CommonHealth’s Guide to Healthy Sleep

 20 million adults in US suffer insomnia  Everyone has difficulty falling or staying asleep from time to time  Daily tasks or getting to work can be a chore  Lead to health problems, especially with your heart

 Poor sleep could increase risk for heart disease.  When is it a problem?  What can you do to get help?  How can you get to sleep?

 Our bodies have a powerful internal drive to sleep  Studies suggest that sleep is just as important for survival as food  As important as eating, drinking & breathing  Humans have an overwhelming need to sleep  Critical to our heart health & well-being

 Gives your heart a break ◦ Sleep reduces heart rate and blood pressure by about 10%  Boosts learning & memory ◦ Lack of sleep leads to faulty decision making ◦ Can cause problems with learning and memory retention  Boosts immune system ◦ Sleep deprivation decreases ability to fight off infections

 Helps with weight management ◦ Those who sleep 5-6 hours per night are more likely to be obese than those who sleep 7-8  Other health concerns ◦ Research volunteers who slept less than 7 hours per night were more likely to have diabetes ◦ Lack of sleep reduces women’s fertility as well

 NIH recommends 7-8 hours for adults  Less sleep can make us perform inadequately  Avoid sleep debt  No problems with sleepiness during day  Necessary to avoid an increased risk for cardiovascular disease

 Occurs when we don't get adequate sleep  Can be difficult to "pay back" if it becomes too big  The resulting sleep deprivation has been linked to health problems ◦ High blood pressure ◦ Obesity ◦ Negative mood and behavior ◦ Decreased productivity ◦ Safety issues in the home and on the job, and on the road

DO YOU:  Take more than 30 minutes to fall asleep at night?  Wake up frequently and have trouble falling back asleep again?  Regularly need to use stimulants to get through the day?  Awaken too early in the morning? If two or more of these behaviors sound like you, you may have a sleep disorder.

 Not feeling well rested despite 7-8 hours of sleep at night  Feeling sleepy during the day and fall asleep within 5 minutes if you have the chance to nap  Your bed partner claims you snore loudly, snort, gasp, or make choking sounds while sleeping

 Half of all adults snore and half of all snorers snore loudly and frequently  Frequent loud snoring can be a sign of sleep apnea  Daytime sleepiness  What can help stop snoring? ◦ Tennis ball in back of pajamas ◦ Change position – not on back ◦ Body pillow ◦ Breathe right strips

 Nighttime breathing disorder affects more than15 million Americans ◦ Men and women of all ages ◦ Even some children  Breathing stops briefly during sleep when airway partially or completely closes  The amount of oxygen in the blood drops  Your brain wakes you enough to tighten the airway muscles so you can breathe again

 Insomnia ◦ Trouble falling asleep & staying asleep  Narcolepsy ◦ Brain's inability to regulate sleep-wake cycles normally  Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) ◦ Neurological disorder ◦ Irresistible urge to move one's body to stop uncomfortable or odd sensations

 Blood pressure normally lowers during sleep ◦ Essential in maintaining heart health ◦ Reduces plaque build-up in the arteries ◦ Inadequate sleep prevents the nightly dip in blood pressure  Lack of sleep raises stress hormone levels ◦ Causes inflammation in blood vessels ◦ Leads to clogged arteries ◦ Inflammation, blocked blood vessels results in a heart attack

Sleeping following night shift:  Experiment with different sleep times to see what works for you. One sleep period is typically better than two shorter sleep periods.  Limit noise and light.  Try to sleep same number of hours as on day shift.

Sleeping when switching back to days:  Get most of sleep on night following last night shift; daytime sleep should be just enough for recovery purposes.  Maintain same pre-sleep pattern of activities, no matter when you sleep.  Get into the sunlight early in the day.

 Not a magic cure  Talk with your Doctor and Pharmacist  Over the counter meds & side effects ◦ Diphenhydramine (Benadryl, Unisom sleep)  Sedating antihistamine  Side effects include daytime drowsiness, dry mouth, dizziness and memory problems  Many medications that use PM at the end of their brand name (like Tylenol PM) contain this antihistamine

◦ Doxylamine (Unisom Sleep Tabs)  Sedating antihistamine  Side effects: daytime drowsiness, dry mouth, dizziness and memory problems ◦ Melatonin  Hormone helps control your natural sleep-wake cycle  May help treat jet lag or reduce falling asleep time  Side effects: daytime sleepiness, dizziness and headaches  Less common side effects: abdominal discomfort, mild anxiety, irritability, confusion and depression ◦ Valerian  May reduce time to fall asleep and promote better sleep overall  Active ingredient isn't clear and potency can vary  Side effects: headache, abdominal discomfort, uneasiness, and heart disturbances

 Occasional, short naps may make up for sleep missed the previous night ◦ Does not substitute a good night’s sleep  No napping after 3PM  Try not to nap more than 1 hour ◦ Some evidence showed naps longer than 20 minutes made waking fully difficult  Some people may want to avoid napping if it is not beneficial to their overall sleep quality

 Regular sleep schedule ◦ Get up and go to bed around the same time each day ◦ Keep your same schedule on weekends  Invest in a comfortable mattress and pillows ◦ You spend 1/3 of your life in bed  Create a comfortable sleep environment ◦ Block out noise ◦ Use darkening shades or curtains ◦ Bedroom temperature slightly cooler ◦ Wear comfortable sleeping clothes

 If possible, avoid medications that disrupt or delay sleep ◦ Some heart, asthma & blood pressure meds can disrupt sleep ◦ Read the labels: some over-the-counter cough, cold or allergy meds may cause sleep problems  Take a hot bath before bed ◦ Decreases body temperature ◦ Helps feel drowsy ◦ Routine promotes relaxation and slowing down

 Stop using smart phones, cell phones, laptops, or computers 2 hours before bed ◦ Screen too stimulating ◦ Set boundaries about being contacted/available ◦ New research indicates cell phone usage decreases melatonin  Move your alarm clock ◦ Light from clock can disrupt sleep ◦ Eliminate constantly checking ◦ Turn it away from bed – or move to hallway  Decrease bright lights in evening ◦ Avoid bright lights if up in middle of night

 Exercise during the day ◦ Flush out stress hormones ◦ Brisk walk (during your lunch break) promotes restful sleep at night ◦ Not too close to bedtime – too stimulating  Decrease caffeine ◦ Switch to caffeine free early afternoon  Skip the “night cap” ◦ Alcohol may help with falling asleep ◦ Causes frequent waking or waking too early  Avoid nicotine at bedtime ◦ It is a stimulant, causing difficulty falling asleep

 Write down your worries ◦ Wakefulness caused by worries, concerns, or the “To Do” list ◦ Write it down ◦ Establish a plan of action – for the next day ◦ May be better able to sleep  If you can’t fall asleep, get up ◦ If it has been over 30 minutes ◦ Get up and go to another room ◦ Read or engage in some other restful activity

 Keep your consistent sleep routine ◦ Same things every time before going to bed ◦ Routine helps your body relax ◦ Signals to your body sleep is near  Keep your bedroom for sleep and intimacy only ◦ No catching up on work, s, etc.  In the morning – see the light ◦ Open shades or curtains – let in bright sunlight ◦ Turn on lights ◦ Daylight regulates sleep patterns

Thank you for attending! Visit the CommonHealth website at for more great sleep resources