Here’s a statistic that will keep you up at night: more than 70 million Americans suffer from sleep deprivation or a sleep disorder, but stay totally in the dark about it. Our culture puts such a premium on non-stop action and constant busyness that many people take pride in the few hours of sleep they log.
This is dangerous. Our bodies need and crave a good night’s sleep, using that time to repair, restore, and replenish. Without enough sleep, people suffer impaired memory, suppressed immune responses, a tendency towards obesity, and depression. Most adults need 7-8 hours daily to function productively and maintain good health.
There are some simple steps to take to encourage and protect a restful sleep.
1. Keep a routine, going to bed and getting up at the same time each day. Bedtime rituals, like a bath, brushing your teeth, reading a book, can signal to your body that it’s time to slow down.
2. Use your bedroom as a sanctuary. Keep it quiet, cool, and dark. Don’t watch flip the channels or surf the Internet, answer last-minute emails or scan the headlines while in bed. Maintain the sense that you are safe and cocooned in your room, so that you can truly leave the tensions of the day behind you.
3. Keep track of what you eat and drink and do during the day and how that might affect your slumber. Caffeine and sugar? Might be too stimulating to consume at a certain point in the day. Alcohol? Makes you drowsy but interferes with a deep sleep. Exercise before bed? Only if you want to raise your heart rate and risk a release of endorphins that will keep you up. Pay attention so that you can create the very best conditions to sleep like proverbial log and greet the next day with energy and enthusiasm!