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Sleep
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Trend in Wellness
What can help you boost your energy, think clearly,
maintain a healthy weight and lower your risk for illness? A good
night’s sleep. Unfortunately, millions of Americans aren’t getting
enough. Many suffer from some type of sleep disorder, while others
simply can’t find the time to get enough sleep.
Why is sleep important? “Adequate sleep is as essential to good
health as exercise and proper nutrition,” says Ratnasothy Rajah,
M.D., internal and pulmonary medicine specialist with Eden
Medical Center, San Leandro Hospital campus, a Sutter Health
affiliate. Dr. Rajah specializes in sleep medicine and is involved in
San Leandro Hospital’s sleep diagnostic program.
“Sleeping too few hours or sleeping poorly puts you at greater
risk for a variety of physical, mental and emotional problems,” he
says. Generally, most healthy adults need seven to nine hours of
sleep a night.
Research has tied lack of sleep to a risk for depression, anxiety,
heart disease and obesity, adds Dr. Rajah. Sleep deprivation also
makes it harder to focus and puts you at greater risk for accidents.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,
fatigue accounts for about 100,000 car crashes a year in the U.S.
What happens during sleep? “Our brain remains active while we
sleep and cycles through different stages. Different things happen
during each stage that impact our health and mental acuity,”
explains Dr. Rajah. “If your sleep is cut short or interrupted often,
you may not experience all the stages you need to be alert and
function at your best.”
Different hormones are released during the different stages of
sleep, says Dr. Rajah. Some help repair cells in the body and fight
infections. Others affect how the body uses energy and regulates
appetite. If you aren’t getting enough sleep, your body may not be
producing enough of these hormones, which may explain why
people are more likely to get sick or be overweight the less they
sleep.
Too little sleep can also increase stress hormones and reduce
the level of serotonin and other chemicals produced by the body.
Decreased serotonin levels can increase the risk for depression
and other mood disorders.
6 Tips for a
Good Night’s Sleep
1 Go to sleep and get up at the same time
every day.
2 Don’t nap after 3 p.m.
3 Spend time every day in natural light.
4 Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol late in
the day and at night.
5 Exercise regularly, but at least five or six
hours before bedtime. Exercising closer to
bedtime can make it hard to sleep.
6 Make a to-do list before bedtime so that
you don’t lie awake worrying about things.
Sleep: The Miracle Cure?
To find out why a good night’s sleep
could be the cure for whatever ails
you, visit www.sutterhealthtv
.com/services/sleep.html.
There, you can:
◾ Learn more about sleep and sleep
disorders, such as sleep apnea and
insomnia
◾ Use our interactive tool at
www.sutterhealthtv.com/
tools/sleep and learn how
lack of sleep can affect your health
4 yourhealth spring 2008 Get a FREE subscription to Your Health! E-mail your contact info to lombaa2@sutterhealth.org.