wellness
5 tips to fi ght sleep deprivation
Despite a desire for perfect sleep,
Americans are not even close to getting
the recommended eight hours a night,
and 1 in 4 Americans believes the sleep
they are getting isn’t the quality rest they
want and need.
“To put sleep deprivation into perspective,
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37% of Americans report they
have fallen asleep behind the wheel,”
said Dr. Sujay Kansagra, a sleep health
expert for Mattress Firm. “About 5%
report falling asleep while driving on a
monthly basis. Clearly, sleep deprivation
is wide-spread and a risk factor for overall
well-being.”
With chronic sleep deprivation, the
brain’s ability to maintain attention and
focus continues to decline over time. In
addition to impairing mental function,
lack of sleep has been associated with a
host of risks to overall health.
Prevent sleep deprivation and take
charge of your mental and physical health
with these tips from Kansagra:
Nap responsibly. When you’re feeling
tired, it’s no surprise the best solution may
be sleep. Some research suggests a quick
power nap can actually give you a stronger
boost than caff eine. However, too
much rest during the day can throw off
your nighttime
sleep pattern. Aim for no more than
20 minutes so you don’t wake up groggy,
and time your nap for the mid-point of
your wake cycle (halfway between
when you wake up and go to
sleep).
Limit screen time. If you
turn to your phone to
help wind
down while you’re in bed, you’re not
alone, but you may be doing more harm
than good. According to a survey conducted
by Mattress Firm on sleep habits,
the average person scrolls on his
or her phone while
lying in bed
f o r
more than 12 minutes
before shutting down
for the night. What’s
more, the light from
the screen serves
as a stimulant,
as does the
digi
tal
content you’re viewing. Th at means you’re
making it physically harder to fall asleep
than if you put down your devices at least
30 minutes before bed.
Stick to a sleep schedule. Th e average
person gets less than six hours of sleep per
night, according to the survey - a far cry
from the eight hours most experts recommend.
One way to buck this trend is to
make it a point to turn in and wake up at
the same time every day so you synchronize
your sleep time with your internal
clock. While eight hours is the standard,
you may need to adjust up or down to
fi nd the amount sleep that lets you wake
feeling rested.
Develop a pre-bedtime routine. You
can train your body to prepare for sleep
by creating a pattern or a routine that
eases you toward sleep.
“Even something as simple as putting
on a sleep mask each night, reading in
bed for 20 minutes or practicing the same
shower routine at the same time every
night signals to your brain it’s time to hit
the hay,” Kansagra said. “Creating a bedtime
routine that lasts 20-30 minutes and
sticking to that routine can make all the
diff erence in your energy, productivity
and mood.”
Find the right sleep position. If you’re
looking for the secret to a good night’s
sleep, comfort may be the key. According
to the survey, those who sleep on their
backs at night are most likely to report
they slept “perfectly well.” Th e most common
sleeping position, on your side, correlates
with the worst sleep reports. It may
take some trial and error to fi nd the
right position that keeps your spine
aligned, allows you to breathe freely
and evenly distributes your weight.
— Courtesy of Family
Features
/WWW.QNS.COM
