Many Americans consider sleep a luxury; our lives are so jam-packed that there are not enough hours in the day to do everything that needs to be done.
Sleep is as important to our health as a healthy diet. In fact, like an unhealthy diet, lack of sleep can lead to physical problems including a lowered immune system, diabetes and increased blood pressure.
Lack of sleep is also associated with obesity. Scientists have found that sleep deprived people have a higher level of the hormone, ghrelin, which triggers appetite and a lower levels of leptin, a hormone that indicates a feeling of fullness.
If all of that weren’t enough, lack of sleep negatively affects our mental alertness, mood, creativity, memory, language skills and of course, energy level.
For some people, their sleeplessness is the result of a sleep disorder and for others it is the result of bad habits (which could lead to a sleep disorder). Whatever the reason for your bleary eyes, the resulting physical drain on your body is the same.
Common sleep disorders include insomnia, restless leg syndrome and sleep apnea. Insomnia is characterized by a difficulty getting to sleep and staying asleep. Restless leg syndrome is a neurological disorder that involves an overwhelming urge to move one’s legs and is often accompanied by uncomfortable sensations in the leg. Sleep apnea occurs when the muscles at the back of the throat relax to such a degree that the airway is blocked. This blockage not only causes a disrupted sleep but also leads to a lack of oxygen in the blood.
Bad sleep habits include consuming too much caffeine or alcohol and having an erratic sleep schedule.
Too much caffeine over the course of the day, or consuming it even six hours before going to bed, can make it difficult to get to sleep.
Moderate caffeine intake – about 250 milligrams per day – is okay for most people, but don’t forget that caffeine is in more than just coffee. For instance, a can of Red Bull energy drink has about 80 mg of caffeine, an 8-ounce cola has 23 mg, and a one-ounce piece of milk chocolate has 6 mg. While caffeine can temporarily perk you up, it is not a substitute for sleep.
Alcohol can make you fall asleep faster but it increases snoring, which can lead to sleep apnea.
An example of an erratic sleep schedule is getting up at 6 a.m. during the week and then sleeping till noon on the weekends. At 11 p.m. Sunday night, your biological sleep clock thinks it’s only 8 p.m. You not only have difficulty getting to sleep, but also getting up in the morning. Sleep experts suggest getting up around the same time every day.
If you are among the millions of Americans who isn’t getting your requisite seven to nine hours of sleep, one resource to learn more about what’s causing your sleeplessness is the National Sleep Foundation Web site, www.sleepfoundation.org.
This article appears in the Jan. 23, 2006 print edition of La Voz.
