Sleep is a vital part of health, but are we doing it right?

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We all know that diet and physical activity play major roles in one’s mental and physical health.

“Work out more,” “eat healthfully” and “practice self-care” are pieces of advice we hear on a regular basis. But one aspect of life is often sacrificed for extra work and free time.

All mammals sleep, but humans, in general, are pretty bad at it. The bed, which should be used almost exclusively for sleep, is often used instead for checking social media just one last time, or flipping through channels before hitting the hay. Many of us fight sleep to stay awake at night to finish watching the game or a movie, or finish up one last thing, and instead fall asleep on the couch, only to wake up feeling worse than before.

“As adults, we don’t have good bedtime hygiene,” says Dr. David Ralston, director of sleep medicine at Mount Carmel Health System. “We drink caffeine, we have to look at the Internet one last time before bed and answer emails, stimulating and engaging your brain right before you want to be shutting off.”

All these bad habits lead to poor sleep, and poor sleep doesn’t just affect mood. Not getting enough sleep, or getting poor sleep throughout the night, can lead to a plethora of negative health consequences in the long run.

Many studies have shown that poor sleep quality can be linked to obesity. According to the National Institutes of Health study Sleep Disorders and Sleep Deprivation: An Unmet Public Health Problem, by the age of 27, those who regularly slept less than six hours per night were 7.5 times more likely to have a high BMI after controlling for family history, physical activity and factors related to demographic. The study also linked sleep loss with diabetes, glucose intolerance and cardiovascular morbidity. Adults with chronic sleep loss also reported symptoms of depression, anxiety and excessive alcohol use.

Suffice to say, sleep is important.

Recent studies have shown that behavioral therapy is just as effective – or even more effective in the long-term – than medicine.

Ralston notes that a major misconception when it comes to sleep is that everyone needs at least eight hours. In reality, it’s more of a bell curve; most people do need eight hours, but some need more, some fewer. The key to finding out how many hours of sleep you need is simple: Listen to your body.

“Reportedly, Sir Isaac Newton only needed four hours of sleep. Some people need 12 hours,” says Ralston. “If you sleep in on weekends, that is a test essentially to say that you are sleep-deprived.”

For those who believe they may be suffering from insomnia, Ralston says the No. 1 warning sign is experiencing three consecutive months of poor sleep. At that point, they should visit their primary care physicians, who will refer patients to a physician specializing in sleep.

From there, patients will be asked about their medications, how they sleep, whether they share a bed and, if so, whether their partner snores or kicks while sleeping, and how the lack of sleep is affecting daily life. After that, Ralston says, treatment looks different for everyone.

“Recent studies have shown that behavioral therapy is just as effective – or even more effective in the long-term – than medicine,” says Ralston. “Medications do have a role in managing insomnia, but the goal is a short-term role.”

Long-term treatment with insomnia can be challenging, as it comes down to changing habits and keeping them that way. Working out no closer than 4-6 hours before bed time, replacing the cell phone with a book, avoiding alcohol and caffeine, and going to bed when tiredness kicks in are all habits that promote positive sleep hygiene.

Ralston’s biggest piece of advice when it comes to sleep: Don’t get frustrated when having difficulty sleeping, because if restful nights are hard to come by, a physician can help.

“A lot of times, with sleep issues, you can affect the life positively, and they feel much better,” says Ralston. “Ultimately, we all went into medicine to make people feel better.”

Amanda DePerro is an assistant editor. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.

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