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There are so many myths about sleep and so many people who believe that the rules apply to everyone but them.  The truth of the matter is that our bodies need so much sleep and they are designed to work with our environment.  This includes the fact that it is light out during the day and dark at night.   So here are five myths about sleep that everyone thinks do not apply to them and why you should not ignore them.

1.       I do not need 7-8 hours of sleep.  There are a small group of people who are short sleepers and trust me you probably are not one of them.  Life everything 7-8 hours is an average.  But our bodies need this much sleep so we can go through the different stages of sleep.  If you do not get enough sleep you will not wake refreshed.   During the first third of the night you will be in slow wave sleep which is where your body heals and grows.  The last part of sleep is when you have your extended REM cycle, when you dream, this allows your brain to reboot.  If you wake too early you miss out on the last REM or worse you will wake during it.

2.       I need the television on to sleep.  This one is so untrue it hurts.  Television is actually designed to wake you up by using the flashing of light and dark.  If you have a sleep disorder that causes you to wake during the night or that keeps you from maintaining sleep having the television on will keep you from returning to sleep.  Again the light will stimulate you and keep you from going back to sleep.  You do not need the television to go to sleep.  You need a stronger sleep routine prior to going to bed so you can go to sleep faster.  If you are waking during the night you should talk to your doctor because it may be a symptom of another issue that is not being treated.

3.       If I stay up all night and cram for work, a test or anything I will do better.  The truth is our minds move things from short term to long term memory when we sleep.  So if you give up sleep you will not recall information as easily or as quickly.  Also sleep deprivation causes issues such as poor memory recall and the inability to concentrate.

4.       I can make up my missed sleep by sleeping in on the weekends or on weekdays.  There is an element of truth to this but our body is not designed to constantly miss sleep and then make it up a week or two weeks later.  Our body craves routine.  This is why you should have the same bedtime every night.  That does not mean you cannot go out once in a while but a routine of regular sleep is what will help you achieve optimal health.

5.       Alcohol helps you to sleep better.  Although a drink can help you to go to sleep faster over the night it will actually cause disruption of your sleep.  Your body goes through a certain cycle of sleep and alcohol keeps the second half of the night from going the way it should.  Instead you will have multiple awakenings and will not be able to go into dream stages properly.  If you do drink you should stop three hours before going to bed so it will not affect your sleep.

Sleep is probably one of the easiest ways to help you be healthy.  However if you do not take it seriously you can develop problems from sleep deprivation.  Create your routine, go to bed at the same time each night and make sure you get enough sunlight in the morning and you will soon see that you will have more energy and a sharper mind.

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There are many people who believe they can live on very little sleep.  Although not everyone needs 7-9 hours of sleep there are very few people who can go on less than 7 hours of sleep.  The fact is that lack of sleep has been linked to many health problems that you might not have initially associated with a lack of sleep.

 

According to the National Sleep Foundation approximately 1/3 of Americans are chronically sleep deprived.  This sleep deprivation can be linked to things like daytime sleepiness and irritability as well as memory loss and the inability to concentrate.  This can affect our day to day activities and make things like driving more dangerous than they have to bed.

It also had a strong effect on our weight.  When we are sleep deprived we tend to eat more at a meal and we tend to eat more often to try and get over our fatigue.  This contributes to obesity.  It is something that is very common especially in night shift workers who usually only get 4-5 hours of sleep a day.

Sleep deprivation has also been associated with heart disease and early mortality.  The thought is that the stress caused from the lack of sleep on our body contributes to these issues. 

Why do so many people believe they can go without sleep?  Many people do not understand the necessity of sleep for their body.  Sleep allows people to reset their brain and health their body.  They also do not understand that they will not feel tired if they are over stimulated or over exposed to light, two problems we have in the computer age. 

How do you determine if you have a sleep issues?  If you have health issues such as high blood pressure, diabetes or heart disease that takes more than 1 medication to control you might want to look at your sleep habits.  If you have depression, daytime fatigue or fall asleep as soon as you get home these are good signs that you might want to go to bed a little bit earlier.  Sometimes if we have an increase in our appetite although we have not changed our habits it can be a sign that we are actually tired.

The best way to evaluate if you really have a sleep issue is to do a two week sleep diary.  This can be simple notebook that has the time you go to bed and the time you wake up in it.  You should also include how much caffeine you have had during the day, any exercise you did any unusual activities such as parties or cleaning the garage.  Looking at the patterns of sleep over two weeks can give you an idea if you problem is as simple as you do not have a regular bed time or that the television is keeping you awake or it can tell you if maybe it is time to talk to your doctor. 

There are some people who may be able to get by on less sleep but if you want to stay healthy, and be alert getting 7-9 hours of sleep should be your goal.  It may take some small changes in your daily habits but in the end the health benefits are worth it.

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It is a new year and with it people are making all resolutions to improve their health and daily life.  This may be the one aspect of a healthy lifestyle that is overlooked.  There is new research every day that shows how sleep affects your health.  It is also known that sleep deprivation can contribute to weight gain, diabetes, high blood pressure, memory loss and increase in pain. 
When you are looking to change your sleep habits there are usually two things that we look at.  The durations of sleep and our bedtime routine to help shorten the time it takes to fall asleep.  Depending on what issues you have the solutions are fairly similar. 

Normal sleep length is anywhere from 6-8 hours. It depends on your age and your specific body needs.  If you have a teen or child who also needs help with sleep they will need more sleep teens need anywhere between 8-9 hours of sleep and children will need more and regular naps.

Creating a strong sleep routine is the best step to help you fall asleep quickly.  There are a few steps to creating a strong sleep routine:
  • Choose a constant bedtime; Your body does not know the difference between weekdays and weekends and so the time you go to bed and get up should be about the same every day.  This does not mean you can not go out and part on Friday night or sleep in on Sunday morning but you do need to be aware that there may be difficulties in going to sleep or getting up the next day.
  • Create a comfortable sleep environment; Your bedroom should be a place where you sleep and be intimate and should not be used for work or studying for school.  There should be little clutter as that can distract you or add stress when you are trying to relax and go to sleep.
  • Do a quiet activity 20-40 minutes; Reading, praying or meditating are excellent quiet activities to do before you go to sleep.  Activities like watching television and working on your computer are not relaxing activities because the lights and the activity are stimulating and although you are not moving you mind is.
  • Exercise in the morning; a little activity first thing in the morning will help to get your body and your mind going.  This helps to keep your body’s internal clock or circadian rhythm on the 24 hours cycle you want it.
Sleep is one of the easiest changes you can make that can have a profound affect on your health.  A good night’s sleep of 6-8 hours every night will help you feel better, stay healthier, increase your memory and may even help you to lose weight. 

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  An article was released about teens and the effects of caffeine and technology is having an effect of teens and their sleep.  I know I live this issue daily.  I have a teen son and a daughter who is just in her 20s.  The problem is that we have not created a culture that supports teens and their needs.

 

This article was timely as this week my son took his yearly standardized tests.  He has to get up at 6am to get ready for school so he can arrive just before 7am.  He will then sit in the testing room he is assigned to and will take a test that will determine his future.  Of course what they are not thinking about as these students enter the school is that more then half of the students walk on campus with an energy drink, diet soda or Starbucks in their hand.  They are all yawning, dragging their feet and look like they could use two more hours of sleep.  When they normally attend class at least 3-4 of the students will want to put their head down during at the very least 1 period.  These are not fresh, excited students.  These are sleep deprived people that our culture is trying to get to fit into a cheapest easiest way to give them an education.  We have not created an education that is designed for them to become successful educated individuals that can perform at their optimum. 

 

Add to this early more education some new parts to our culture.  Their diets include processed food, chemical substances, and stimulants like caffeine.  They are exposed to light 24 hours a day and their brains are stimulated from the time they wake up until the time they go to bed.  They are in the computer, playing video games or watching television.  They have 2-3 hours of homework they need to do when they come home.  They also have outside activities.  Things like my son’s Boy Scout meeting will last from 7-10:30 at night.  We have not set them up for optimal sleep we have set them up to be sleep deprived. 

 

It is difficult to tell a 5’10” boy that it is bed time at 9 or 10 pm.  The world has not stopped or even slowed down by then.  He still has homework he wants to tweak, friends to chat with or challenge on a game, or just wants to watch a show he knows everyone will be talking about at school the next day.  He gets tired around 11-12pm and is sound asleep no later then 1am.  On the weekend he sleeps until 11am and sometimes a little longer.  His friends are the same way. 


I believe that we have to look at what our children need, how to create a healthy environment for them and then nurture that.  Is sending our children to school at 7am really in their best interest?  One of the local school districts changed the time for the high school children from 7 to 9.  Next year they are changing it back because it interferes with after school work and activities.  Did they even bother to look at the student’s attendance, grades or test results?  They did not. 

 

So what is the result of sleep deprivation with our teens?  It is multifold, sleep deprivation can increase the incidence of depression, increase the symptoms of ADD, increase the chances of obesity.  It interferes with learning and storing information into long term memory. 

 

Now we need to explain to our teens why a sleep routine, turning off all electronics and going to bed early I so important.  We need to overcome peer pressure so that our children understand that this is the norm.  We need to be examples for them.  We need a very strong sleep routine that includes turning off the computer and the television.  We need to make time for the family to sit and eat together and read together.  These changes will help them during the tough teen years.  We need to help them reach their true potential.

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