About one third of U.S. adults get less than the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep a night. In addition to making us feel sleepy during the day, this lack of adequate sleep could have serious health consequences.
Sleep affects everything—from energy and appetite to performance, mood, attention, memory, and decision making. “Sleep is not just important, it’s essential for life,” says José Ordovás, PhD, leader of the Precision Nutrition directive at the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. “While we can survive weeks without food, we can only last days without sleep.”
Sleep and Health. Ongoing sleep disruption is associated with greater risk of obesity, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, depression, and atrial fibrillation (an irregular heartbeat that increases risk of heart failure, kidney problems, stroke, coronary heart disease, and death).
Not getting an adequate amount of quality sleep is also associated with weight gain. It may alter hormones involved in hunger and satiety (fullness). Late-night snacking and the tendency to make less healthy food choices when we’re tired may also be part of the problem. It’s important to note that there may be weight-related benefits to regularly getting adequate sleep. “Our research suggests that consistently getting adequate sleep may help mitigate genetic predispositions to obesity,” explains Ordovás. “This highlights the powerful role sleep plays in our overall health and metabolism.”
Lack of sleep also leaves us with less energy and ability to do other things that support our health, like make healthy food choices and be physically active.
Sleep, Interrupted. Medical conditions, medications (including some for high blood pressure and asthma), stress, and sleep environment can all influence sleep-wake needs. Exposure to light at night is a key factor. Bright light at night can confuse the brain and prevent the ramping up of melatonin (a hormone that helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle).
Some of the most common problems interrupting sleep (and what to do about them) are discussed in the Sleep Troubles table. It’s important to seek diagnosis and treatment if you have trouble with sleep.
➧ Be Consistent. Get up and go to sleep at the same time every day, even on weekends or during vacations.
➧ Aim for at least Seven. Set a bedtime that allows you to get seven to nine hours of sleep.
➧ Don’t Force It. If you don’t fall asleep after 20 minutes, get out of bed and do a calm activity, like reading, doing a jigsaw puzzle, or meditating.
➧ Watch Naptime. Don’t nap too long or too late in the day.
➧ Relax. Establish a relaxing bedtime routine.
➧ Respect Your Bed. Use your bed only for sleep and sex.
➧ Set the Stage. Keep the room at a comfortable temperature and light level, and block out noise with earplugs or a white noise machine (or app), if necessary.
➧ Limit Light. Stay away from bright light in the evenings, including screens. Turn off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime, or at least utilize night mode settings.
➧ limit night Eating. Avoid eating a large meal before bedtime. If you are hungry at night, eat a light, healthy snack, if necessary.
➧ Move Regularly. Regular physical activity throughout the day supports good sleep.
➧ Avoid Caffeine. Consuming caffeine from sources like coffee, non-herbal tea, and cola in the late afternoon or evening can interfere with sleep.
➧ Limit Alcohol. While alcohol can make you sleepy, it is known to interfere with quality of sleep. Allow enough time for your blood alcohol level to drop before bed.
➧ Control Fluids. Reduce your fluid intake prior to bedtime and try to urinate before bed.
➧ Don’t Check the Clock. If the alarm has not gone off…go back to sleep!
