Research
suggests that the amount and quality of sleep we achieve has profound
effects on wellness. Nightly sleep is critical for the restoration of
health.
Sleep expert and President of the American Sleep
Research Institute Lynn Larson explains that the link between sleep
and decreased longevity is due to the immediate effect lack of sleep
has on human performance. Missing sleep leads to poor decision making
and affects everything we do: rushing when we should be methodical,
forgetting important procedures, loss of attention (such as when
driving), not having the energy to exercise, poorer reaction time,
higher stress levels, elevated blood pressure, and inability to adapt
to change. These things lead to accidents in the short term, and poor
health in the long term.
Research at ASRI suggests that the
amount and quality of sleep we achieve has profound effects on
wellness. Nightly sleep is critical for proper function of: the
brain, immune system, endocrine system, digestion, as well as for
energy, recovery from injury, and restoration of health. The
lifestyle changes explained throughout this website are all
intertwined with sleep. Sleep gives us the energy, the will, and the
foundation to accomplish these changes.
Approximately 100
million Americans struggle with difficulty sleeping. If you have
trouble falling asleep, or staying asleep, there are some "tricks"
to improve the situation. To some extent, insomnia can be like the
old expression about fear: there is nothing to fear but fear itself.
Sometimes, just the fear of not being able to sleep causes enough
stress to keep us awake. Don't worry, these guidelines should
help.
• Sleep is like a good meal. It must be at the correct
time and well anticipated; it helps to be hungry, the food should
look, taste and smell good; your surroundings should be pleasing; and
you should have plenty of stress free time to enjoy it. Make your
bedroom as inviting as that meal and you will sleep better.
•
Don't look at the clock. Studies have shown that looking at the clock
during the night increases insomnia. You will sleep more if you
ignore the clock when you wake up during the night.
• Leave
work at the office and don't take it to bed with you.
• If
you wake during the night – do not think! Mental distraction is the
name of the game. Try counting backwards from 100. The first times
that you try this technique you might count from 100 two or more
times. It's OK. Eventually you will fall to sleep at about 95. You
are training yourself to stop thinking about problems and to fall to
sleep instead. It will take time to learn this good habit.
•
No caffeine after dinner. The half life of caffeine is about four
hours.
• Alcohol makes you doze off quickly, but after it
metabolizes it will interrupt sleep later in the night.
To
Your Health Naturally,
Dr. Joe Gitto, BA, DC, CFMP,
FDN
Advanced Chiropractic
Certified Functional Medicine
Practitioner
Functional Diagnostic Nutritionist