SLEEP: Rejuvenation
& Well-Being
During the day your brain processes about 11 millions bits (bit = the smallest unit of data a computer can process and store) of information per second. That’s a lot of data to process, sort, and store. That also requires a lot of energy. All that work makes your brain your body’s most metabolically active organ. At rest, it is 7.5x more active than the rest of your body. It and your body, therefore, require rest. Sleep is the time your brain sorts, cleans, and gets rid of unneeded materials and information and your body repairs itself.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT
Your physical and mental health require sleep. While you are awake, the body and mind keep you safe and on task by making decisions and executing them. The brain helps to maintain the background functions of the body that keep you alive. At night is when recovery happens. Without adequate sleep, your abilities to think, focus, and even fight infection are made worse. Dealing with weight gain, high blood pressure, and even a cold are all harder with poor sleep.
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
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The foods linked to poor diet and weight gain, diets low in fiber, high in saturated fat, or high in sugar, also have a negative impact on restorative sleep
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Managing diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity are harder, if not impossible, with poor sleep quality and amount
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Risk of cancer and dementia are higher when you routinely are a poor sleeper
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Generally, a cooler room temperature improves sleep quality
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While most adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night, don’t obsess over short periods of less than ideal sleep time. Life happens!
SLEEP & YOUR ENVIRONMENT
WHAT HEALTTHY SLEEP LOOKS LIKE?
It’s not just sleep that you need, but GOOD sleep. These 3 points need to be considered:
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Number of hours - the number of hours you need will change with stages and events in life. Babies and teenagers need lots of sleep. Some older than 65 years of age need as little as 6-7 hours per night
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Quality - uninterrupted sleep is the ideal. If you have to go to the bathroom 4 times a night, this will affect your sleep quality. Check your prostate, men. Obstructive sleep apnea is a well known cause of poor sleep quality.
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Consistency - A consistent sleep schedule is crucial for healthy sleep because it helps regulate your internal body clock so that you feel sleepy and awake at the right times. A newborn or an irregular work schedule (i.e. working night shifts) are common life events that get in the way of this needed consistency
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF
& SHARE WITH YOUR
HEALTHCARE PROVIDER
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How often do you have trouble sleeping? How long has the problem lasted?
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How often do you doze off or have trouble staying awake during routine tasks, such as driving?
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Do you exercise?
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Do you have any new or ongoing stresses related to work, personal problems, or any other issue?
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For your doctor: Can sleeping pills or other medications help my insomnia? What are the benefits and side effects of the drugs? Are there any drug interactions to be aware of? Are there sleeping pills that aren't habit forming?
TO DO LIST
Create a sleep routine.
Set up an appointment to speak with your doctor about this topic.
Add some exercise to your life. This will likely help you sleep as quickly as tonight!
Eat foods that contain tryptophan like fish, poultry, veggies, cheddar cheese, eggs, nuts, and certain grains (i.e. whole wheat, quinoa, oats)
No smartphone/tablets at least one hour before bed. Consider not bringing it to the bedroom.
Cool down the room you sleep in
ADDITIONAL READING & RESOURCES
