According to the National Institutes of Health, most adults
do best with 7-8 hours of sleep; teens need more – usually 9-10 hours of sleep.
How much do we actually get? About 1-2 hours less than we need.
Health Benefits of Sleep
- Keeping a healthy weight. When you do not have
enough sleep, you do not make good food choices and you skip exercise because
you are too tired. - Better mental performance and improved memory. Ever
try to take a test or learn something new without a good night’s sleep? - Improved physical functioning. Good sleep makes
for better athletic performance. - Stronger immune system. Yes, it is true – you
can fight off infections and improve vaccine effectiveness if you get good
sleep. - Accident avoidance. Driving while sleep-deprived
can be as bad as driving drunk. - Healthy mental state. Your mood is better after
a good night’s sleep and you are less likely to become depressed.
Reducing your Stress
- Acknowledge stressors and change what you can.
- Repeat successes in your head before bedtime. What
went “right” today? What did you accomplish? - Practice good sleep habits. Go to bed at the
same time and wake up at the same time each day. - Eat healthy, with less sugars and fats, smaller
frequent meals. Exercise regularly, but not late in the day. Avoid caffeine and
alcohol after dinner. - Decompress before bedtime – do not do work or
emails. - Seek help if stress is continually keeping you
awake. You may need to see your health
care provider, a counselor or a sleep specialist.
By: Karen Babos, D.O., M.B.A.
Karen Babos is the Vice President of Clinical Programs and Quality for Walgreens. She is triple-board certified in internal medicine, geriatric medicine and hospice and palliative care.
