drowsy during the day,” Ayers said. “Normal sleep includes deep sleep, Rapid Eye Movement (REM) or dream sleep, and light sleep.”
How much sleep do we need? The amount changes as we age and varies among individuals. The National Sleep Foundation recommends 10 to 11 hours of sleep per day for children ages 5 to 10, 8.5 to 9 hours of sleep for youth ages 10 to 17 and 7 to 9 hours for adults. “Six to eight hours of sleep usually is adequate to provide the
‘rested’ condition,” according to Ayers. If you’re one of the millions of Americans who suffer from insomnia or insufficient sleep, brushing up on your sleep hygiene may help you get a good night’s sleep without the need for sleep aids or medical treatments.
Sleep may not be something that most people would associate with hygiene, but the NSF defines “sleep hygiene” as “practices that are necessary to have normal, quality nighttime sleep and full daytime alertness.” Just like good personal and dental hygiene, good sleep hygiene contributes to overall health.
General tips include avoiding daytime naps, spending at least 15 minutes in natural sunlight at the same time each morning, and avoiding stimulants such as caffeine, nicotine and alcohol too close to bedtime.
“It’s really important to wake up at about the same time every day,” said Dr. Lawrence Kline, a Scripps Clinic sleep medicine specialist and director of the Viterbi Family Sleep Center. “The wake-up time is what your brain looks to set its circadian rhythm (biological rhythm for sleep that’s tied to the light-dark cycle of the planet). Being outdoors, without sunglasses … in the morning … will help your mood and your sleep-wakefulness rhythm.”
Spending the appropriate amount of time in bed is also an important part of good sleep hygiene. The NSF recommends that people who struggle with daytime sleepiness spend at least eight hours in bed each night, while people who have trouble sleeping should limit the time they spend in bed to no more than seven hours. However, spending time in bed when you aren’t sleepy may exacerbate insomnia by creating anxiety, according to Kline.
“You should be able to fall asleep in 20 minutes and, if you can’t, get out of bed and do something boring in dim light … until you feel sleepy,” said Kline.
Getting sufficient sleep is so closely related to overall health that it isn’t surprising that some of the same recommendations that doctors make for improving or managing conditions such as diabetes, obesity and heart disease — such as a healthy diet and regular exercise — can improve sleep.
To promote good sleep, try to exercise for at least 30 minutes each day, five days a week, but restrict vigorous exercise to the morning or early afternoon. Do relaxing exercises, such as yoga, before bed to help you unwind.
“Daily exercise is associated with improved sleep,” Ayers said. “A regular bedtime and out-of-bedtime schedule helps the brain’s sleep center develop a regular sleep pattern.”
If improving your sleep hygiene doesn’t actually improve your sleep, or if you suffer from sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome, or nocturnal myoclonus (twitching limbs) it may be necessary to consult with a doctor.
Ayers said a problem could be indicated by the inability to sleep six to eight hours a night; coupled with difficulty during daily activities. The longer the problem continues, the greater the likelihood of a sleep problem, he said. “This problem may benefit from seeking medical treatment.”Copyright © 2016, The San Diego Union-Tribune