When you think about living a healthy lifestyle, what are habits and behaviors that come to mind? Maybe eating a variety of fruits and vegetables. Drinking lot of water. Getting physical activity. How about the quality and quantity of your sleep?
The American Heart Association considers healthy sleep one of “Life’s Essential 8.” These eight items include four health behaviors and four health factors. The four essential behaviors for better heart health are to eat better, be more active, quit tobacco and get healthy sleep.
Sleep is probably not what most people think about first, but sleep impacts all body systems. Without enough quality sleep, your body cannot repair and recover well. This is true for your heart and the systems that connect and are influenced by it.
Here are some of the benefits of good sleep: healing and repair of cells, tissues and blood vessels; stronger immune system; better brain function including alertness, decision-making, focus, learning, memory, reasoning and problem-solving; healthy growth and development for kids and teens; better ability to build muscle and less risk of chronic disease.
On the flip side, poor sleep and inadequate sleep may put you at higher risk for cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and depression. Most adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 35% of American adults average fewer than 7 hours of sleep nightly.
Have you ever stopped to think that sleeping is kind of strange? We end up spending about one-third of our lives asleep. Sleep is not just to make us feel rested or less groggy or less irritable. Our bodies go through specific processes every night that are needed for good health. Sleep is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle.
According to Dr. Michael Grandner, Sleep and Health Research Program at University of Arizona College of Medicine, the first few hours of sleep are the deepest when the body performs tissue growth and repair, allowing for healing and restoration to occur. Next comes REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, which is a lighter type of sleep. Grandner says, “If you cut your sleep hours short, most of what you’ve deprived yourself of is REM sleep. This can interfere with learning, memory and mood, which are all regulated during this stage of sleep.”
Sleep experts suggest several habits for better sleep. One of the top suggestions is to keep a consistent schedule, which applies to weekdays and weekends. Give your body cues that it is time to wind down in the evening, like taking a bath or quietly reading a book. Limit screen time. Keep your bedroom cool and dark.
Agricultural life can make consistent sleep more challenging. There are just certain times of year when duty calls for some late nights or interrupted sleep. I think of February nights tromping out to the barn every couple of hours to check on newborn kids. Or watching the combines out very late because the conditions are right tonight and might not be tomorrow.
Add to that each fall and spring we collectively mess up the consistent schedule. How are you adjusting to the time change? Dr. Aneesa Das from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center shares that a “key is exposure to as much natural light as possible. Once the sun rises, keep it brighter in the home and, once the sun sets, keep it dimmer in the home. Natural light helps our internal clock function properly.”
Another thing to start thinking about this time of year is the onset of seasonal affective disorder. Some hallmark symptoms of SAD are sleeping too much and overeating. Other common SAD symptoms include a mood that is persistently sad or empty most of the day nearly every day, loss of interest in activities you typically enjoy, withdrawing and isolating yourself from friends and family, difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions, feeling constantly fatigued and lethargic, feeling hopeless about the future or having suicidal thoughts.
Don’t ignore any of these signs, including any challenges you have with adequate sleep. Reach out to your primary care provider to discuss your options. You may need assistance from a sleep specialist. Research has shown that sunlight boosts serotonin production and our overall mood. There is a strong connection between physical activity and mental health. It sounds too simple, but getting outside to take a walk can have a huge impact on our mood.
Today I will leave you with this quote from Marlo Thomas, “My father said there were two kinds of people in the world: givers and takers. The takers may eat better, but the givers sleep better.”
(Emily Marrison is an OSU Extension Family & Consumer Sciences Educator and Assistant Professor in Coshocton County and may be reached at 740-622-2265.)
