Are You Getting Enough Sleep? If Not, Read On
A recent poll tells us that only about half of adults are satisfied with the amount of sleep they’re getting.
Lack of a good night’s sleep does affect your health in more ways than you think, says Dr. Peter Goodman, MD. He calls good sleep- sleep hygiene. It is as important as the good physical hygiene we all strive for.
How much do we need?
Sleep specialists recommend we get 9 hours of sleep, but, on average, most of us are getting only 7 hours or less.
A good sleep pattern can be thrown off for a number of reasons:
· Stress, anxiety, chronic pain, unhappiness
· Excessive work or partying
. Caffeine, alcohol or medication
· Depression… this is the leading reason for Insomnia
Then there are reasons that you might not think can disturb your sleep:
· Wavelength of the electric screen on your TV or your computer.
· Many people bring a book to bed. A good exciting book!
(Sounds like fun but it can interfere with your sleep in much the same way a good TV show can over-stimulate you which causes sleep distraction.)
Common effects from not getting enough sleep:
· Your outlook on life may get grim
· Your decision making abilities may face interference
· Lack of sleep often causes high blood pressure
· It can also affect your memory ability
· Physical aches and pains are reemphasized
Severe sleep deprivation may cause mental confusion leading to more severe problems can even cause serious accidents.
Some healthy tips for getting a better night’s sleep:
Try sleeping and waking up at the same time each night and morning
Create a quiet, dark and comfortable environment conducive for sleep
Develop a good exercise routine during the day- at least a half-hour’s worth
Don’t overeat before sleep but don’t go to bed hungry
Avoid late day naps
Some simple sleep aids:
· Good massage or warm bath
· Warm milk with a small portion of carbohydrate
· Some calming sea sounds on your player
· And, of course, a little sex wouldn’t hurt (if you’ve got the right partner)
Just remember the old saying:
A bed should be used only for sleep or sex.
If you can’t go to sleep, get up and do something relaxing!
Veera
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