Sleep Essentials
According to Duke University researchers, sleep is the single most effective thing humans can do each day to reset the brain and body health. Sleep recharges, repairs and rejuvenates. It removes waste from the brain, improves immune function, energy conservation and memory consolidation. It is essential for learning.
In his book Why We Sleep, Matthew Walker states, “Sleep allows the brain to sift through that day’s events, process any negative emotion attached to them, then strip it away from the memories… like applying a ‘nocturnal soothing balm’… there does not seem to be one major organ within the body, or process within the brain, that isn’t optimally enhanced by sleep (and detrimentally impaired when we don’t get enough).”
Sleep, however, doesn’t always come easy. Most people have some difficulty occasionally, but some people have regular difficulties. According to the CDC, approximately 4 percent of adults in the U.S. used medication to help them sleep in any given month between 2005 and 2010.
Poor sleep results in numerous difficulties. Some are more commonly known, like increased fatigue and poor concentration. Some are less known. Sleep deprivation increases emotional reactivity to environmental triggers. This may be seen as increased irritability and poor coping. Also, sleep deprivation can create changes in the body’s metabolic system which may be related to weight regulation. Psychologist Robert Saplosky has found that extending sleep among the sleep deprived generates weight reduction. This metabolic change cannot be corrected by sleeping in late on your day off. Consistent adequate sleep is necessary.
Duke University researchers have found that having too little sleep (less than six hours regularly) is a main risk factor for burnout. Persistent sleep deprivation is perceived by the body as stress, which produces the release of stress hormones. Prolonged exposure to our own stress hormones damages our DNA, promoting problems like cancer, psychiatric disorders and miscarriages. Some people get stuck in a sleep disruption cycle in which disrupted sleep increases fatigue and stress hormones, which diminishes the ability to cope with stressors in a healthy way, which then disrupts sleep more.
The part of the brain that regulates sleep is called the Suprachaismatic nucleus. It regulates the wake/sleep cycle. There are several things people can do to help this part of the brain functions at its best. The Suprachaismatic nucleus responds well to regular exposure to natural light during daylight hours to reset circadian rhythms, exposure to nature, appropriate exercise, Vitamin D3, good food at the correct time, relaxation and sleep rituals. In his book In Defense of Food, Michael Pollan suggests we should eat real food, not highly processed food-like products, mostly plants and not too much. He suggests that an eating pattern that includes fats and proteins in the morning, fruits and vegetable for lunch and carbs for dinner can help improve sleep.
In fact, there are many behavioral changes that can make a significant difference in improving a person’s sleep. Regular moderately intense exercise, like walking or biking, generally improves both mood and sleep. Exercising in the morning, as opposed to late afternoon, has been associated with 75 percent more time in deep sleep. Other ideas for improving sleep include waking at a consistent time without using the snooze button, avoiding caffeine after noon, avoiding eating within two to three hours of sleep, having regular times for sleep and wake onset each with a consistent routine, dropping the core body temperature two to three degrees to fall asleep (a 67 degree room is optimal), dimming lights and moving away from screens one hour before bed (helps with melatonin production), and using the bed only for sleep and intimacy, avoiding eating, TV or working in bed.
Many people overlook the power they have to improve their sleep by changing their behaviors. Many of these behaviors may include some practice or research. Creating a regular practice of relaxation or meditation can take some thought and research to make choices between many options. Creating a bedtime or morning routine takes time to think through what’s important to a person, what bad habits need to be replaced and what good habits could be used instead. Changes in eating and exercise patterns take a conscious effort, awareness and mindfulness. A person who is having difficulty sleeping must take the time to become aware of how much caffeine or sugar they are consuming and how it may be interfering with their sleep. It can be helpful for a person to focus on one area at a time, making small changes and sustaining that change until it becomes second nature before trying to make another change.
If someone is having difficulty taking the time, or making the effort, for these changes, they may find it helpful to see a counselor or therapist. A professional can help the person think through the changes that need to be made and hold them accountable. They may also be able to help them work through whatever emotional or psychological obstacles may be in the way.
Sometimes people end up relying on medication because it looks like the easier way, but it can lead not only to physical dependency in some cases, but to psychological dependence, the belief that one needs the medication to sleep. This mindset denies the power a person has to improve sleep through behavioral changes. Everyone has the power to make changes, so there is always hope of improved sleep.
For those who need more intense professional help, MyMichigan Health provides a Psychiatric Partial Hospitalization Program at MyMichigan Medical Center – Alma. Those interested in more information about the PHP program may call (989) 466-3253. Those interested in more information on MyMichigan’s comprehensive behavioral health programs may visit www.mymichigan.org/mentalhealth.
