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Tired and Cranky?
If so, you may not be getting a good night's
sleep. An estimated 70 million Americans, or
nearly one in every four, have trouble sleeping
peacefully.
Whether we have trouble nodding off or we
toss and turn, our performance and health can
dramatically be affected by this loss of sleep.
Ask yourself the following questions to evaluate
how you are sleeping. Do you:
- Struggle to stay awake when inactive,
for example watching television or reading?
- Have difficulty paying attention or
concentrating at work or home?
- Have performance problems at work?
- Often get told by others that you look
tired?
- Have difficulty with your memory?
- Have slowed responses?
- Have difficulty controlling your
emotions?
- Feel the need to take naps almost every
day?
- Fall asleep while driving?
If you experience one or more of these
characteristics, you may not be getting the
proper amount of sleep at night. But what is the
"proper" amount of sleep per night? Click
here to find out, and to see some answers to
some frequently asked questions on sleep and
sleep disorders.
What did you learn?
Test your knowledge about how much you know
about the importance of sleep.
Fortunately, there are some easy tips to
follow to enjoy a "good night's sleep":
- Set a schedule. Go to bed at the same
time each night and get up at the same time
each morning.
- Exercise. Try to exercise 20-30 minutes
a day. Daily exercise often helps people
sleep. But don't exercise too close to
bedtime, since that may keep you awake.
- Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol.
Smokers tend to sleep lightly and often wake
up in the early morning due to nicotine
withdrawal.
- Relax before bed. You can train yourself
to associate certain restful activities with
sleep and make them part of your bedtime
ritual
- Sleep until sunlight. If possible, wake
up with the sun, or use very bright lights
in the morning.
- Don't lie in bed awake. If you can't get
to sleep, don't just lie in bed. Do
something else, like reading or listening to
music, until you feel tired.
- Control your room temperature. Extreme
temperatures may disrupt sleep or prevent
you from falling asleep.
Some sleep disorders may be physical, so if
you still have trouble sleeping, check with your
physician. Here are some
fact sheets on some common sleep disorders
that are physical.
When it comes to the cost of health care and
staying healthy, your choices make a difference.
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Links:
Sleep FAQ:
http://cl.exct.net/?ffcb10-fe661771776305797513-fe271d787d65057c771c72-ff031571716105
Sleep knowledge test:
http://cl.exct.net/?ffcb10-fe6c1771776305797414-fe271d787d65057c771c72-ff031571716105
Sleep disorder fact sheets:
http://cl.exct.net/?ffcb10-fe6a1771776305797416-fe271d787d65057c771c72-ff031571716105
Sources:
National Institutes of Health; NINDS; Brain
Resources and Information Network (BRAIN),
http://cl.exct.net/?ffcb10-fe681771776305797410-fe271d787d65057c771c72-ff031571716105.
Healthology, "The Costs of Lost Sleep with RLS,"
June 14, 2005.
Department of Health and Human Services,
National Institutes of Health, Sleep Disorders
Information,
http://cl.exct.net/?ffcb10-fe6a1771776305797416-fe271d787d65057c771c72-ff031571716105.
Disclosure Disclaimer: This information is
intended for educational purposes only, and
should not be interpreted as medical advice.
Please consult your doctor for advice about
changes that could affect your health or your
lifestyle.
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