Fit Fare

On Sunday, we’ll be getting an extra hour of sleep, and it looks like we need it. According to Mathias Basner, a sleep researcher at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, the average American gets 6.5 hours of sleep, about an hour less than in the 1950s.

Our bodies need sleep just like they need proper nutrition and exercise. When we don’t get adequate sleep—considered 7-9 hours per night—we may feel fatigued, cranky, less alert, and even hungry the next day. A lack of sleep causes ghrelin, known as “the hunger hormone,” to increase while the hormone leptin, which signals fullness, decreases.

In more extreme scenarios, sleep deprivation may lead to occupational injury or falling asleep at the wheel.

Millions of Americans experience some type of difficulty sleeping. According to the Cleveland Clinic Neurological Institute, “approximately 50% of adults experience intermittent insomnia, and one in ten complain of chronic insomnia.”

Insomnia is a disorder in which people have difficulty falling and/or staying asleep. They may also wake up frequently during the night or wake up too early in the morning.

There are many causes of insomnia which include: work and family-related stresses, such as a relocation or divorce; hormonal changes like menopause; medical illness, and conditions such as Restless Leg Syndrome; depression and medications; jet lag, and environmental factors, such as sensitivity to temperature, noise, or light.

Mild or occasional insomnia may be improved through relatively easy behavioral and lifestyle changes. People who do not respond to such simple solutions and/or suffer from chronic insomnia should consult a physician to discuss other treatment options.

Looking to get 8 hours of shut-eye a night? Then consider improving your sleep habits, known as sleep hygiene, with these 12 tips:

1. Go to bed and rise at the same time each day, even on weekends and days off.
2. Exercise regularly, though not within 3-4 hours of your bedtime.
3. Avoid stimulants such as caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine, especially within four to five hours of bedtime. Though alcohol may help initiate sleep, it is known to disrupt sleep later in the night.
4. Try to eat healthfully and avoid heavy meals within 2-3 hours of bedtime. A light bedtime snack, however, is recommended.
5. Avoid napping during the day. If you must, then sleep for only 15-20 minutes.
6. Create a positive sleep environment: a cool, dark, quiet room. Have a comfortable mattress, pillows, and bed linens, and use an eye mask and ear plugs if necessary.
7. 15-20 minutes before bedtime, turn off the computer, television, cell phone, and Blackberry; try relaxing by listening to quiet music, reading, or meditating.
8. Use your bed for two activities: sleeping and sex.
9. Go to bed only when you’re sleepy. If you’re can’t fall asleep after 15-20 minutes, then get up and do something relaxing.
10. Face your alarm clock toward the wall, and don’t look at it when you wake up.
11. Don’t lie in bed and ruminate about things that cause you anxiety. Try getting up and making a to-do list for the next day. The next night, cross off all of your accomplishments so you’ll feel less anxious when you retire to bed.
12. Avoid taking over the counter sleep medications until you discuss it with your doctor.

For more information, visit WebMd, Mayo Clinic.com, The Cleveland Neurological Institute, Medline Plus, and The National Sleep Foundation.

This article is Part I of a two part series. Next time: foods that will help you sleep.