age is really just a number

Most adults need 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep on a regular schedule each night. You should actually feel rested when you get up in the morning. I personally go to sleep early and get up before dawn, so I can run before anyone else is up in the household. This is my regular schedule. The running gets my day going. 

According to a recent Facebook poll of my readers, the vast majority feel they need a cup of coffee to get up and moving. Why is this? Turns out most adults don’t allow themselves enough time to sleep at night or don’t have good quality sleep.

Why is sleep important?

There are many benefits of good sleep habits including a better immune system so you get sick less often. Sleep helps us maintain a healthy weight. It also decreases your risks for chronic disease, like diabetes or heart disease. Adequate sleep definitely reduces stress and improves your mood as well as allowing us to think more clearly, do better work, get along better with people and make more logical decisions. These are all good things!

Why can’t we sleep?

There are many causes of chronic sleep disruption. These can include stress, anxiety, chronic pain, heartburn, asthma, side effects of medication, too much caffeine or alcohol and sleep apnea. 

According to the CDC 35% of adults report less than seven hours of sleep a night and are considered short sleepers. There is no difference in this number between women and men. That’s a lot of tired people.

How can you improve your sleep?

Often times improving your sleep requires changing your routine.

1. Exercise earlier in the day
2. Make sure you have a very comfortable bed, soft sheets, and your perfect pillow
3. Make sure your room is dark, cool and quiet
4. Background “white noise” can be helpful
5. Avoid caffeine within four hours of planned sleep
6. Avoid or reduce alcohol consumption within four hours of planned sleep because this is a common cause of waking up in the middle of the night when the sedative effect wears off
7. Avoid large meals and beverages late at night because these can cause heartburn and frequent middle of the night bathroom trips
8. Avoid stimulants like allergy medication in the afternoon, if possible
9. Relax before bed with yoga, stretching, a hot bath or a good book
10. Avoid screen time within two hours prior to bedtime because cell phones, computers, and televisions emit a blue light which can really mess with your circadian rhythm

If you have changed your routine and are still having issues with your sleep patterns, it’s time to call your doctor and discuss common sleep disorders.

Signs of a sleep disorder include:

1. Frequent, loud snoring
2. Pauses in breathing during sleep
3. Trouble waking up in the morning
4. Trouble staying awake during the day
5. Frequent waking in the middle of the night
6. Restless legs or a painful itchy feeling in your legs at night that feels better with massage

Remember that adults who are short sleepers tend to have significantly more health issues than similar people who get enough rest. Sleepy people are also cranky, have difficulty making good decisions and often do not play nice with others.

So, let’s get some better sleep. You and the people around you will thank me for it.