10 Tips for a Good Night's Sleep

So, you stayed up late to watch Letterman, then got up early
to pack the kids' lunches. Slept four hours, tops. You probably did it
yesterday, and you'll do it again tomorrow.

You're building up a sleep deficit that not even a couple of
extra hours in bed this weekend can make up.

"A lot of people who are chronically deprived don't realize
what's happening," said Robert Pope, head of the St. Mary's Medical
Center Sleep Disorder Center in Evansville, Ind. "Your brain just
doesn't function as well."

Millions of Americans have habits or make choices that prevent
them from getting the sleep their bodies need, but there are more than
30 million who suffer from chronic sleep disorders, according to the
Southwestern Indiana Sleep Disorders Lab.

Many people need eight straight hours of sleep, preferably at
night, but the amount needed varies by person. Teenagers and
college-age students need nine hours and are wired to stay up late, but
school forces them to get up earlier than their bodies want to.

Doctors don't know why people need to sleep, but know that
they do.

People should worry about getting a good night's sleep the
same as they worry about exercise and diet, Pope said.

Lack of sleep causes numerous problems, including
irritability, mood swings, behavioral problems, short-term memory loss,
an inability to commit new information to memory, high blood pressure,
a foggy mind and a weakened immune system. It's even been linked to
diabetes and metabolic dysfunction.

While some people sacrifice sleep for other activities, others
work night or swing shifts that revolt against the body's natural
rhythms.

Sleep deficit can be caused by apnea or other medical
disorders.

After a night in bed, Robert Thiem would wake up and not feel
refreshed. He would have trouble falling asleep, then wake up quickly
before getting the rest he needed.

His doctor sent him to the St. Mary's center, where he was
diagnosed with sleep apnea and given a mask that gives him the oxygen
he needs to get in 40 winks.

"I get all the rest, all I need," said Thiem, 75, of
Wadesville, Ind. "I'm not tired. It's just like a new world."

Some people simply have bad habits that cut into the quality
of sleep. Ingesting caffeine or exercising before bed keeps the body
up. Increased evening sunlight in summer and longer morning darkness in
winter disorient the body. "The flashing lights and increased volume of
commercials make leaving the TV on at night disruptive," said Andrea
Helmer, a sleep and respiratory therapist at the Deaconess Hospital
Sleep Lab in Evansville, Ind.

"A proper diagnosis could solve other problems," said Arthur
Bentsen, a doctor at the Deaconess lab. Primary-care physicians can
spot depression, apnea or restless legs, an affliction that prevents
comfort conducive to sleep.

The physicians can recommend treatment or refer patients to
one of the area's five sleep labs.

"People have to be sure they don't let packed schedules get in
the way of the sleep they need," Pope said.

Naps help. Even 15 minutes at lunch can be refreshing. But
avoid naps that are longer than one hour.

"You have to adjust your schedule so you permit yourself to
sleep," Pope said.

Sleep Tips From the National Sleep Foundation
1. Maintain a regular bed and wake-time schedule, including weekends.

2. Establish a regular, relaxing bedtime routine, such as
soaking in a hot bath or hot tub and then reading a book or listening
to soothing music.

3. Create a sleep-conducive environment that is dark, quiet,
comfortable and cool.

4. Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows.

5. Use your bedroom only for sleep and sex. It is best to take
work materials, computers and televisions out of the sleeping
environment.

6. Finish eating at least two to three hours before your
regular bedtime.

7. Exercise regularly. It is best to complete your workout at
least a few hours before bedtime.

8. Avoid nicotine (like cigarettes and tobacco products). Used
close to bedtime, it can lead to poor sleep.

9. Avoid caffeine (including coffee, tea, soft drinks,
chocolate) close to bedtime. It can keep you awake.

10. Avoid alcohol close to bedtime. It can lead to disrupted
sleep later in the night.

Source: Evansville Courier
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