20 million adults in US suffer insomnia Everyone has difficulty
falling or staying asleep from time to time Daily tasks or getting
to work can be a chore Lead to health problems, especially with
your heart
Slide 3
Poor sleep could increase risk for heart disease. When is it a
problem? What can you do to get help? How can you get to
sleep?
Slide 4
Our bodies have a powerful internal drive to sleep Studies
suggest that sleep is just as important for survival as food As
important as eating, drinking & breathing Humans have an
overwhelming need to sleep Critical to our heart health &
well-being
Slide 5
Gives your heart a break Sleep reduces heart rate and blood
pressure by about 10% Boosts learning & memory Lack of sleep
leads to faulty decision making Can cause problems with learning
and memory retention Boosts immune system Sleep deprivation
decreases ability to fight off infections
Slide 6
Helps with weight management Those who sleep 5-6 hours per
night are more likely to be obese than those who sleep 7-8 Other
health concerns Research volunteers who slept less than 7 hours per
night were more likely to have diabetes Lack of sleep reduces
womens fertility as well
Slide 7
NIH recommends 7-8 hours for adults Less sleep can make us
perform inadequately Avoid sleep debt No problems with sleepiness
during day Necessary to avoid an increased risk for cardiovascular
disease
Slide 8
Occurs when we don't get adequate sleep Can be difficult to
"pay back" if it becomes too big The resulting sleep deprivation
has been linked to health problems High blood pressure Obesity
Negative mood and behavior Decreased productivity Safety issues in
the home and on the job, and on the road
Slide 9
DO YOU: Take more than 30 minutes to fall asleep at night? Wake
up frequently and have trouble falling back asleep again? Regularly
need to use stimulants to get through the day? Awaken too early in
the morning? If two or more of these behaviors sound like you, you
may have a sleep disorder.
Slide 10
Not feeling well rested despite 7-8 hours of sleep at night
Feeling sleepy during the day and fall asleep within 5 minutes if
you have the chance to nap Your bed partner claims you snore
loudly, snort, gasp, or make choking sounds while sleeping
Slide 11
Half of all adults snore and half of all snorers snore loudly
and frequently Frequent loud snoring can be a sign of sleep apnea
Daytime sleepiness What can help stop snoring? Tennis ball in back
of pajamas Change position not on back Body pillow Breathe right
strips
Slide 12
Nighttime breathing disorder affects more than15 million
Americans Men and women of all ages Even some children 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
Slide 13
Insomnia Trouble falling asleep & staying asleep Narcolepsy
Brain's inability to regulate sleep-wake cycles normally Restless
Leg Syndrome (RLS) Neurological disorder Irresistible urge to move
one's body to stop uncomfortable or odd sensations
Slide 14
Blood pressure normally lowers during sleep Essential in
maintaining heart health Reduces plaque build-up in the arteries
Inadequate sleep prevents the nightly dip in blood pressure Lack of
sleep raises stress hormone levels Causes inflammation in blood
vessels Leads to clogged arteries Inflammation, blocked blood
vessels results in a heart attack
Slide 15
Sleeping following night shift: Experiment with different sleep
times to see what works for you. One sleep period is typically
better than two shorter sleep periods. Limit noise and light. Try
to sleep same number of hours as on day shift.
Slide 16
Sleeping when switching back to days: Get most of sleep on
night following last night shift; daytime sleep should be just
enough for recovery purposes. Maintain same pre-sleep pattern of
activities, no matter when you sleep. Get into the sunlight early
in the day.
Slide 17
Not a magic cure Talk with your Doctor and Pharmacist Over the
counter meds & side effects Diphenhydramine (Benadryl, Unisom
sleep) Sedating antihistamine Side effects include daytime
drowsiness, dry mouth, dizziness and memory problems Many
medications that use PM at the end of their brand name (like
Tylenol PM) contain this antihistamine
Slide 18
Doxylamine (Unisom Sleep Tabs) Sedating antihistamine Side
effects: daytime drowsiness, dry mouth, dizziness and memory
problems Melatonin Hormone helps control your natural sleep-wake
cycle May help treat jet lag or reduce falling asleep time Side
effects: daytime sleepiness, dizziness and headaches Less common
side effects: abdominal discomfort, mild anxiety, irritability,
confusion and depression Valerian May reduce time to fall asleep
and promote better sleep overall Active ingredient isn't clear and
potency can vary Side effects: headache, abdominal discomfort,
uneasiness, and heart disturbances
Slide 19
Occasional, short naps may make up for sleep missed the
previous night Does not substitute a good nights sleep No napping
after 3PM Try not to nap more than 1 hour Some evidence showed naps
longer than 20 minutes made waking fully difficult Some people may
want to avoid napping if it is not beneficial to their overall
sleep quality
Slide 20
Regular sleep schedule Get up and go to bed around the same
time each day Keep your same schedule on weekends Invest in a
comfortable mattress and pillows You spend 1/3 of your life in bed
Create a comfortable sleep environment Block out noise Use
darkening shades or curtains Bedroom temperature slightly cooler
Wear comfortable sleeping clothes
Slide 21
If possible, avoid medications that disrupt or delay sleep Some
heart, asthma & blood pressure meds can disrupt sleep Read the
labels: some over-the-counter cough, cold or allergy meds may cause
sleep problems Take a hot bath before bed Decreases body
temperature Helps feel drowsy Routine promotes relaxation and
slowing down
Slide 22
Stop using smart phones, cell phones, laptops, or computers 2
hours before bed Screen too stimulating Set boundaries about being
contacted/available New research indicates cell phone usage
decreases melatonin Move your alarm clock Light from clock can
disrupt sleep Eliminate constantly checking Turn it away from bed
or move to hallway Decrease bright lights in evening Avoid bright
lights if up in middle of night
Slide 23
Exercise during the day Flush out stress hormones Brisk walk
(during your lunch break) promotes restful sleep at night Not too
close to bedtime too stimulating Decrease caffeine Switch to
caffeine free early afternoon Skip the night cap Alcohol may help
with falling asleep Causes frequent waking or waking too early
Avoid nicotine at bedtime It is a stimulant, causing difficulty
falling asleep
Slide 24
Write down your worries Wakefulness caused by worries,
concerns, or the To Do list Write it down Establish a plan of
action for the next day May be better able to sleep If you cant
fall asleep, get up If it has been over 30 minutes Get up and go to
another room Read or engage in some other restful activity
Slide 25
Keep your consistent sleep routine Same things every time
before going to bed Routine helps your body relax Signals to your
body sleep is near Keep your bedroom for sleep and intimacy only No
catching up on work, emails, etc. In the morning see the light Open
shades or curtains let in bright sunlight Turn on lights Daylight
regulates sleep patterns
Slide 26
Thank you for attending! Visit the CommonHealth website at
www.commonhealth.virginia.gov for more great sleep resources