It used to be a badge of honor to have insomnia. It implied you were dedicated to your job and willing to take any necessary step to reach your goals. However, we’ve learned that to be at our best, we need to get a good night’s sleep.
Sleep deprivation causes accidents, it effects your mental abilities and effects your health. Sleep loss can put you at risk for:
- Heart Disease
- Hypertension
- Stroke
- Diabetes
In addition, we can blame sleep deprivation on a lack of libido, a cause of depression, our appearance, forgetfulness and it can also lead to weight gain. We need our sleep as much as we need to eat and drink.
How Much Sleep Do You Need?
- Children – 10 – 12 hours per night.
- Adults – 8 – 10 hours per night.
Ideas to Improve Your Sleep
- Go to bed at the same time every night. Preferably between 9-10 pm.
- Insulate your room from light and noise. Turn off all electronics, so no light is being emitted.
- A light protein snack one hour before bedtime helps with those who wake up due to poor sugar regulation, such as diabetes patients. Protein helps to stabilize sugar.
- Finish all beverages one hour before bed and urinate just before retiring.
- No caffeinated beverages past 3 pm.
- Exercise daily—even if it’s only a short, brisk walk.
- Avoid sleeping pills—they actually create more long term sleep problems, are addictive and are one of the most difficult medications to discontinue. It is a slippery slope to begin taking sleeping pills.
If you have implemented all of the above and still have sleep problems, please schedule an appointment with one our doctors. For sleep disorders we have a variety of tools available, such as acupuncture, herbs, relaxation techniques, biofeedback, and EFT (tapping).
Our goal is to treat the cause of poor sleep,.so an evaluation may be needed. Sleep is not a luxury, it is a necessity—for you, your job and your family.