How important is sleep? Dr. Bonnie Gelly weighs in

“Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man (or woman!) healthy, wealthy, and wise!”

The DAY begins with bedtime the night before, not with the ringing of the alarm clock.  Health and wellness depend on good food, safe movement, and quality sleep. 

We spend nearly 1/3 of our lives asleep.  Our brains recharge, our muscles heal, and our entire system resets itself with high quality sleep.  Poor sleep leads to multiple medical issues, both short and long term.

The “sweet spot” for quantity, for adults, seems to be around 7 hours.  Less than that, and MORE of than that, can lead to daytime fatigue, abdominal weight gain, high blood pressure, and many more issues.

Busy, productive people should consider their day to have 17 hours; 7 of the 24 should be automatically dedicated to sleep.  And if you have to be awake by a set time, then ASLEEP time should be 7 hours prior.  As above, your DAY begins with bedtime the night before.

Your bedroom should be dark, cool, and quiet.  Falling asleep with a television on will prevent deep sleep.  Many TVs have built in sleep timers, but a better option is to avoid all blue lights and screens for at least 1-2 hours before you need to be asleep.  The bright lights of phones, computers, and televisions trick the body’s normal circadian rhythm into thinking that it is daytime.  This is the opposite effect of the hormonal supplement melatonin.

Awakening in the morning to bright lights can help you to use this rhythm to your advantage!  Some alarm clocks now utilize bright light INSTEAD of loud sounds to awaken you.

Children need even more sleep than adults.  8 to 10 hours is a better goal for them, depending on age and recommendations from their pediatrician.  The details above are the same.  Screen time should be an hour or less for most children.

Invest in your sleep!  Old mattress/pillow?  Treat yourself to a better one!  Fix that wobbly ceiling fan so that you can use it nightly.  Start your bedtime routine well in advance of your planned “asleep time,” and keep your routine even on weekends and holidays.  Utilize your smart devices to help you track sleep quality.

Seek diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea.  Tell your healthcare provider if you awaken fatigued, if you snore, or if you awaken with a dry mouth, headache, or sore throat.   CPAP devices work great, but are not the only option for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea.  If left untreated, it’s virtually impossible to lose weight, even with a great regimen of diet and exercise.

The medical community is recognizing sleep as the cornerstone of healthy lifestyle, and you’ll see many stories in the news regarding this.  Here’s one from just a few days ago!  https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_pennsylvania/sleep-survey-most-americans-understand-link-between-sufficient-sleep-and-good-health-one-third-still/article_2a60ec6c-eea1-58f5-9b64-9c738eb8e4b8.html

A great day starts THE NIGHT BEFORE…. Start prioritizing 7 great hours of sleep daily!