Restless or limited hours of sleep do more than just make us feel tired and grumpy. Poor sleep can make it harder to lose weight and can lead to numerous serious health conditions. Your body needs those good hours of sleep to bolster your immune system and repair your cells.
Work toward getting the seven to nine hours of recommended sleep by taking action this National Sleep Awareness Month. Begin practices that lead to better sleep and can have long-lasting effects on your health:
• Make the environment of your bedroom conducive to sleep. Turn the thermostat to the 60s (Fahrenheit). Ensure screen glares are absent and that there is either no or little light and only peaceful noise. Move your devices to another room if possible. Keep them off at least an hour before you sleep.
• Do not lie in bed for hours, tossing and turning. Instead, after twenty minutes or so of restlessness, do something relaxing. Numerous techniques can help. You can try breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, yoga nidra (commonly called yogic sleep) or other soothing techniques before again attempting to sleep.
• Consider the timing of what you eat and drink:
• If you do eat the (often unhealthy) foods that trigger indigestion (fried or fatty food, most fast food, pizza, etc.), make sure it’s earlier in the day.
• Avoid caffeine for several hours before bedtime. Typically, it’s advised to wait eight hours or so, though individual caffeine reactions may vary.
• Do not drink alcohol in the last few hours before you sleep to avoid restless sleep and if you do drink, do so in moderation since greater quantities can worsen sleep quality.
• Exercise regularly to sleep better and to work on reducing your weight if needed since there’s a connection between obesity and sleep. At minimum, leave time for 150 minutes of moderate physical activity weekly, and do strength exercises twice a week.
• Look out for free, recommended apps that are available to help you sleep. The Department of Veterans Affairs offers CBTi-Coach, an app that is meant to accompany cognitive behavioral therapy. This type of therapy, which your doctor may recommend, focuses on changes to your thoughts or actions; it is often used to improve sleep. Even if you never try this treatment, the CBTi-Coach app has useful tips for getting a better quality of sleep.
• Address the stress that is keeping you up at night. Good habits will not help that much if every time you close your eyes, depressing or anxious thoughts are flooding your mind. Reach out for help with these issues to improve your sleep. For example, you can schedule an appointment with the Sandra Eskenazi Mental Health Center (317-880-8491).
• Be aware of conditions or time periods in life that may cause sleep loss. For example, menopause can affect sleep patterns. Your doctor may have remedies attached to the situation or time period you are experiencing.
• Do not ignore signs of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). If you wake up gasping for air, have periods of no breathing during sleep, snore loudly and/or are having trouble staying awake or alert in daytime hours, you should talk with your doctor. This illness is often left untreated, which can contribute to anything from heart problems to glaucoma. Several treatments are available that can help you avoid the potential negative effects of OSA, including oral appliances, airway pressure devices and changes to your lifestyle.
If you suspect you have a sleeping disorder or need other support in getting high-quality sleep, do not hesitate to contact your doctor or find one at Eskenazi Health Connections (317-880-7666). If your primary care provider thinks you have sleep apnea or another sleep disorder, you may be referred to Eskenazi Health Special Medicine for guidance from a sleep specialist.
Nydia Nunez-Estrada, M.D., family medicine specialist with Eskenazi Health Center Grande