CommonHealth’s Guide to Healthy Sleep Getting Your ZZZs
Feb 23, 2016
CommonHealth’s Guide to Healthy Sleep
Getting Your ZZZs
How many hours of sleep do you get per night on average?
5 6 7 8 9 hours?
1/3 of our lives are spent asleep
Losing sleep
1910 9 hours
TodayUnder 7
Kids need sleep tooA minimum of 10 hours for most age groups
Kids can display sleepiness as hyperactivity
Why…•Heart•Learning•Immunity •Weight•Mental Wellbeing
because we have to
•Adenosine•Melatonin
What happens when we don’t get enough rest?
AccidentsSerious health problems
Dumbs you down
Low sex driveDepressionWrinkles
ForgetfulnessWeight gainRisk of deathImpaired judgment about sleep
Poor sleep
Just one week of insufficient sleep alters the activity of our genes, which control our response to stress, immunity, inflammation and overall health.
Sleep & your heart
Blood pressure normally lowers during sleep
•Reduces plaque build-up in the arteries •Inadequate sleep prevents the nightly dip in blood pressureLack of sleep raises stress
hormone levels•Causes inflammation in blood vessels •Can lead to clogged arteries and blocked blood vessels
OvereatingIs a poor night’s sleep to blame?
Sleep helps maintain a healthy balance of the hormones that make
you feel hungry (ghrelin) or full (leptin).
Sleep HungerFullness
Sleep HygieneWhat you can do to get a
good night’s sleep
What if I can’t fall asleep?
If after 30 minutes you can not fall asleep or go back to sleep after waking:
GET UP! Try to reset your body’s signals for sleep
by : Decreasing your body temperature Reading something boring Keeping lights low Writing down what is on your mind
Naps
The Perfect Nap
Saturday Sleep In
Sleeping in can feel great…but can also mess up Monday morning because it
affects your biological clock.
Do yourself a favor and stick to a regular wake up and bedtime
Snoring can be serious
Do you snore and also wake feeling un-rested?
Sleep Apnea is when breathing stops briefly during sleep when airway partially or
completely closes The amount of oxygen in the blood drops Your brain wakes you enough to tighten
the airway muscles so you can breathe again
Talk to your
Sleep disorders are often treatable
Visit the TLC CommonHealth website atwww.commonhealth.virginia.gov/tlc
for more great sleep resources
Questions?