Getting Ready for My ZZZZ’s
Ray LaVoie
I will admit that my health behaviors sometimes present an image that I am a model for others to emulate. I might be seen exercising whether at a fitness facility or walking along the miles of pristine trails throughout the community.
Let me clarify fact from fiction. Yes, I don’t smoke or lead a sedentary lifestyle, but that does not provide an overall synopsis of the many underlying facets of my health habits. What you see does not account for my lack of self-enhancing behaviors.
When I reviewed Korrigan Craddock’s article, Beyond Counting Sheep, I felt as if the health fairy stood above me, pricking my head with the sharp point of one of the stars on her wand along with her sneering eyes and chastising me for my lack of embracing a pattern of healthy sleep behaviors.
Rather than elaborate on the valuable and well-written facts presented in Craddock’s article, I thought it would be best to share some thoughts often not addressed when perusing the sleep literature.
“A well spent day brings happy sleep.” Attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, his insightful message remains as applicable today as it was centuries ago. How my day goes determines the quality of my night’s sleep.
It’s not unusual to feel overwhelmed on occasion with multiple tasks at hand. Finishing one task before going on to another elicits a sense of accomplishment. I feel good and that allows me to move to the next challenge. But as important, it relaxes me and facilitates the coming night’s rest.
Be careful about your pre-bedtime habits. My iPhone and Apple Watch are silenced after 9 p.m. In the past this was not the case, but I’ve found this helpful to avoid work-related and personal calls and of course the many spam notifications I receive.
However, I do have a poor bedtime behavior. I like to watch sports. As I write this article, I am glued to the TV watching March Madness. My excitement increases when close games approach an undetermined ending. When bedtime finally calls, I have difficulty falling asleep. If this is a problem, watch a boring movie instead. It’s a sleep enhancer for me.
One topic often not addressed is the relationship between physical health and its impact on sleep quality. If your sleep is interrupted because of the need to urinate at night, don’t feel alone.
After age 50, half of all adults wake up for a bathroom visit. Two-thirds of women over 40 wake up at least once per night and 21 percent of men in their 20’s have nocturia, meaning they awake at least two times per night. As men age, the number of times they wake up to urinate increases significantly.
Any number of reasons exist for nighttime urination and concerns should be addressed by a physician. Knowing the reasons for night-time urination may help with sleep.
Now that I’ve completed my Glance column, it’s time for my afternoon snooze. Sweet dreams to you for a wonderful sleep tonight.
Healthfully,
Phil Heit
Emeritus Executive Director
Healthy New Albany, Inc.
